When designing, selecting, commissioning, modifying and standardising ICT systems, certain generic consumer requirements need to be taken into account. Having considered proposals by ANEC, the ICT Standards Board has adopted the following as policy, and asked members to ensure that it is communicated to those participating in the technical work of standardization and specification.
The specific requirements identified are the following:
Note 1: It should be noted that it is important to see all the requirements in relation to each other as they are interlinked. Resolving just one or two of the issues will not ensure that consumer interests are satisfactorily taken account of.
Note 2: Requirements are not presented in any hierarchical order of importance. This is because the relevance and thereby importance of each and every requirement is situation dependent. In some situations some of the requirements may not be applicable.
In 1998, a Project Team has been set up by the ICTSB in response to a request by the European Commission. The project team was administered under the auspices of CEN/ISSS and produced a Consumer Requirements Report in March 1999.
ICT must be easy to use for all intended user groups stated in the scope of the standard (see above). Following ergonomics software principles for user interface design should help achieve ease of use.
ICT standards should address ergonomical aspects of ICT hardware, software, services and support. Existing standards should be applied.
Note: Ease of use can be measured in terms of performance (e.g. the time taken by users to complete a predetermined task, and/or number of errors, and/or satisfaction with a service: see EN 29241 -11 Guidance of usability). Goals for ease of use (known as usability statements) should be developed.
ICT standards should support the principle of "Design for all". This is a process of creating products, systems, services which are accessible and usable by people with the widest possible range of abilities operating within the widest possible range of situations.
There may however be occasions where a system is not intended for all users. In these instances, the standard should state which users and tasks the system is not designed for and why these groups’ requirements are not taken into account.
With regard to functionality of solution, one has to ensure that the standard addresses the problems actually faced by consumers and will actually help solve those problems. There should be advice on which user groups and tasks the system should be used for, and in which operating environments. This advice should be in the scope of the standard. The advice should be open for review.
4. Multicultural and multi-linguistic aspects
Multicultural and multi-linguistic aspects need to be considered when developing global ICT standards.
As part of a consumer centred design, the terminology used in user interfaces, (this includes brochures, user instructions and information presented by the system) should meet the basic generic consumer requirements.
Standards must be unambiguous and easy to understand, i.e. written in plain language so that non-technical people can comprehend them and contribute to the standardization process.
7. Inter-operability and compatibility
Different services must be interoperable so that, in practice, any service can be accessed on any appropriate network on any relevant device, thus avoiding the acquisition of access to several different networks and terminals for similar services (i.e. portability is achieved). Compatibility within a system should be ensured for example new versions of systems should be compatible with previous versions of the same system and components for systems originating from different manufacturers should be also be compatible. Different systems should be compatible so as to allow their joint operation.
The systems must have a consistent user interface. It is especially important that the method of processing storing and accessing the systems is consistent for the user
Note: A consistent user interface can be achieved by different means e.g.:
The
system should be adaptable to meet a user’s specific requirements
and abilities. For example, provide output in a format and at
a pace that meets the individuals’ needs.
Note 1: This is a way of achieving consistency for the user:
see above.
Note 2: This principle could be applied to prevent unintended
users gaining access to a system.
Note 3: This principle could be applied in the case of custom upgrading
of systems.
10. Provision of system status information
The status of the system (e.g. waiting for input, checking, fetching, etc.) should be always available for the consumer. Different mechanisms should be employed to give complete feedback to the consumer e.g. audio/visual for error messages data input required. All messages should be positive and not place blame on the consumer.
11. Error tolerance and system stability
The system should anticipate errors of operation and be forgiving. Informative error messages should lead the consumer forward. The system should be robust and should remain stable if consumers try services which cannot be delivered or make choices that are redundant.
12. Minimise the consumer’s need to remember system operation
Systems should display dialogue elements to the consumer and allow them to choose from items generated by the system or to edit them. Menus are a typical technology to achieve this goal.
The system should allow the consumer to discover its functions.
14. Privacy and security of information
The system should ensure privacy of the individual. It should not be possible for unauthorised people to follow a user’s activities on an electronic network. Electronic footprints are to be avoided. Standards should help provide methods for checking this, especially in open and decentralised networks (Internet). Inevitable footprint data must be deleted after an appropriate time. The system should not allow disclosure of information about the consumer to unauthorised people and should indicate clearly to whom information is given.
Security of information, sent, stored or received or deleted, must be ensured. The level of security should be clearly stated to the consumer.
The system must be transparent regarding all costs involved. Cost information should be presented in a standardised way. This includes both initial costs involved for the user and costs in terms of subscribing to and operating the system, especially when interworking on networks, or when using on-line help or other fundamental services (e.g. directory enquiries, short message service on a mobile phone). Disconnecting from a service must be free of charge or the charge must be stated in a standardised way at point of purchase.
16. Quality of service, system reliability and durability
There should be a standardised way to determine and present quality of service, system. reliability and durability. This should include the development of standardised performance indicators. This information should be displayed at the point of sale. Batteries are an example of products that consumers need such information at point of sale (durability and reliability).
17. Reliability of information
The system should indicate reliability of information (possibly by quoting sources) provided on the system. (e.g. Balance of account is xxx ECU at 1000 hours on ddmmyy.
Note: bank clearing system has been out of action last two days).
When developing ICT standards any health & safety issues should be assessed. Existing standards should be applied.
ICT standards should indicate that environmental issues, such as power consumption have been addressed. A clean life-cycle from manufacturing to disposal should be the goal of all ICT systems/products. Possible environmental risks that may arise in the product/system life cycle should be identified and indicated to the consumer.
A standardised way of assessing and indicating environmentally friendly ICT products, services and systems should be developed.
20. Rating and grading systems
ICT standards should allow the application of rating and grading systems.
In order to fulfil the above consumer requirements, standards for calculating and presenting ICT systems in terms of ease of use, cost, durability, system reliability and information reliability (source and content) will need to be developed.
Active consumer participation MUST be ensured throughout all phases of the standardization process in order to ensure "consumer friendly" systems. This includes the programming of standardization work, priority setting and participating in the technical work.