# US 10,503,341 B2 · Usability analysis for user interface based systems

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,503,341 B2
- Document ID: US10503341B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/795,519
- Filed: 2015-07-09
- Published: 2017-01-12
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2015-07-09
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation
- Inventors: Vaibhav Grover; Atul Prakash; Swetha Sivaram
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10503341B2

## CPC

- G06F 3/048: Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
- G06F 8/77: Software metrics
- G06F 9/451: Execution arrangements for user interfaces
- G06F 11/34: Recording or statistical evaluation of computer activity, e.g. of down time, of input/output operation {; Recording or statistical evaluation of user activity, e.g. usability assessment}
- G06F 11/3438: {monitoring of user actions (tracking the activity of the user H04L67/535)}
- G06F 11/3692: {for test results analysis}
- G06F 3/0484: for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
- G06F 8/38: for implementing user interfaces
- G06F 11/3604: Analysis of software for verifying properties of programs (testing of software G06F11/3668)
- G06F 11/3612: {by runtime analysis (performance monitoring G06F11/3466)}
- G06F 11/3616: {using software metrics}
- G06F 11/368: {for test version control, e.g. updating test cases to a new software version}
- G06F 11/3698: Environments for analysis, debugging or testing of software
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

A method for evaluating the usability of user interfaces is provided. The method may include capturing user interface data. The method may also include determining whether the plurality of user interface data follows user interface guidelines associated with the user interface. The method may further include determining scores for the user interface based on the determination of whether the user interface data follows the user interface guidelines. Additionally, the method may include implementing the user interface using the user interface data to log usage data associated with the user interface. The method may also include capturing user interaction data associated with the user interface based on the logging of the usage data. The method may further include detecting correlations between the user interface data and the user interaction data. The method may also include presenting the scores, correlations, and an analysis based on the scores and the correlations.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A computer system for evaluating usability of at least one user interface, comprising:
one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, wherein the computer system is capable of performing a method comprising:
capturing a plurality of user interface data associated with the at least one user interface, wherein the plurality of user interface data comprises font data, screen data, and a plurality of ratios between the font data and the screen data;
determining whether the plurality of user interface data follows a plurality of user interface guidelines associated with the at least one user interface;
determining a plurality of scores for the at least one user interface, wherein determining the plurality of scores comprises detecting whether the at least one user interface includes user interface deviations from the plurality of user interface guidelines;
implementing the at least one user interface using the plurality of user interface data to log a plurality of usage data associated with the at least one user interface;
capturing a plurality of user interaction data associated with the at least one user interface based on the logging of the plurality of usage data associated with the at least one user interface;
detecting a plurality of correlations between the plurality of user interface data and the plurality of user interaction data based on the user interface deviations associated with the at least one user interface, wherein detecting the plurality of correlations comprises determining one or more effects the plurality of user interface data has on a user and the usability of the at least one user interface based on the plurality of user interface data and the plurality of user interaction data; and
presenting the plurality of scores, the plurality of correlations, and a plurality of analysis based on the plurality of scores and the plurality of correlations by displaying the plurality of scores, the plurality of correlations, and the plurality of analysis in at least one report, wherein the at least one report comprises a plurality of correlation graphs plotting the plurality of correlations between the plurality of user interface data and the plurality of user interaction data.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The computer system of claim 1,
wherein the font data is selected from a group comprising at least one of a font size and a font color,
wherein the screen data is selected from a group comprising at least one of a background color, a screen size, and a screen resolution,
wherein the plurality of ratios between the font data and the screen data comprises at least one of a font size to screen size ratio, a font size to screen resolution ratio, and a font color to background color ratio, and
wherein the plurality of user interface data further comprises a plurality of placement of icons/links and a plurality of user interface controls.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The computer system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of user interface guidelines comprises at least one of a device guideline, a company guideline, and an industry guideline.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The computer system of claim 1, wherein the determining a plurality of scores for the at least one user interface further comprises:
determining a plurality of scores for at least one of a plurality of font size, a plurality of font color, a plurality of background color, a plurality of placement of icons and links, a plurality of screen size, a plurality of screen resolution, a plurality of font size to screen size ratio, a plurality of font size to screen resolution ratio, a plurality of font color to background color ratio, and a plurality of user interface controls; and
reducing the plurality of scores based on a plurality of deviations associated with the plurality of interface data and the plurality of user interface guidelines.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The computer system of claim 1, wherein the implementing the at least one user interface using the plurality of user interface data to log a plurality of usage data further comprises:
enabling a plurality of notifications based on the plurality of usage data.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The computer system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of user interaction data comprises at least one of a link click path associated with users, a distance covered by users to click on plurality of links, a time spent by users on a plurality of display screens, a plurality of actions performed on the plurality of display screens, and a think time for users to accomplish a plurality of tasks.

