Usability of Wearable and Desktop Game-Based Simulations: A Heuristic Evaluation

Abstract

Abstract : The use of simulators based on game software has the potential to deliver effective training. However, simulators with usability problems can interfere with training by presenting unwanted distractions. This report describes an assessment of the usability of a wearable computer system which has been designed to interface with a virtual environment and which can be used for simulator training. Usability of the wearable system was compared with that of a more common desktop interface in a game-based virtual environment. Eight evaluators conducted a heuristic usability evaluation of the wearable system and desktop interfaces. They identified 24 usability concerns with the wearable system and desktop interfaces, and the virtual environment. The majority of the concerns (46%) were with the virtual environment. Forty-two percent of the concerns were related to the wearable system, and the remaining 12% dealt with the desktop interface. However, when the frequency, impact, and persistence scores were aggregated into an overall score, the wearable system had the poorest usability. Eight of the ten greatest usability concerns were related to the wearable system. These data suggest that the virtual environment is more usable with the desktop interface than the wearable system.