CASSM project

Concept-based Analysis of Surface and Structural Misfits [CASSM]
Introduction p1: overview

CASSM is a novel approach to usability analysis that focuses attention on misfits between user and system concepts. We believe that as an approach it has several desirable qualities:

• It focuses on concepts rather than tasks or procedures. Consequently, it complements the majority of existing approaches to usability evaluation. In particular, it analyses conceptual misfits between user and system.
• It is lightweight and succinct - no death by detail. CASSM analyses do not even have to be complete or consistent to be useful.
• As a notation, it provides a bridge between mental models and design issues.
• It bears a close relationship to many of Green's Cognitive Dimensions.

CASSM was originated by Ann Blandford and Thomas Green, and developed in a project at the University of London Interaction Centre (UCLIC) with the assistance of Iain Connell, funded by the EPSRC under grant no. GR/R39108. (The original name was OSM, for Ontological Sketch Models, but that proved too obscure.)

We chose the plant Cosmea for our symbol: small, elegant, and easy to grow.

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This page last modified 26 February, 2010 by Ann Blandford