Software operation time evaluation based on MTM

Many usability approaches have been devised to enable software developers to evaluate and improve user interfaces. Techniques have been focused on design recommendations not always supported by empirical evidences. However, in different environments based on Internet/web browser access, software applications are the support for repetitive tasks (in many cases supporting industrial or engineering processes, e.g. hosted in Intranets) where operation time and learning curve are important items to be controlled. In this paper, a new method for measuring required operation time as basis for improving interaction and interface design is presented. The basis of the method has been inspired on the adaptation of the well-known MTM method for time measurement and task analysis in industrial environments. Empirical evidences support the relationship between the proposed measure and the time required for operations by software users.