Ian Graham, CTO, Trireme.com

Ian Graham is an industry consultant with over 20 years experience: a practitioner in IT for over 25. He splits his time evenly between consulting, change management, training and development work and has advised many major corporations at a strategic level in his areas of expertise.

He is the author, co-author or editor of 15 books on advanced IT practice including A Pattern Language for Web Usability, (Addison-Wesley, 2003) and, most recently, Business Rules Management and Service Oriented Architecture: A Pattern Language (Wiley, 2006).

Ian is a Fellow of the British Computer Society, Chartered Engineer and Chartered IT Practitioner. He was Visiting Professor of Requirements Engineering at De Montfort University from 1998 to 2001.

Presentation: "Using Patterns to Guide Usability"

Track: Software Usability for software developers

Time: Wednesday 14:30 - 15:30

Location: Westminster Suite

Abstract:

A pattern language is a system of patterns from which, in the context of a specific problem, sequences can be generated that represent standard or well-known ways to solve that problem. In effect, a pattern language is a 'method generator'; giving far more flexibility than the usual 'checklist' type methods. However, like conventional methods, using a well thought out pattern language helps the developer or designer to avoid overlooking key activities or the road to good design, at least considering the forces at work as each pattern is considered. Once again flexibility is the key, because the approach is not mandating, 'do this,' but insisting, 'consider this.'

In this talk, Ian will present parts of a pattern language directed at web usability (WU), showing how it may be used during a design project. It will be seen that:

a similar approach could be adopted for other types of projects concerned with usability;
many of the patterns are applicable to any software development project; and
patterns are a concise and communicable way to condense the knowledge of UI experts.

It might be noted that the WU language includes pattern that precede use case modelling as well as patterns for rigorous modelling, abstract patterns that encapsulate usability principles (e.g. feedback) and patterns specific to web design.

Password protected Download slides