GSAR 2007-G507

Regarding : The initiative was undertaken by GSA to revise the GSAM to maintain consistency with the FAR and implement streamlined and innovative acquisition procedures that contractors, offerors, and GSA contracting personnel can utilize when entering into and administering contractual relationships. Project managers and contracting officers should adopt requirements best practices and include Usability Requirements in acquisitions and statements of work that involve websites and web applications that provide information or services to customers. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has written the Common Industry Standard for Usability Requirements (CISUR) (http://zing.ncsl.nist.gov/iusr/documents/CISU-R-IR7432.pdf) This usability requirements toolkit is flexible and can be adapted to all kinds of projects and existing development processes. It was written by the best brains in the usability business and is available free to use by agencies, vendors, and the general public. As the GSA Usability Specialist, I endorse the best practice of including usability requirements in all acquisitions and development projects. I'm attaching the CISUR document. Find more information about writing good usability requirements at http://www.usa.gov/webcontent/usability/cisur.shtml Thank you, Nicole J. Burton Certified Usability Analyst USA.gov and Web Best Practices Team General Services Administration