Usability Engineering Framework For Evaluating Education Management Systems

Abstract

Software usability is a critical factor in the success and acceptance of software systems. As user expectations shift towards more usable and emotionally satisfactory experiences, evaluating the usability of software systems becomes paramount. Existing usability evaluation frameworks, such as Nielsen's heuristics, may not always be appropriate for emerging software domains, including education software systems. In response to this, we propose a new usability evaluation framework based on heuristics by Nielsen, Norman, and Shneiderman, specifically tailored for education management systems. To validate our framework, we applied it to evaluate the usability of an Outcome Based Education (OBE) management system used by faculty members for over three years. Through a survey and data analysis, we identified usability issues related to Visibility, Feedback, Error handling, User control and freedom, Flexibility, and Help and documentation within the OBE system. Addressing these areas of improvement will enhance the usability and acceptance of the OBE system. This research highlights the importance of considering usability in education software systems and provides a framework for evaluating and enhancing their usability in the future.