ISO 9241

ISO 9241 is a multi-part standard covering a number of aspects for people working with computers. Although originally titled "Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs)" it is being retitled to the more generic "Ergonomics of Human System Interaction" by ISO. As part of this change, ISO is renumbering the standard so that it can include many more topics. The first part to be renumbered was part 10 (now renumbered to part 110).

Part 1 is a general introduction to the rest of the standard. Part 2 addresses task design for working with computer systems. Parts 3–9 deal with physical characteristics of computer equipment. Parts 110 and parts 11–19 deal with usability aspects of software, including Part 110 (a general set of usability heuristics for the design of different types of dialogue) and Part 11 (general guidance on the specification and measurement of usability).

The 17 parts of the standard are:
*Part 1: General introduction
*Part 2: Guidance on task requirements
*Part 3: Visual display requirements
*Part 4: Keyboard requirements
*Part 5: Workstation layout and postural requirements
*Part 6: Guidance on the work environment
*Part 7: Requirements for display with reflections
*Part 8: Requirements for displayed colours
*Part 9: Requirements for non-keyboard input devices
*Part 10: Dialogue principles
*Part 11: Guidance on usability
*Part 12: Presentation of information
*Part 13: User guidance
*Part 14: Menu dialogues
*Part 15: Command dialogues
*Part 16: Direct manipulation dialogues
*Part 17: Form filling dialogues

Parts

ISO 9241-1

(1997) Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) - General IntroductionThis part introduces the multi-part standard ISO 9241 for the ergonomic requirements for the use of visual display terminals for office tasks and explains some of the basic underlying principles. It provides some guidance on how to use the standard and describes how conformance to parts of ISO 9241 should be reported.

ISO 9241-2

(1993) Guidance on task requirementsThis part deals with the design of tasks and jobs involving work with visual display terminals. It provides guidance on how task requirements may be identified and specified within individual organisations and how task requirements can be incorporated into the system design and implementation process.

ISO 9241-3

(1993) Visual display requirementsThis part specifies the ergonomics requirements for display screens which ensure that they can be read comfortably, safely and efficiently to perform office tasks. Although it deals specifically with displays used in offices, it is appropriate to specify it for most applications that require general purpose displays to be used in an office-like environment.

ISO 9241-4

(1998) Keyboard requirementsThis part specifies the ergonomics design characteristics of an alphanumeric keyboard which may be used comfortably, safely and efficiently to perform office tasks. Keyboard layouts are dealt with separately in various parts of ISO/IEC 9995: 1994 Information Processing - Keyboard Layouts for Text and Office Systems

ISO 9241-5

(1998) Workstation layout and postural requirementsThis part specifies the ergonomics requirements for a Visual Display Terminal workplace which will allow the user to adopt a comfortable and efficient posture.

ISO 9241-6

(1999) Environmental requirementsThis part specifies the ergonomics requirements for the Visual Display Terminal working environment which will provide the user with comfortable, safe and productive working conditions.

ISO 9241-7

(1998) Display requirements with reflectionsThis part specifies methods of measurement of glare and reflections from the surface of display screens, including those with surface treatments.

ISO 9241-8

(1997) Requirements for displayed coloursThis part specifies the requirements for multicolour displays which are largely in addition to the monochrome requirements in Part 3.

ISO 9241-9

(2000) Requirements for non-keyboard input devicesThis part specifies the ergonomics requirements for non-keyboard input devices which may be used in conjunction with a visual display terminal. It also includes a suggestion for a user-based performance test as an alternative way of showing conformance. The standard covers such devices as the mouse, trackball and other pointing devices, but it does not address voice input.

ISO 9241-10

(1996) Dialogue principlesThis part deals with general ergonomic principles which apply to the design of dialogues between humans and information systems: suitability for the task, suitability for learning, suitability for individualisation, conformity with user expectations, self descriptiveness, controllability, and error tolerance.

ISO 9241-11

(1998)This part deals with the extent to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use.

ISO 9241-12

(1998) Presentation of informationThis part contains specific recommendations for presenting and representing information on visual displays. It includes guidance on ways of representing complex information using alphanumeric and graphical/symbolic codes, screen layout, and design as well as the use of windows.

ISO 9241-13

(1998) User guidanceThis part provides recommendations for the design and evaluation of user guidance attributes of software user interfaces including Prompts, Feedback, Status, On-line Help and Error Management.

ISO 9241-14

(1997)Menu dialoguesThis part provides recommendations for the ergonomic design of menus used in user-computer dialogues. The recommendations cover menu structure, navigation, option selection and execution, and menu presentation (by various techniques including windowing, panels, buttons, fields, etc.).

ISO 9241-15

(1998) Command language dialoguesThis part provides recommendations for the ergonomic design of command languages used in user-computer dialogues. The recommendations cover command language structure and syntax, command representations, input and output considerations, and feedback and help.

ISO 9241-16

(1999) Direct manipulation dialoguesThis part provides recommendations for the ergonomic design of direct manipulation dialogues, and includes the manipulation of objects, and the design of metaphors, objects and attributes. It covers those aspects of Graphical User Interfaces that are directly manipulated, and not covered by other parts of ISO 9241.

ISO 9241-17

(1998) Form-filling dialoguesThis part provides recommendations for the ergonomic design of form filling dialogues. The recommendations cover form structure and output considerations, input considerations, and form navigation.