Copyright © 2018 Authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. International Journal of Engineering & Technology, 7 (2.28) (2018) 100-105 International Journal of Engineering & Technology Website: www.sciencepubco.com/index.php/IJET Research paper Usability Testing of “CHIsel”: Cultural Heritage Information System Extended Layers of Interactive 3D Computer Generated Images and Relational Database J.G., Tromp 1,2,4 , J. Chowdhury 1 , J.C. Torres 2 , Hoang Thi My 3 1 State University of New York, Oswego, NY, USA 2 University of Granada, Granada, Spain 3 Haiphong University, Haiphong, Vietnam 4 Duy Tan University, Da Nang, Vietnam *Corresponding author E-mail: jolanda.tromp@duytan.edu.vn Abstract CHISel is a cultural heritage information system that supports the extensive organization, tracking, and implementation of data on 3D computer generated models of archaeological artefacts and site. We conducted a detailed user test of CHISel, to assess the usability of the complex and numerous system features, in order to assess the efficiency, user satisfaction, memorability, learnability, and accuracy. These qualities are particularly crucial to software like CHISel, which has a high learning curve for new and inexperienced users, in- volves professional, field-specific users, requires high-precision, high accuracy and contains a large amount of complex system features that must function well in order for the program to work as an apt integrative system. Keywords: Cultural Heritage, 3D Archaeological Model; Usability; Cognitive Walkthrough; Virtual Reality. 1. Introduction Recent destruction of archaeological sites and cultural heritage artefacts, reported in the news have reinforced the importance of preservation of these fragile cultural heritage artefacts. In addition, the quantity of archaeological data produced grows on a massive scale, which necessitates a bridge between primary and secondary information [4]. Primary information features objects, configura- tions, or the archaeological data themselves. Secondary infor- mation features restauration attempts, documents, publications, images, and collections. The combination of new technologies such Virtual Reality (VR), 3D volumetric imaging and 360-degree imaging, are a new medium that is ideal for representing and re- producing these artefacts in a 3D computer generated environment. Researchers of archaeological artefacts must be able to determine relationships between data, particularly in terms of the spatial relationships, in order to develop an understanding of cultural heritage information [8]. Archaeologists and museum specialists need a major tool capable of helping them complete the complex tasks associated with restoring, tracking, organizing, and research- ing historical artefacts. Integration, connectivity, and cohe- sion of the many and complex cultural heritage artefact features and information types, in a 3D computer generated environment is a challenge. A standardization of programming languages used, techniques used for uploading the models, accessibility of tasks, geometric integration, user interactivity, and the system hierarchy of features (chronology of implementation, abilities and con- straints for the user, etc) must be developed further to improve the platform of cultural heritage information systems [1]. The Internet and the World Wide Web allow us to link these virtual 3D arte- facts with already available analyses and other historical and ar- chitectural information. This will allow us to preserve cultural heritage information, and collectively explore how they once looked and were used, and the documentation of all related spatial and non-spatial data [3, 4, 6, 9-15]. 1.1. Description of CHISel The aim of our application called the Cultural Heritage Infor- mation System, extended layers, (CHISel), is to enable cultural heritage researchers to determine relationships between data, par- ticularly spatial relationships for cultural heritage information [8]. Archaeologists and museum specialists need a major tool capable of helping them complete the complex tasks associated with re- storing, tracking, organizing, and researching historical sites. CHISel manages data linked to any surface of an uploaded 3D model, see figure 1 for an example. It is composed of many sys- tem features that allow the user to organize and communicate a wide array of data types on the model, which are often databased. The information tracked on specific areas of the model is created by the system and user by the adding and editing of visible layers, colours and text. The use of layers is the cornerstone to the soft- ware, since this provides color-coded and area-specific visualiza-