Usability and functionality: A comparison of project managers' and potential users' evaluations

Abstract

Users tend to use functional and usable products more frequently. It is also possible that a functional software is not usable or vice versa. Only functionality-focused designs fail to meet usability needs [1]. Therefore, both usability and functionality, which in software design are interrelated, should be taken into account in the design processes [2]. In addition, meeting users' requirements is one of predictors of project success. Therefore, there should be a match between the expectations of the users and the perception of the project managers with respect to usability and functionality. The aim of this study is to make a comparison of the project managers' and potential users' evaluations of the relative importance of usability and functionality factors in a software design project. Analytical Network Process (ANP) was used to analyze the relative importance of the factors.