helping your company adopt a user-centered process
DESCRIPTION
Have you found yourself designing features that don't seem to make sense? Do you have this gut feeling that there is just a better way to determine what it is that your website should be doing? Alas there is, and it all starts with the user. Find out some creative ways of promoting UX within an organization that has not yet recognized it as their development process. Get ideas on how to sell the value of UX and start designing great experiences.TRANSCRIPT
Zack NaylorWeb Design Day
Aug. 21, 2010
Helping Your Company Adopt a User-Centered Process
83% Increase
http://www.flickr.com/photos/donsolo/2344509181/
Hi,
I'm Zack Naylor
What is a User-Centered Process ?
“User centered development process shifts from focus on the way the product is made, to how the product is used.”
- Mike Kuniavsky “Observing the User Experience”
“...an approach to design that grounds the process in information about the people who will use the product. UCD processes focus on users through the planning, design and development of a product.”
-Usability Professionals' Association, http://www.usabilityprofessionals.org/
Gretchen Thomas
Director, User Experience
Hanson Dodge Creative
Why a User-Centered Process ?
What are the benefts?
Benefts for Designers and Developers:
- Clearly defned specs
- Fewer last minute changes
- Confdence
- KILLS OPINION BATTLES
Benefts for Stakeholder/PM's/Executives:
- Meet deadlines
- More effcient = $ saved
- Builds trust in users → higher likelihood for a return visit
- Discovery and innovation
Benefts for everyone:
Builds empathy with your users
“Feel” their pain
Te concept of “Evidence-based design”
Make better informed design decisions
Decisions based on real users and real data
http://www.ted.com/talks/paul_bennett_finds_design_in_the_details.html
“...a tiny human gesture, dictated the design of this product”
- Paul Bennet, Designer and Creative Director, Ideo
How do I start with a User-Centered Process ?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/boudster/3781031396/sizes/l/
Evangelize!
be PASSIONATE, be HONEST
Drink your own Kool-Aid©
Nobody will listen to you if they've never heard what you have to say.
Getting it on the radar of those around you
brainwash Educate from within
You don't know what you don't know, until
you know that you didn't know it
Establish yourself as the professional
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tim_norris/2625251417/
Spread Virally
BlogOther ideas: company newsletter, team book club
Leave stuf where people can see it
Get allies
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19762967@N05/3603609987/
Design and Development team
UX can make your job easier
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary_b_dublin/2227353246/
Sweet
Great!
Thanks!
Less last minute changes?Nice!
My bow-tie is rad!
Why is it being done?
What does it do?
Who cares about it?
Bonus:
What does the company currently know about it's users?
How does it get that information?
Solve a business problem.
Solve a business problem.Speak the language
Explaining the benefts to executives and stakeholders:
- Increase revenue
- Decrease cost
- Increase customers
- Increase shareholder value
Doing UX can save us money in
development time now and later,
which actually makes us more money
Really? Tell me more.
Interesting proposition chap!
Stakeholders and Executives
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33917494@N06/3801210098/in/set-72157613850407361/
“... one clear finding that has come out of the entire UX movement is that focusing on your customers is the surest, most direct way for any company to make money.”
- Greg Nudelman, User Interface Designer at Ketera
How do I start with a User-Centered Process ?
Go Rogue!
Go Rogue!
Conduct a usability test on a current or upcoming project
Fastest and easiest way of showing value
“outsourcing your usability testing is like outsourcing your vacation”
- Jared Spool, CEO and Founding Principle at UIE
$300 Million Button
Jared Spool, User Interface Engineering
Jared M. SpoolCEO & Founding PrincipalUser Interface Engineering
$300 Million Button
Jared Spool, User Interface Engineering
"I'm not here to enter into a relationship. I just want to buy something."
$300 Million Button
Jared Spool, User Interface Engineering
example only
$300 Million Button
Jared Spool, User Interface Engineering
For the frst year the site saw an additional
$300,000,000
$300,000,000
Tree-hundred-million dollars*
*that's a lot of money
All from a usability test
Excuses not to do user research:
“Too expensive”
“Takes too long”
“We need an expert”
“We think we're right”
- start with friends and family
- cofee shop with a laptop
- if possible, conduct the test in house
- show the results!
Screen recording for low-budget usability testing:
Silverback (Mac only) Windows options:
(Mac version available)
Prepare for the test:
- set goals
- recruit for and screen participants
- determine incentive
- create task list
- ready 'what' will be tested (prototype, wireframe, etc.)
Conducting the test
- practice and maintain “think aloud”
- present the tasks
- balance between “leading” the participant and “guiding” them
- probe for more information where appropriate
After the test (immediate)
- follow up interview
- signed consent form (if recorded)
- compare notes (with others who observed, if any)
After the test (next few day[s])
- write a report
- what you tested- what the tasks were- what problems you found
- list problems and their priority
Excuses not to do user research:
“Too expensive”
“Takes too long”
“We need an expert”
“We think we're right”
Excuses not to do user research:
“Too expensive”
“Takes too long”
“We need an expert”
“We think we're right”
Wrong
Wrong
Wrong
Unlikely
Excuses not to do user research:
“Too expensive”
“Takes too long”
“We need an expert”
“We think we're right”
Wrong
Wrong
Wrong
Unlikely
Can be done for as cheap as FREE
No longer than an afternoon
Just..no
Very low probability, all luck
So what now?
So what now?Go Hustle.
Tanks!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/donsolo/2290411073/
www.zacknaylor.com
@zacknaylor
http://speakerrate.com/talks/4236
Sources:
“Observing the User Experience”- Mike Kuniavsky
“Mental Models” - Indi Young
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/roi.html
http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2008/10/selling-ux.php
http://www.uxbooth.com/blog/taming-goliath-collaboration-with-large-companies-part-2-of-2/
http://www.alistapart.com/articles/can-you-say-that-in-english-explaining-ux-research-to-clients/
http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2009/03/evangelizing-ux-across-an-entire-organization.php
http://www.uie.com/articles/three_hund_million_button/
http://www.90percentofeverything.com/2009/01/26/cheap-and-free-alternatives-to-morae-usability-testing-software/
http://www.usabilityprofessionals.org
http://semanticstudios.com/publications/semantics/000029.php
Special thanks to Dan Brown - http://blog.greenonions.com/