A Reliability Study of Task Walk-Through in the Computer/Communications Industry

One characteristic of the computer and communication industry is the speed with which innovation and change occur. This volatility poses special problems for the researcher involved in human factors issues in this field. A case study is reported in this paper that describes the application of cost-effective simulated trials in product design and product enhancement. A subsequent study, using more conventional research methods, is described that assessed the replicability of simulations. The results from these studies lead to the conclusion that simulated user trials are both a useful source of preliminary data to guide further evaluation and may also constitute an effective and economically viable method of providing direct input to the product development process. The procedures described offer options to human factors specialists in the computer and telecommunications industries.