Esprit 20857 MAPI Ericsson Case Study

MAPI
MUSiC Assisted Process Improvement

Deliverable D8.2.2

Ericsson Telecom
Trial Application Case Study

Author: Lloyds This document is the property of the MAPI Consortium

Version 1.0 Issue date: January 1997

 Esprit 20857 MAPI Ericsson Case Study

Author(s): Thomas Backstrm, Ericsson Hewlett

Packard Telecommunication AB
Nigel Claridge, Nomos management AB
Version: 1.0
Release Date: January 1997

Abstract
Ericsson use a wide variety of usability tools and methods covering aspects from requirement
specification, through to design and evaluation. However, the MUSiC tools and methods have
been applied only modestly when evaluating telecommunication products and services. This
has been partly due to lack of support within Ericsson for ISO 9241 and the understanding
that MUSiC tools and methods are geared to the computer software industry. This situation is
changing as telecom interfaces are moving toward software interfaces, and there is an
increasing interest to assess the applicability of MUSiC.
The prime objective was to assess the suitability of the MUSiC tools and methods to the
Ericsson situation. The effort was formulated in two main stages. The application of a
selection of MUSiC tools to a specific project - Operation and Maintenance tasks within
Network Management - and, depending on the results, the integration of these tools and
methods into the Ericsson development process employed by this department and promoted
as best practice. The main MUSiC tools to be applied were the Context of Use handbook and
the PMM using DRUM.
Reorganisation within Ericsson during 1996, meant that the goals of the trial application were
not fulfilled within the time scale of MAPI. However, there is every indication that the work
will be completed as planned during 1997. The application of MUSiC tools and methods to
other similar products within Ericsson provides a source of information and experience about
their usefulness and usability.

Author: Lloyds This document is the property of the MAPI Consortium

Version 1.0 Issue date: January 1997

 Esprit 20857 MAPI Ericsson Case Study

Introduction

Ericsson is a large telecommunications corporation. Ericssons 90,000 employees are active

in more than 130 countries. Their combined expertise in switching, radio and networking
makes Ericsson the worlds leading supplier in Public Telecommunications, Radio
Communications, Business Network, Components and Microwave Systems. Human-centred
design processes have been applied to the development work, and usability activities
supporting design and evaluation have been integrated continuously into product and system
development models.

MUSiC tools and methods have been used only modestly when evaluating
telecommunication products and services. This has been partly due to lack of support for ISO
9241 at Ericsson due to the understanding that MUSiC tools and methods were more
computer software oriented. However, as computer software products and telecom products
start to merge and many telecom products and services become computer based, a stronger
interest in ISO 9241 emerges and subsequently the tools and methods of the MUSiC
programme..

The prime objective of Ericsson participation in MAPI was to assess the applicability and
suitability of the MUSiC tools and methods by first applying some MUSiC tools to a specific
project - Service and Maintenance tasks within Network Management - and, depending on
the results, the integration of these tools and methods into the Ericsson development process
employed by this department and promoted as best practice. A second objective was to assess
the suitability of the MUSiC tools and methods to Ericsson in general and other business
areas, such as Mobile telecommunications.

Case Study
Service and maintenance tasks consist only of replacing faulty circuit-boards in switching
cabinets by non-qualified people. The replacement of the boards shall be carried out quickly,
efficiently and without risk of error for fear of significant traffic disturbances in large areas.
The ergonomics of cabinet, circuit board and plug design become paramount. To assess this,
some fourteen test persons were to exchange of faulty circuit boards in a prototype cabinet.
Usability data concerning effectiveness, efficiency and subjective assessment was be
collected. An evaluation plan was devised using the context handbook and the usability of the
cabinet and associated tasks was to be evaluated using PMM, and assisted by DRUM.

Due to re-organisation within Ericsson during 1996, the goals of the Technical Annex were
not fulfilled within the time scale of MAPI. However, the cabinet will be evaluated will be
evaluated during second quarter of 1997 according to the evaluation plan put forward during
the MAPI project..

Author: Lloyds This document is the property of the MAPI Consortium

Version 1.0 Issue date: January 1997

 Esprit 20857 MAPI Ericsson Case Study

There are some general lessons to be learned from this and earlier experiences with MUSiC.
Companies adopting human-centred design processes may at first find MUSiC more
supportive of the later stages. The tools tend to concentrate on evaluation of product/-
prototypes and do not appear to support the early stages of development, such as requirement
specifications and interface design work. But, the context handbook can be used early in
development and can support requirement work. SUMI can be used to evaluate current
systems as an input or baseline for development of new systems. Simplifications of the PMM
providing pragmatic used-based testing for early design ideas is also recommended.

The best way to start usability awareness in a company is to select a manageable project and
apply usability methods in the development to show the values that usability will bring to the
project/product. Having done this, market the results across the organisation. Once the
interest develops, more projects and larger projects will follow and the company can begin to
move up the usability maturity ladder. In general, MUSiC tools support this strategy well.

Future work
There is life after MAPI and despite the problems of getting the trial application at Ericsson
to lift within the time schedule several events are planned for 1997. There is every indication
that the evaluation work on the cabinet design and maintenance tasks will be completed as
planned. This work is scheduled for the first quarter of 1997. The application of MUSiC
tools and methods to other similar products within Ericsson provides a source of information
and experience about their usefulness and usability.

In general, the most effective usability work is carried out in the early and continuously
during the phases of a product life cycle. A lot of information has to be gathered and many
difficult decisions have to be taken before prototyping and implementation starts. At
Ericsson, usability and usability methods are fast becoming one of the most important ways
to improve our product quality. Many business areas are in a process of integrating usability
methods depending on the type product and development. The MAPI work, although as yet
incomplete, resulted in increased awareness about usability and in particular MUSiC over a
wider range of people than the cabinet project group. Other business areas are considering
investing in MUSiC. Ericsson staff are to be trained in PMM and SUMI during the first part
of 1997.
Within Ericsson there is a corporate usability network (consisting of usability professionals)
with the aim of promoting usability in product design and assuring that experiences gained in
different areas are distributed. People in this network are also used as a source of knowledge
and resources in projects (e.g. as experts in expert evaluations). The MAPI project has been
presented to this group and information distributed across the network.
The commitment given by Ericsson to the MAPI project and the MUSiC tools and methods
applies now and in the future. The MUSiC tools will be important elements in the Ericsson
usability tool-box and applied when applicable.

Author: Lloyds This document is the property of the MAPI Consortium

Version 1.0 Issue date: January 1997