Patrones organizativos para la integración de usabilidad de software

La usabilidad es un atributo de calidad del software que permite que sea entendido, aprendido y resulte atractivo para el usuario. Aunque durante varios anos se ha propuesto que la usabilidad debe ser parte de la cultura organizacional y estar presente en toda la experiencia del usuario, tradicionalmente, la usabilidad se ha integrado en el proceso de desarrollo del software, en muchos casos, como un elemento opcional a la funcionalidad de los sistemas. Esta tesis aborda la pregunta de ?como integrar la usabilidad en la cultura organizacional de manera exitosa? Para responder dicha pregunta se propone la integracion de patrones organizativos de usabilidad como herramienta para proveer guias claras para la evaluacion y el avance en los modelos de madurez de usabilidad. Para ello se realizo inicialmente un mapeo sistematico de la literatura relacionada con los modelos de madurez de usabilidad (MMUs), disponibles en la literatura desde 2006, que permitio evaluarlos y clasificarlos segun sus caracteristicas de diseno y uso. Como resultado se identifico que solamente 3 de los 11 modelos son parcialmente prescriptivos, es decir, presentan algunas guias, no muy claras, para avanzar en la madurez en usabilidad en la organizacion. Estos 3 modelos son el AgileUX Model (Agile UX, 2014), Corporate Usability Maturity (CUM, 2006) y UX Maturity Model (UXMM, 2014). Sin embargo, el AgileUX se encontro parcialmente definido en la literatura, es decir, no se encontro informacion completa sobre sus niveles. Luego, se realizo una sintesis tematica sobre las buenas practicas utilizadas en la industria de desarrollo de software para integrar la usabilidad a nivel organizacional. Resultado de dicha sintesis tematica se identificaron 13 temas, agrupados en 5 temas de orden superior, que permitieron disenar un modelo de interrelacion entre las diferentes practicas y experiencias utilizadas en la industria de desarrollo de software. Basado en los hallazgos de la sintesis tematica se propusieron 10 patrones para la integracion de la usabilidad a nivel organizativo abordando cada uno de los temas identificados. Dichos patrones fueron validados por expertos en usabilidad, profesionales y personal gerencial en el desarrollo de software pertenecientes a diferentes sectores industriales (por ejemplo, sector electrico, petrolero, industria del conocimiento, y desarrollo de software) en varios paises. Estos evaluadores clasificaron los patrones como muy claros y utiles para incorporar la usabilidad en las organizaciones. Ademas, las recomendaciones y comentarios de los expertos consultados fueron incorporadas en los patrones definitivos propuestos en este trabajo investigativo. Finalmente, los patrones son integrados en los dos modelos de madurez de usabilidad parcialmente prescriptivos: UXMM y CUM, el primero con 5 niveles de madurez y el segundo con 8. Los 10 patrones fueron exitosamente integrados en ambos modelos. Cabe destacar, que los patrones se clasifican como introductorios, permanentes y avanzados. Los introductorios son utilizados en los primeros niveles para introducir la usabilidad a la organizacion; los permanentes son patrones que estan presentes en la mayoria de los niveles de los MMUs, pero cambia el enfoque dependiendo del nivel; finalmente, los avanzados son patrones que se utilizan en los ultimos niveles de los MMUs. De esta manera esta tesis responde la pregunta original de ?como integrar la usabilidad en la cultura organizacional de manera exitosa? ----------ABSTRACT---------- Usability is a quality attribute of software that allows it to be understood, learned and attractive to the user. Although for several years it has been proposed that usability should be part of the organizational culture and be present throughout the user experience, traditionally, usability has been integrated into the software development process, in many cases, as an optional element to the functionality of the systems. This thesis addresses the question of how to integrate usability into the organizational culture in a successful way? To answer this question, we propose the integration of organizational usability patterns as a tool to provide clear guidelines for evaluation and advancement in usability maturity models. To this end, we performed a systematic mapping of the literature related to the usability maturity models (MMU), available in the literature since 2006. These models were evaluated and classified according to their design and use characteristics. Only 3 out of 11 models are partially prescriptive, that is, they present some guides, not very clear, to advance in the maturity in usability in the organization, the other models are descriptive, meaning that only describe how to evaluate the maturity level without guidelines to advance on it. These 3 models are the AgileUX Model (Agile UX, 2014), Corporate Usability Maturity (CUM, 2006) and UX Maturity Model (UXMM, 2014). However, AgileUX was found partially defined in the literature, that is, no complete information about its levels was found. In addition, a thematic synthesis was made about the good practices used in the software development industry to integrate usability at the organizational level. As a result of this, 13 themes were identified, grouped into 5 higher order topics, as well as a model of interrelation between the different practices and experiences used in the software development industry was presented. Based on these findings, 10 organizational usability patterns were proposed for the integration of usability at the organizational level, addressing each of the identified themes. These patterns were validated by usability experts, professionals and management personnel in the development of software belonging to different industrial sectors (e.g., electric sector, oil industry, knowledge industry, and software development) in several countries. These evaluators classified the patterns as very clear and useful for incorporating usability into organizations. In addition, the recommendations and comments of the experts consulted were incorporated into the definitive patterns proposed in this research work. Finally, the patterns are integrated into the two partially prescriptive usability maturity models: UXMM and CUM, the first with 5 maturity levels and the second with 8. The 10 organizational usability patterns were successfully integrated in both models. There is worth in notice that the patterns are classified as introductory, permanent and advanced. The introductory ones are used in the first levels in order to introduce the usability to the organization; the permanents are patterns that are present in most of the MMU levels but change the focus depending on the level; finally, the advanced ones are patterns that are used in the last levels of the MMUs. In this way, this thesis answers the original question of how to integrate usability into the organizational culture in a successful way?