Usability in ICTs for Industry 4.0

Abstract

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are a key piece in industrial development on the way to digital transformation that requires the development of Industry 4.0. The impact generated by the new technologies in the industry enables the detection of failures, the improvement of processes, and the acceleration of production times. These are factors that may significantly modify the levels of productivity in the different industrial sectors. Although industries currently use various Software Products in their management, marketing and logistics processes, among others, the insertion of technologies in the automation and control of production processes is generating a new industrial revolution that modifies the process control paradigm, directly impacting in productivity and competitiveness. The software industry faces the challenge of developing accessible and usable products for specific users, analyzing their behaviors, knowledge and characteristics, in order to apply techniques that may be adapted to the production processes and knowledge that work within an industry. This article raises the application of usability techniques to the development of products that can be implemented in the manufacturing industry, regardless of the branch of activity, and for this purpose, a model of Design/Development Process of Specific Software Products for the industry is suggested. This model applies and customizes the different usability techniques to the particularities of this type of user in its real context of use.