hfi usability maturity survey findings - 2009

theHFIUXMaturitySurvey2009Findings

KathStraubMonaPatelArnoBublitzJavierBroch

HumanFactorsInterna<onal,Inc.

Permanentloca<on:www.humanfactors.com/UXMSurvey‐2009

Introduc<on

TheHFIUXMaturitySurvey–2009/Findings

UserexperienceisthenewdifferenAatorincustomerservice.JustasserviceiskeytocustomersaAsfacAoninface‐to‐faceenvironments,customersaAsfacAonintheinternetageturnsonuser‐centereddesign,whetheryourworkfacesthecustomerortheorganizaAon’sstaff.ProvidingwebsitesthatcustomerscaneasilylearnandconfidentlyuseleadstoimprovedcustomersaAsfacAonandincreasedloyalty.Sites,applicaAons,andtoolsthataretask‐relevantandusableallowstafftocompletetasksmoreefficientlyandcosteffecAvely.ButhowrouAneisusability,really?DoorganizaAonshaveestablisheduserexperiencegroups?OrdouserexperienceprofessionalssAllfloatthrough,doingjust‐in‐(meworkandgrassrootsevangelizing?Whatdoteamslooklike?Howestablishedaretheestablishedgroups?Dotheyuseacommonmethod?Publishedstandards?ToolsthatsupportrobustresearchbestpracAcedesign?Training?DopracAAonersaggregateandsharetheirfindingsordoeseachprojectteamreinventthewheeleachAme?Andwhoreallydoesthework?

TobeYerunderstandthestateoftheindustry,HumanFactorsInternaAonalhasconductedthefirstsurveyofUXmaturitywithinorganizaAons.OurprimarygoalwastodevelopasnapshotoftheuserexperienceoperaAonswithinusabilityawareorganizaAonsworld‐wide.Second,wedevelopedTheUserExperienceMaturityChecklist.Takentogether,thefindingsandchecklisthelpusability/userexperienceprofessionalsunderstandwheretheirorganizaAonisonthepathtomaturity,andwhattodonext.WhileSchaffer’sUsabilityMaturitymodel,below,idenAfiesthehallmarksofafullymatureuserexperienceprogram,thereisnosingletemplateforanyorganizaAontoachieveusabilitymaturity.Aswenoteinourconcludingremarks,interpreAngthesurveyresultsaspartofalargeruserexperiencestrategyisaseparatesteprequiringafullassessmentofyourorganizaAon’ssize,culture,market,andmanagementchallenges.

Whatmakesausabilitygroupmature?


Inhis2004book,InsAtuAonalizaAonofUsability:AStep‐by‐StepGuide,EricSchafferdescribesaroadmaptoinsAtuAonalizaAonwithinorganizaAons.Basedon25yearsofobservaAon,hedescribestheelementsandcharacterisAcsofmaturingandmatureusabilitypracAces.HedefinesthestagesofmaturaAon,anddescribesthelandminesthattypicallythwartprogressandthecontextsinwhichtheyoccur.HFI’sUsabilityMaturityModelSchafferindicatesthatusabilityoperaAonsarematurewhentheyintegrateallofthefollowingcomponents:

• AnExecuAveChampion• UserInterfaceStandards• ProfessionalStaff• Tools• Training• ShowcaseProjects

Execu<veChampionsAnexecuAvewhohasmadeaclearandvisiblecommitmenttopromoAngusabilitythroughouttheorganizaAon.TheexecuAvechampion’sroleistoeducatehisorherpeers,securefunding,andremoveorganizaAonalobstacles.TobeeffecAve,theexecuAvechampionmustbeattheSVPorC‐leveloftheorganizaAon,orequivalent,inordertoreachacrossthe“silos”ofparAculargroupsanddepartments.UserInterfaceStandardsDesignstandardsgobeyondbrandandidenAtytodefinetheunderlyinglook,feel,andflowofwebsitesandapplicaAonswithinanorganizaAon.Tobemeaningful,UserExperienceStandardsmustbeeasytofindandeasytouse.(Straub,2004)

ProfessionalStaffTobeeffecAve,usabilityteamsneedstafftosupportbothtacAcalandstrategiciniAaAves.MostesAmatessuggestthatanopAmalusabilitystaffwouldbe1/10ththesizeofthedevelopmentteam(s).Further,teammembersshouldrepresenttherangeofmulA‐disciplinaryskillsthatdefineuserexperiencedesigninthatbusinesssector,includingpsychologistsandresearchers,aswellashumanfactorsengineering,interacAondesign,visualdesignandanalyAcs/measurementspecialists.TeammembersshouldhaveformalusabilitytrainingthatissubstanAatedbydegreesorcerAficaAons.



ToolsAllindividualswhoaretaskedwithinterfacedesignshouldhaveopenaccesstoacommonsetofresourcestoeducateandsupportbestpracAcesinresearchprocessesandinterfacedesign.ThetoolsetshouldincludereusablearAfactsthatpracAAonerscanemploytostreamlinetheirwork.Thetoolsshouldbecustomizedtoreflecttheuserinterfaceandbrandingstandards.Aswithstandards,tobeuseful,toolsmustbeeasytofindandeasytouse.TrainingDifferentindividualsatdifferentlevelswithinorganizaAonsneedtounderstanddifferentinformaAonaboutusability.PracAAonersneedongoing,advancedtrainingonemergingmethods,evolvingbestpracAces,andcurrenttrendsacrossindustries.DevelopersneedtounderstandhowtoapplybestpracAcesandwhere/howtolookforaddiAonalguidanceortools.ExecuAvesmustbeabletocalculatereturnoninvestment(ROI)—whetherinimprovedrevenues,enhancedcustomersaAsfacAon,oranyothercriteriaspecifictothatorganizaAon—withoutnecessarilyknowingthemechanicsofusabilityorthecurrentbestpracAcesinuserexperiencedesign.MatureorganizaAonsofferongoing,regular,level‐appropriatetrainingopportuniAestoindividualsacrosstheorganizaAon.

