Abstract
In the previous chapter, we argued that user-centred activities can be seamlessly integrated into existing software engineering approaches and illustrated some of them in context. In this chapter we would like to explore 8 user-centred techniques in more detail. We are confident that this selection provides the reader with a comprehensive range of tools for developing highly useful products in a range of different situations.
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Notes
- 1.
An aside for interested readers: The number in the title is nothing other than the oft-quoted “magic number 7 ± 2”. In 1956, psychologist George A. Miller published a paper on the limits of human information processing capacity [Miller 56]. It states that, on average, the human brain is able to evaluate a maximum of 5–9 comparable stimuli. This limit has been demonstrated in various experiments involving stimuli such as musical pitches, volumes, visual stimuli etc. The same number has also been identified in other studies. 7 ± 2 is the approximate number of pieces of information which someone can retain in their short term memory at one time. 7 ± 2 is the number of objects covered by the human attention span. Misunderstanding, coincidence or a law of nature? Whatever the case, ever since, the “magic number 7 ± 2” has been treated as a kind of fundamental constant. In the field of software ergonomics, it has been argued that the limits of human information processing capacity mean that, to be effective, selections should be limited to between around 5–9 different options.
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Richter, M., Flückiger, M. (2014). The 7 ± 2 Most Important User-Centred Techniques . In: User-Centred Engineering. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-43989-0_3
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