Make FLOSS Usable!
Getting to a state where it is usable for 'the common computer users' is one of the greatest challenges for Free/Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS). During the last years, the awareness for usability has significantly increased among FLOSS developers. Still, little knowledge exists about the scope, the methodology and the application of a user-oriented design process.
Changing this is one the major goal of the OpenUsability project. It provides a platform to bring Open Source developers and usability contributors together. The idea is to establish a long-term relationship between usability and FLOSS development, and to foster the establishment of user-oriented design processes.
How It Began
The idea of OpenUsability originated at the KDE developers conference in 2003. Jan Muehlig and his Berlin-based company relevantive had performed a comparative usability study of KDE 3.1 and Windows XP. The developers appreciated the work of the usability professionals, and a discussion came up how to involve usability feedback continuously with development. So far, it had been difficult for both sides to get in touch with each other: On the one side, self-acclaimed usability experts had reduced the developers' trust in the effects of usability, and on the other side trustful usability specialists often had problems to get in touch with the right people in a project.
OpenUsability came to fill this gap. Since 2004, Open Source Software Projects can register to get usability support. A growing number of usability practitioners started to work under the label "OpenUsability", and provided the projects with usability feedback, attended developer conferences and fairs.
OpenUsability Today
Since 2004, OpenUsability has become one of the most cited usability efforts in the Open Source Software world. It represents a group of people that share the same mindset of an "Open Usability" with two major goals:
- Support usability in OSS development
- Make usability transparent, share methods, best practices and skills.
To better meet those goals, OpenUsability is on its way to become a non-profit organisation (e.V.) by German law.
Spread OpenUsability
Apart from supporting a large number FLOSS projects usability-wise, members of the OpenUsability community participate in conferences, fairs and workshops to promote the application of usability expertise in open source projects, and to spread usability knowledge in the FLOSS community.
Developer Summits. OpenUsability team members regularly attend developer summits like the KDE developer summit "aKademy", the Ubuntu Developer Sprints, the Libre Graphics Meeting or the Open Printing Summits, an initiative of the Linux Foundation. The usability specialists participate in BoF sessions, technical discussions and consult on design issues.
More about Developer Summits in our blog
LinuxTag. OpenUsability has been present at the German LinuxTag since its foundation in 2004. In talks, workshops and by means of a booth at the affiliated fair OpenUsability team members inform about usability in FLOSS projects and demonstrate usability methods.
More about LinuxTag in our Blog
Usability conferences. To inform their colleagues about the characteristics of usability methods in FLOSS projects, OpenUsability members publish articles and blogs about their experiences and describe best practices. At usability conferences like the German Mensch and Computer or at events in the scope of the World Usability Day, they demonstrate their experiences along talks and show cases.
More about Conferences in our Blog
FLOSS conferences. In conferences about Open Source Software like OSCON or tossad, OpenUsability members stress the importance of usability for the acceptance of free software by the customer.
More about Conferences in our Blog
