Statistical evaluation of the usability of decision-oriented graphical interfaces in scheduling applications

Abstract

In this paper, we present the results of a usability study in interface design for scheduling systems. We show that providing possibilities to interactively create schedules improves the quality of decision making. The considered ways of interaction are tailored to the needs of human schedulers. They facilitate and optimize planning decisions at all stages of the scheduling procedure. Based on a study with 35 test subjects and overall 105 hours of usability testing we verify that the use of some features improves both quality and practicability of the produced schedules.