[E-voting] Letter to the Public Accounts Committee

[Margaret McGaley]

On Tue, Jan 25, 2005 at 09:11:33PM +0000, Karen Devine wrote:
> 
> "that voting with buttons rather than a
> pencil may be “easier” is a certain point of view, and not altogether an invalid
> one. Although perhaps such opinions should have been rendered more scientific
> through the use of usability surveys and research",
> 
> the Department commissioned MRBI to carry out public opinion surveys in each of
> the three 'test' constituencies (Dublin West, Dublin North, Meath) in 2002 and
> the voters reported the system was very easy to use and most (87%) expressed a
> preference for the "voting machine" rather than the "paper ballot system".  So
> the Department has covered itself on that score.
> 
> Of course the voters weren't asked to express a preference between a flawed
> electronic system and a democratic, transparent paper system!
> 

There is a difference between a quick "how did you find the system?" survey
and proper usability research. Usability research looks not only at how users
_perceive_ the system, but on how they use the system. It's possible to find
something very easy to use without realising that you're using it completely
wrong.

Margaret

-- 
Margaret McGaley
Margaret.McGaley at redbrick.dcu.ie
http://evoting.cs.may.ie