OpenUsability Season of Usability is a series of sponsored student projects to encourage students of usability, user-interface design, and interaction design to get involved with Free/Libre/Open-Source Software (FLOSS). During a 3 month collaboration, students work together with an experienced usability mentor and key developers of the project to improve the user experience of a FLOSS application. The next Season of Usability student projects will start in May 2009.

FLOSS Projects who would like to benefit from a usability student are encouraged to fill in our Call for Projects:

» Season of Usability 2009 - Call for Projects (available until April 15th)

How does Season of Usability work?

After the Call for Projects is finished (April 15th), the usability mentors will get back to the FLOSS projects and start the selection process. Each mentor will decide for one project - based on the need for usability and the availability of a technical mentor in the project, and if a good task can be defined. Examples of successful Season of Usability tasks can be found on the Season of Usability website.

The selected projects are published and students start to apply for them. Together with the technical mentor, a student is selected. In a kickoff meeting, the task scope is further defined and a road map is developed. Then, the actual project work begins (also see the time frame below).

How can I register a project?

We prepared a short questionnaire to register a project. We ask a few questions

• about the project
• about the acceptance of usability among project members
• about the availability of developer resources
• and finally, we’ll ask for possible student project tasks.

People who register projects should know a project well enough to name a key developer who is willing to function as a technical mentor in the Season of Usability.

What’s the timeframe for Season of Usability 2008?

Call for Project Participation
March 2009
A call for participation is published via OpenUsability and other FLOSS-related media.

Project Selection
Beginning of April 2009
Usability mentors get in touch with projects they are interested in - they either bring their own one or pick one from the CfP. Possible topics for student projects are discussed, and the usability mentors finally decide for a project.

Student Application Phase
April 2009
The student project openings are published and students start to apply for specific projects.

Student Selection
End of April 2009
Usability mentors get in touch with the students who applied. After several cycles of job interviews, the mentors decide for a student.

Project Work
End of May - August/September
The actual scope of the task is defined and the project work starts.

Questions may be directed to students@openusability.org.