Usability testing main challanges for cloud platform and io t
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The document discusses the main challenges for usability testing of cloud platforms and IoT technologies. Some key challenges discussed are security and privacy concerns with cloud data, integration issues with legacy systems, and the need to test end-to-end business processes on cloud. For IoT, challenges include usability of small devices, ensuring connectivity between devices, security vulnerabilities, and the need for real-world testing outside labs. Overcoming these challenges will require new smarter testing approaches and a focus on security, privacy and reliability during prototype development.
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Usability testing main challanges for cloud platform and io t
- 2. USABILITY TESTING MAIN CHALANGES FOR CLOUD PLATFORM AND IOT SAINI, SUMIT Usability What is Usability “Usability is a quality attribute that assesses how easy user interfaces are to use. It also refers to methods for improving ease-of-use during the design process.” To measure the usability of a product/application, we go by the process called Usability Testing. It is an essential aspect of any user-centered approach that puts the user at the center during the design and development process. It comprises of five key elements: 1. Learnability: How easy is it for users to accomplish basic tasks the first time they encounter the design? 2. Efficiency: How fast can experienced users accomplish tasks? 3. Memorability: When users return to the design after a period of not using it, does the user remember enough to use it effectively the next time, or does the user have to start over again learning everything? 4. Errors: How many errors do users make, how severe are these errors and how easily can they recover from the errors? 5. Satisfaction: How much does the user like using the system? Fig. 1-Usability Usability Testing Usability Testing of a product/application is done to identify any usability issues through qualitative and quantitative research methods. It helps in identifying end user’s product usage satisfaction or gaps or new requirements. Types of Usability Testing
- 3. USABILITY TESTING MAIN CHALANGES FOR CLOUD PLATFORM AND IOT SAINI, SUMIT 1. Formative Usability Tests (“forming” design) : It acts like a support tool done in the beginning stages of the design process and provides valuable insights of where users have difficulty reaching their user goals with the product (website, mobile app, desktop gui design, hardware) or service.e.g. Individual in-depth Interviews, Focus Groups, Card Sorting, Paper Prototyping, AB Testing etc. 2. Summative Usability Tests (“summarizing” data): It is a Quality Assurance (QA) type of test usually performed later in the product development process. It is formal user acceptance testing before the product is released to the target audience. The pass/fail metric is the most important measurement in this test e.g. Expert Reviews, Eye Tracking, Usability Lab Testing, Remote usability testing, Click Tracking etc. Game Changers: Cloud Platform and IoT Over the last couple of years, we see a major shift in the industry where almost every business /organization is transitioning towards Cloud Computing as they see lot of business value in Cloud Computing. Similarly, IoT is no more a buzzword for future technologies, rather its now more into mainstream and today it is being adorned by most of the people into their day to day life. Everything is connected and it is ubiquitous. Fig. 2-Cloud Usage Fig. 3-IoT (illustration) As per the reports: “More than $1 trillion in IT spending will be directly or indirectly affected by the shift to cloud during the next five years. This will make cloud computing one of the most disruptive forces of IT spending since the early days of the digital age” Source: Gartner: http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/3384720
- 4. USABILITY TESTING MAIN CHALANGES FOR CLOUD PLATFORM AND IOT SAINI, SUMIT Legacy Segment Cloud Segment Total Market Size in 2016 Total Cloud Shift in 2016 Cloud Shift Rate Through 2020 Business Process Outsourcing BPaaS $119 billion $42 billion 43% Application Software SaaS $144 billion $36 billion 37% Application Infrastructure Software PaaS $177 billion $11 billion 10% System Infrastructure IaaS $294 billion $22 billion 17% “An estimated 25 billion connected “things” will be in use by 2020.” “By 2020, each person is likely to have an average of 5.1 connected devices” Usability Challenges: Cloud Platform and IoT Looking at the reports and predictions, this shift of technologies is definitely having a big impact on businesses and lives of people but this also means that there is a great level of expectation from end users to have seamless usability experience when they are using these clouds based products and IoT enabled devices. If we consider all the currently used Usability Testing methods, then these will not directly co-relate or scale-up to cover the Cloud and IoT technologies. Both these platforms have different set of challenges. Let’s have a look at them below. https://www.frost.com/sublib/display-market-insight.do?id=294383010 http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/2905717