### Claim 7

A computer program product for evaluating usability of at least one user interface, comprising:
one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage devices and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage devices, the program instructions executable by a processor, the program instructions comprising:
program instructions to capture a plurality of user interface data associated with the at least one user interface, wherein the plurality of user interface data comprises font data, screen data, and a plurality of ratios between the font data and the screen data;
program instructions to determine whether the plurality of user interface data follows a plurality of user interface guidelines associated with the at least one user interface;
program instructions to determine a plurality of scores for the at least one user interface, wherein the program instructions to determine the plurality of scores comprises program instructions to detect whether the at least one user interface includes user interface deviations from the plurality of user interface guidelines;
program instructions to implement the at least one user interface using the plurality of user interface data to log a plurality of usage data associated with the at least one user interface;
program instructions to capture a plurality of user interaction data associated with the at least one user interface based on the logging of the plurality of usage data associated with the at least one user interface;
program instructions to detect a plurality of correlations between the plurality of user interface data and the plurality of user interaction data based on the user interface deviations associated with the at least one user interface, wherein the program instructions to detect the plurality of correlations comprises program instructions to determine one or more effects the plurality of user interface data has on a user and the usability of the at least one user interface based on the plurality of user interface data and the plurality of user interaction data; and
program instructions to present the plurality of scores, the plurality of correlations, and a plurality of analysis based on the plurality of scores and the plurality of correlations by displaying the plurality of scores, the plurality of correlations, and the plurality of analysis in at least one report, wherein the at least one report comprises a plurality of correlation graphs plotting the plurality of correlations between the plurality of user interface data and the plurality of user interaction data.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The computer program product of claim 7,
wherein the font data is selected from a group comprising at least one of a font size and a font color,
wherein the screen data is selected from a group comprising at least one of a background color, a screen size, and a screen resolution,
wherein the plurality of ratios between the font data and the screen data comprises at least one of a font size to screen size ratio, a font size to screen resolution ratio, and a font color to background color ratio, and
wherein the plurality of user interface data further comprises a plurality of placement of icons/links and a plurality of user interface controls.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the plurality of user interface guidelines comprises at least one of a device guideline, a company guideline, and an industry guideline.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the program instructions to determine a plurality of scores for the at least one user interface further comprises:
program instructions to determine a plurality of scores for at least one of a plurality of font size, a plurality of font color, a plurality of background color, a plurality of placement of icons and links, a plurality of screen size, a plurality of screen resolution, a plurality of font size to screen size ratio, a plurality of font size to screen resolution ratio, a plurality of font color to background color ratio, and a plurality of user interface controls; and
program instructions to reduce the plurality of scores based on a plurality of deviations associated with the plurality of user data and the plurality of user interface guidelines.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the plurality of user interaction data comprises at least one of a link click path associated with users, a distance covered by users to click on plurality of links, a time spent by users on a plurality of display screens, a plurality of actions performed on the plurality of display screens, and a think time for users to accomplish a plurality of tasks.
