Cognitive Factors Affecting Content Usability: A Methodology for Technical Communicators
- Fachvortrag
- UX, UI Design, and Interactive Documentation
- 22. April
- 03:00 PM (CEST) - 03:40 PM (CEST)
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Prof. Dr. Kirk St.Amant
- Louisiana Tech University
Contents
Usability is a complex concept involving a variety of interconnected psychological, or cognitive, processes. The nature and (inter)relation or these cognitive factors, however, does not make effective usability unmanageable. Rather, certain frameworks can help technical communicators address such dynamics to create usable content. affecting usability and comprehensibility are two different things. This talk presents the FACOS approach for identifying core cognitive factors shaping usability expectations. It will also examine the interrelation of these factors as related to different audiences and contexts.
FACOS stands for the cognitive processes of findability, accessibility, comprehensibility, operability. Each processes involves a different activity – or level of data processing – the brain performs when determining how to use an item. The speaker will explain each of these levels and discuss the relationship across them.
Takeaways
The speaker will also present practices technical communicators can employ to create usable content based on these dynamics. Attendees will gain an understanding of these cognitive concepts as well as learn a method for addressing them when developing content for different users.