- 5. USABILITY TESTING MAIN CHALANGES FOR CLOUD PLATFORM AND IOT SAINI, SUMIT 1. Cloud Platform a) Security and Privacy For any cloud based product/application it is very important to assess the security and privacy concerns. Since all the data will reside in cloud, hacking and various attacks to cloud infrastructure would always be the concern and will need special focus on safeguarding all the crucial data. The solution to tackle this issue may not be directly related to Usability, but it does deal with user and the user data which will be a big compromise with the privacy and personal data. To address this issues one need to have at least five or six solutions working in tandem. b) Integration Inefficiencies How will new cloud systems work with legacy solutions? This is a big question as to how the end user’s will adapt to the new integration. Users may not be comfortable with the new cloud system and the integration at multi-levels might need thorough testing for providing valid systems feedbacks to the user and performing a task for seamless experience. This will have impact through increased testing efforts. c) End to End Business Process Usability for end users is not only for individual application processes, rather it needs to be looked holistically and should cover end to end business process. It should be
- 6. USABILITY TESTING MAIN CHALANGES FOR CLOUD PLATFORM AND IOT SAINI, SUMIT considered how the user flows are integrated in all the systems whether the task of the user runs smoothly without any abrupt ends or confusing flows. 2. IoT: a) Usability Though we are talking about usability of the complete product, in case of IoT Usability not only covers the IoT device, it also covers the application or system in which this IoT device is interacting. The devices which are involved in In IoT vary a lot in shape and size and it gets very difficult to judge the behavior and actions at real time. It is a tough task to perform usability testing on these applications, since these devices are comparatively tiny in size and hence cannot provide any kind of help or documentation viz. tool tips, examples etc. This also brings in the issues about usability testing as there is lack of clarity and understanding for these IoT devices. b) Connectivity The success of any IoT application is strongest and seamless connectivity. This implies that there should be flawless connectivity between all the devices of the eco-system which needs to be tested. If there is a glitch or failure in connectivity then the application must ensure data security and storage so that whenever the connection is restored and the data is intact. While testing one can simulate this by switching off the internet connection on devices, temporarily moving out of WiFi zone or by shifting to airplane mode. c) Security For IoT devices Security is another prime area. Most of the IoT devices may be susceptible to security issues like password settings, accessing the UI without passwords or lack of data encryption. It becomes very difficult for the end users and the testers to point out possible hacking elements from where security can lapse. Earlier the IoT was a gray area and hence security was never prime concern, but today it is more like a mandate to keep security features tested and proven. d) Testing in the real world Any IoT application can prove to be stable only if tested thoroughly with real time elements since there is lot of connectivity by sensors, between the physical elements and the applications. Traditional testing methods may prove futile and hence it is important to regenerate real time scenarios for usability testing strategies. For better usability testing, restricting test set up to a testing lab isn’t the right way. It should move out to a real-life situation and that too, with lesser equipments and facilities as may be provided in the actual scenario, so that the actual behaviour of the application may surface in earlier stages.
- 7. USABILITY TESTING MAIN CHALANGES FOR CLOUD PLATFORM AND IOT SAINI, SUMIT 3. Organizational Challenges a) Lack of Knowledge about the all the technology being used to create the solution b) Platform and tools availability for testing multiple scenarios c) Surety of developed prototype will function as required and desired and providing the correct responses d) Prototype matching all the business needs Step forward in overcoming the challenges of Cloud and IoT? 1. Usability Testing of Cloud and IoT emerges as a challenge but looking at the way forward, it should be a necessity to understand the complex challenges of these platforms for better usability. Multi integration points, multiple devices integration are to name a few. 2. Traditional ways of testing needs must be replaced or improvised with Smarter, interoperable ways of testing, focusing on actual innovation with Testing upgrades to the hardware/software. “Internet of Things and Real time go hand in hand. One must move out and do the usability testing in the actual scenario, so that the actual behavior of the application may surface in earlier stages”
- 8. USABILITY TESTING MAIN CHALANGES FOR CLOUD PLATFORM AND IOT SAINI, SUMIT 3. Cover the basic functions and overall process in prototype or PoC so that one can foresee the usability, development and deployment challenges 4. Understand how different systems will be integrating for the testing case 5. Planning in advance the security/privacy and reliability of the prototype. This should be mapped with development process “Valuable enterprise data residing outside the corporate firewall would raise serious concerns. Hacking and various attacks to cloud infrastructure would affect multiple clients even if only one site is attacked”