Why the article is helpful

• Effects of usability for poll workers on the security of the voting process
• Usability issues leading to security issues
• 8 categories of guidelines for developing voting system documentation

Unlike most research papers that focus on the usability for voters, this paper discusses the effects of usability for poll workers on the security of the voting process. In their study focusing on voting system documentation for poll workers, the authors discovered usability issues that could potentially lead to security issues. Based on their research, the authors suggest eight categories of guidelines for developing voting system documentation.

Additional details

The guidelines, by category, are:

1. Writing the documentation for specific users

• Understand your users
• Understand your users’ tasks
• Address one group of users at a time

2. Organizing to meet your users’ needs

• Focus on users’ tasks
• Organize the documentation logically and clearly
• Use informative headings

3. Using simple words your users understand

• Use familiar, common words
• Use consistent terminology
• User gender neutral language

4. Writing directly to your users

• Use the imperative in instructions
• Use “you” when writing to your users
• Use the active voice

5. Keeping instructions short and simple

• Make each instruction a separate step
• Use numbers for steps
• Use bullets for lists
• Put steps in the order in which they must be completed
• Put information in a step in the order needed
• Put warnings before – not after –  consequences
• Make each step as short as possible

6. Using graphics effectively

• Use graphics to illustrate tasks
• Make the relationship between graphics and  text clear
• Keep graphics simple – show only what is necessary
• Identify items and actions on graphics

7. Designing the documentation for easy scanning and reading

Links to article

• EVT/WOTE Proceedings