Standards Development

Scope

This document provides a self-assessment of an organization’s human-centred design principles, processes, and activities throughout the life cycle of computer-based interactive systems, It also provides an overview of information given in the ISO 9241-200 series of standards. It is intended to be used as an introduction and self-assessment guide to human-centred design (HCD). Its target audience are personnel responsible for and managing design processes, and it is concerned with ways in which both hardware and software components of interactive systems can enhance human–system interaction.It includes a self-assessment that allows organizations to understand and assess their level of awareness and practices with respect to the human-centred design approach and best practices for organizations and project teams within that organization. This self-assessment is provided as a set of survey questions as well as assessment matrices. The survey may be used directly (answering the survey questions to perform an assessment) or by surveying a number of members of a project team or organization. The matrices may be used to report and visualize the results of the survey-based assessment, or as rapid assessments in their own right.This document does not provide detailed coverage of the methods and techniques required for human-centred design, nor does it address health or safety aspects in detail. Although it addresses the planning and management of human-centred design, it does not address all aspects of project management.The self-assessment matrices that can be used for organizations to assess their level of maturity and support claims of conformance are provided as informative Annexes.NOTE 1 Detailed human factors/ergonomics, usability and accessibility issues are dealt with more fully in a number of standards including other parts of ISO 9241and ISO 6385, which sets out the broad principles of ergonomics.NOTE 2 Although ISO 9241-222 is described as a self-assessment tool, it also provides a means for ergonomics/human factors/UX/usability consultants to assist organisations in gathering insights into their maturity with respect to the internationally agreed HCD processes defined in ISO 9241-220.NOTE 3 ISO 9241-221 provides a tool for rigorous and defensible process capability assessment (for example for the purpose of process implementation, certification, preparation of a process improvement campaign, or demonstration of capability within a contract). ISO 9241-221 is intended for use by organizations that want to address and improve their treatment of human-centred design of either their internal systems or the products and services they provide, and the procurement of systems and parts of systems. The processes can be applied by small- and medium-sized enterprises as well as by large organizations. The assessment is normally performed by a third-party process assessment provider according to professional process capability assessment practices.