Making Distributed Simulation Easier - A Holistic Usability Framework

Ensuring the needs of people who interact with a system during its design, development, and use are met is important to system success. Using distributed simulation as an example, a holistic usability framework is developed that considers ease of development, use, and maintenance. Adequate consideration of holistic usability will help ensure needs are met, increase productivity, lower costs, and increase user satisfaction.

The holistic usability framework for distributed simulation systems is developed considering research in human-computer interaction, computer science, technical writing, engineering, management, and psychology. The framework has six dimensions: end user needs, end user interface(s), programming, installation, training, and documentation. The concept of weighted attribute sets to measure usability indirectly is introduced. This approach is generalizable to other types of systems.The information in this book would be useful to distributed simulation system designers, managers, and builders. In addition, the framework for holistic usability can be adapted by any builder of large, complex systems, to help ensure ease of development and use.