Scale of Measurement

The scale of measurement is the unit you use to test conformance of the product. For example, if the requirement is for a certain speed of operation, then the scale is timemicroseconds, minutes, monthsto complete a given action or set of tasks. For a usability requirement, you can measure the time needed to learn a product, or the time taken before achieving a particular level of competence, or perhaps even the error rate of the work done using the product.

Scales of measurement exist for all sorts of qualities. Color can be measured by specifying its component colors as a percentage of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. Loudness and softness of sound are measured in terms of decibels. An amount of light is measured in units of lumens. Typefaces can be measured by noting type names and point sizes. In fact, there is a scale of measurement for almost everything. So far, the only thing that your authors have not been able to put a scale of measurement to is lovewe cannot find a way of measuring how much you love someone.

There is a scale of measurement for everything . . . almost.