IFSM 300 Disc ***Zeek the GEEK***

Olesya:

IT usability means making products and systems easier to use, and matching them more closely to user needs and requirements. The definition of usability in the ISO 9241 standard is: "The extent to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction in a specified context of use" (Quesenbery, 2001). This definition can be expanded, and made more comprehensive, by including five characteristics which must be met for the users of a product: effective, efficient, engaging, error tolerant, easy to learn.

            Effectiveness is the completeness and accuracy with which users achieve specified goals. It is determined by looking at whether the user’s goals were met successfully and whether all work is correct. Efficiency can be described as the speed (with accuracy) in which users can complete the tasks for which they use the product. An interface is engaging if it is pleasant and satisfying to use. The visual design is the most obvious element of this characteristic. The style of the visual presentation, the number, functions and types of graphic images or colors (especially on web sites), and the use of any multimedia elements are all part of a user’s immediate reaction. The ultimate goal is a system which has no errors. But, product developers are human, and computer systems far from perfect, so errors may occur. An error tolerant program is designed to prevent errors caused by the user’s interaction, and to help the user in recovering from any errors that do occur. One of the biggest objections to "usability" comes from people who fear that it will be used to create products with a low barrier to entry, but which are not powerful enough for long, sustained use. But learning goes on for the life of the use of a product. Users may require access to new functionality, expand their scope of work, explore new options or change their own workflow or process. These changes might be instigated by external changes in the environment, or might be the result of exploration within the interface.

            Successful companies actually do put—and keep—the user first. They relegate technology, implementation, office politics, and everything else to a lower priority (Scanlon, 1997). Successful teams understand that knowledge is power, so they focus on gathering information about their users from as many sources as possible. Successful companies don’t spend time refining ideas until they’ve proven that they work. Instead, they focus on shortening the development cycle by doing frequent, fast iterations.

            Great example of a company that is focused on IT usability is Usability Sciences. With a heritage in usability testing, our focus has always been on the user experience. They offer their clients a complete portfolio of lab-based, web-based, and field solutions to help them compete and win in the marketplace.  Through them, their clients hear, see, and understand their customers better, and design better user experiences as a result.

 Scanlon, T. (1997). How usability-focused companies think. User interface engineering. https://articles.uie.com/how_companies_think/ Retrieved 10 November 2016.

Quesenbery, W. (2001). What does usability mean: Looking beyond : “ease of use”. Society for Technical Communication. http://www.wqusability.com/articles/more-than-ease-of-use.html Retrieved 10 November 2016.

http://www.usabilitysciences.com/ Retrieved 10 November 2016.

Leron:

Authentication is a process in which the credentials provided are compared to those on file in a database of authorized users' information on a local operating system or within an authentication server. If the credentials match, the process is completed and the user is granted authorization for access.  Authentication is one of the five pillars of information assurance (IA). The other four are integrity, availability, confidentiality and non repudiation.

The authentication process is a very important part of an organizations safety and security of the infrastructure. Authentication is not only limited to usernames and passwords as many people may feel. There are multiple ways by which users can provide their identity, such as swiping a smart card, waving a token device, which I often had to do when I was in the military. There were always ways and processes being put in place by the military to safeguard the information on our computer systems or access to facilities with confidential or secret information which was only available to authorized personnel.

Before I began to take these classes I would often think at times when at my different duty stations that it was really aggravating to have to authenticate myself every time I used my computer, but I now understand the significance of doing it every single time. “The proper identification of a person, device, or group is vital for safeguarding and maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the company's IT infrastructure” (Vemuri, 2007). If these precautions weren’t taken by the military as an organization, not only would we be putting ourselves in harm’s way but the entire United States of America.

Vemuri, L (2007). What is authentication? https://iaonline.theiia.org/what-is-authentication/ Retrieved November 10 2016.

https://www.bu.edu/tech/about/security-resources/bestpractice/auth/  Retrieved November 10 2016.