Glossary: P

Paper Prototype

Drawing scaled-down components of system requirements, conceptualized designs, or designs on paper to obtain rapid feedback of design and analysis decisions.

Performance Measure

A quantitative rating on how someone performed a task, such as the time it took to complete, number of errors, success rate, time spent on a particular phase of a process, frequency with which one option was chosen, or learning time.

Pilot Test

Test conducted by one or more end users at the user site of a delivered product, feature, or system.

Pluralistic Review

A method of usability inspection of a design by a diverse group of stakeholders, including user interface designers, users, developers, and management. The review is conducted by identifying primary tasks for the system and stepping through those tasks, identifying usability problems along the way.

Policy

A definite course of action that embraces the general goals and acceptable procedures concerning product development.

Popup Menu

A menu that appears outside of the menu bar and contains options similar to a set of radio buttons, but taking less room on the screen.

Portal

A web site that serves as a central information source, especially by providing a substantial number of links to other related web sites. Portals are distinguished by their topic, method of link selection, and added value such as reviews, rankings, and site descriptions. Ideally, a portal generates web pages dynamically based on a user's selected preferences, permissions/authorizations, etc.

Procedure

The step-by-step method followed to ensure that standards and policies are met.

Process Improvement

Modifying a process to produce a product or function faster, more economically, or of higher quality. The defect rate must be reduced or maintained.

Product

A coherent set of online tools. SAPweb and the SAP for MIT web site are both products.

Product Feature

Attributes possessed by products or services intended to meet customers' needs.

Project/Unit Test

Test performed to validate specific SAP modules, business processes, or functions that go into production. It requires the functional specifications and user requirements' documents for test plan development, and is usually performed by members of the project team.