7.1 User-centred design (UCD)

A designer must consider the needs, wants and limitations of the end user within every element ofthe design cycle. The ability to identify how users will interact with a product, service or system is vital forits success. To achieve this, designers must be able to acquire and analyse valid data without making assumptions about how the product may be used.

The ability to put aside one’s own ideas and bias is essential for UCD. Designers must act with integrity and not project their own ideas of what the user requirements are when trying to create technological solutions to their problems.

The Designer Needs to Have a Deep Understanding of the User, Task and the Environment.

Donald Norman (who developed the concept) found that products:

  • were difficult to use.
  • often included style changes solely for style sake which reduced usability.
  • these inclusions increased the cost.
  • increased complexity.
  • reduction in efficient use.

The principles of UCD to the design process.

    • A design is based upon an explicit understanding of users, tasks and environments.
    • Users are involved throughout design and development.
    • The design is driven and refined by user-centred evaluation.
    • The process is iterative.
    • The design addresses the whole user experience.
    • The design team includes multidisciplinary skills and perspectives,  such as Don Norman’s engineering and psychology degrees.
    • Students should be able to apply the above.
User-Centered Design and the User, Task & Environment

Term: UCD is a design process paying particular attention to the needs of potential users of a product through involvement of users at all stages of the design process.

Term: Empathetic – When the designer takes the place of the user to see who potentially could use the product and the object could be better suited for the consumer.

User-Centered Design and the User User-Centered Design and the Task User-Centered Design and the Environment
Term: User – Person utilising the product, person who is being affected by the product or who is reaping benefits/drawbacks. Term: Task – The thing that the product is supposed to do, however the user may have several sub uses for the product. Term: Environment – The place where a product is likely to be used.
  • It considers how users are likely to use the product and tests products with actual users.
  • Sometimes called “empathic design”, the user-centred approach puts the design team in direct contact with the people they are designing for, that is, to empathize with potential users and so gain a better understanding of users’ thoughts, needs, values and beliefs. 
  • Often functionality can be included easily and cheaply into a design but too many can reduce it usability.
  • Electronic interfaces such has TV or satellite remotes is a good example where the complex functionality is too much to understand for most consumers.
  • Takes into account common tasks such as ticketing vending machines, ATM or a stove top need special consideration
  • The interface should be a standard that is the user goes from stove top to another or different Bank ATM’s it is easily understood and can perform the task easily and efficiently
  • Important functions are easily recognised.
  • Takes into account in the use of a product in a particular environment.
  • Environments like open plan office, car or kitchen (working envelope).
  • Car: location and layout of controls promote efficiency and safety while driving
    • car window controls on the door
    • stereo controls on the steering wheel
    • blue tooth control over the secondary functions in the car

A baffling Remote
A baffling Remote

ATM User Interface
ATM User Interface

VW steering wheel controls
VW steering wheel controls
The Process is Iterative, Led by the User and Developed Through User-Centred Evaluation

Term: Iterative – Act of repeating a process with the aim of approaching a desired goal, target or result. Each repetition of the process is also called an iteration, and the results of one iteration are used as the starting point for the next iteration.

UCD is iterative just like the design cycle. Here though emphasis is on the user throughout the product design cycle. At each stage the user is consulted and modifications are made until the consumer requirements are met. Then it is released. See below the Five Stages of UCD

The Five Stages of UCD
User-centred design model from IB TSM
User-centred design model from IB TSM

Research

  • Business and User problems and requirements are analysed.
  • The user, task and environment are considered
  • This can be done with a multi-disciplinary teams of ethnographer, anthropologists and psychologists
  • NB the above diagram for Research

Concept

  • Initial ideas are put forward
  • Concept modelling takes place, including paper models
  • Allows for  tactile and appearance evaluations
    • Evaluation is fed back into the design cycle
  • It is quick and cheap to carry out.
  • A multi-disciplinary team of designers, various engineers and psychologists.
  • NB the above diagram for Concept

Design

  • Development of ideas
  • Scaled models such as prototypes, mock ups etc are made
  • Monitoring of performance against usability requirements
  • Allows for more continued evaluation by the user and design team.
    • Evaluation is fed back into the design cycle
  • NB the above diagram for Design

Implementation

  • Various testing and evaluations are carried out with a wide range of end users
    • Evaluation is fed back into the design cycle
  • A multi-disciplinary team is used to measure the end-users psychological and physiological experience.
  • NB the above diagram for Implementation

Launch

  • The end product is launched
  • Continuos evaluation is carried out
  • Monitoring of performance against usability requirements
  • NB the above diagram for Launch
UCD Design Teams are Multidisciplinary.

As can be seen from the five stages of UCD that many other experts are used in the design and production of a UCD product.

These include: anthropologists (study humans, human behaviors and society),  ethnographers (study in people and cultures), engineers (deal with the built environment), psychologists (study of the mind) and focus groups to advise the creative designers.

Inclusive Design

Term: The design of mainstream products and/or services so that they are accessible and usable by as many people as possible without the need for adaptation or specialised design.

UCD is a part of Inclusive design. Inclusive design is about designing universally accessible products for all users regardless of age, physical, sensory, perceptual functioning levels (disability). By designing products for all users regardless ability will ensure there is a market for their products and increases their feasibility as an innovation.

Inclusive design is:

  • Welcoming to everyone
  • Responsive to people’s needs
  • Intuitive to use
  • Flexible
  • Convenient so they can be used without undue effort or special separation and so that they maximise independence
Inclusive Design
Inclusive Design
The Product Must Address the Whole User Experience.

Term: User Experience – A person’s perceptions and responses that result from the use or anticipated use of a product, system or service, this can modify over time due to changing usage circumstances.

UCD answers questions about users and their tasks and goals, then uses the findings to make decisions about development and design.

    • Who are the users of the product?
    • What are the users’ tasks and goals?
    • What are the users’ experiences and expertise with the product and products like it?
    • What functionality do the users require of the product?
    • What other stakeholders will be impacted by the product?
    • Why is the product being developed?
    • What are the overall objectives?
    • How will the product be used?
    • How will it be judged a success?
    • What are the technical and environmental constraints?
    • What functionality is needed by users?
    • What are the typical scenarios of how and why users will use the product?
    • What are the usability goals?
    • How important is ease of use and ease of learning?
    • How long should it take users to complete their tasks?
    • Is it important to minimize user errors?
    • Are there any initial design concepts?
International Mindedness

Even though the task addressed through UCD may not change from region to region, there can be an impact on the success of a global product due to variations in users and environments.

Something Extra …
  • http://www.usability.gov
  • http://www.usabilitynet.org/papers/First_Steps_to_User_Centred.pdf

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