ShowcaseProjectsMatureuserexperienceprogramsunderstandthatusabilityawarenessbeginswithexposure.Showcaseprojectsarehigh‐visibilityprojectsthatreceivesupportandrecogniAonthroughouttheprojectAmelineacrosstheorganizaAon.Matureprogramscreateanddistributecasestudiestorecognize,validate,anddisseminatethesuccessesoftheusabilitygroup.



ThematuritycomponentsthatSchafferdefinedin2004sAllholdtoday.However,sincethepublicaAonofhisbook,SchafferhasaddedtwoaddiAonalcomponentstothedefiniAonofmaturity:

• EnterpriseKnowledgeManagement• DigitalUXStrategy

EnterpriseKnowledgeManagementTheusabilityknowledgemanagementsystemshouldbethesingle,centralrepositoryforallresourcesandarAfactsrelatedtousabilityandthepracAceofusabilitywithinanorganizaAon.Usabilitygroupsaggregateandsharetheircharter,strategy,standards,reusableresearch,anddesignarAfacts(e.g.,personas,graphicslibrary)inacommonlocaAon.Matureusabilitygroupsalsoshareandcross‐referencereportsandobservaAons,streamliningtheresearchprocess,andcreaAngcostefficiencies.Whenkeylearningscanbeefficientlyaccessedandapplied,organizaAonsdonothaveto“startfromscratch”witheverysubsequentproject.DigitalUXStrategyMatureusabilityorganizaAonshaveaclear,acAonableDigitalUXStrategythatidenAfiestouchpointsandsynergiesofusabilityacrosstheinwardandoutward‐facingcustomercommunicaAonsystems.TheDigitalUXStrategyprioriAzesuserexperienceasanorganizaAonalsuccessdriverbycreaAngaccountabilityformeasurablesuccesscriteriawhicharereportedtoanexecuAvegovernancecommiYeeatregularintervals.Buildingtheseelementsandresourcestakesleadership,Ame,andeffort.Butthefirststepisawareness.IfyouparAcipatedinthesurvey,atleastonepersonatyourorganizaAonisaware.ReadontofindouthowyourorganizaAon’susabilitymaturitycompareswiththatofusability‐awareorganizaAonsaroundtheglobe.

TheSurvey


TheSurveyHFIdevelopedtheUserExperiencePracAceMaturitySurveytocaptureacomparaAvesnapshotofthematurityofusabilityoperaAonsaroundtheworld.ThecomponentsofmaturitywerederivedprimarilyfromSchaffer(2004).ThesecomponentswereaugmentedbyHFI’ssubsequentfieldresearch/consulAngobservingthesequenceforemergenceofkeysuccesscomponentswithindevelopingusabilitypracAces.SurveyrespondentswererecruitedthroughHFImailinglistsandvariousaffiliatedsocialnetworkingchannels.Someevidenceofviralrespondingwasobserved.Thesurveywaspresentedin3languages(English,SpanishandGerman).Individualscouldrespondfrom1April2009through15April2009.Inall,1836individualsiniAatedthesurvey.1123respondentscompletedtheenAresurvey.Thesummariespresentedherereflectcompletedsurveys.Inreturnfortheireffort,parAcipantswereenteredintoadrawingtoreceiveafree1hourstrategicconsulAngsessionwithDr.EricSchaffer,FounderandCEOofHFI,andauthorofInsAtuAonalizaAonofUsability:AStep‐by‐StepGuide.

Animportantnotetoreaders…

Thedatareportedhereoffersaprac<<onerlevelanalysisofUXmaturity.ItanswersthequesAon:WhatproporAonof(responding)pracAAonersfeeltheyworkinamatureusabilitypracAce?ThisstudyisNOTanorganizaAonallevelanalysis.Thatits,itdoesnotanswertheques<on:Whatpercentageorganiza<onshavematureusabilityprac<ces?

Thisisbecausewithinthecurrentanalysis,mulAplerespondentsfromthesameorganizaAonarecounted.IndividualorganizaAonsarerepresentedmorethanonce.WhenyouarethinkingabouttheimplicaAonsofthissurveyinrelaAontoyourorganizaAon,pleasebemindfulofthatdisAncAon.

Organiza<onType


WebsiteBuilders:Wedesign/buildwebsites(includingweb‐basedapplicaAons).Applica<on/So[wareBuilder:Wedesign/build/selloff‐the‐shelfand/orcustomizedsoowareproducts.Applica<on/WebsiteUsers:WebuyorbuildapplicaAonsorwebsitestorunourbusiness,butourcustomerstypicallydon'tseethem.eCommerceBusiness:Wedomostorallofourcustomer‐facingbusinessviatheweb.WebsiteDesigners:Wedesignwebsitesand/orapplicaAons,butwedon'tbuildthem.ProductDesigner:Wedesignphysicalproducts.

Howinterfacedesignfits….?


ArgenAnaAustraliaAustriaBelgiumBoliviaBrazilBulgariaCanadaChinaColombiaCostaRicaCountryCzechRepublicDenmarkEgyptEstoniaFinlandFrance

GermanyHongKongIndiaIrelandIsraelItalyLithuaniaMalaysiaMexicoNetherlandsNewZealandNorwayPakistanPanamaPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugal

RomaniaRussianFederaAonSerbiaSingaporeSloveniaSouthAfricaSpainSwedenSwitzerlandTaiwanTurkeyUnitedArabEmiratesUnitedKingdomUnitedStatesUruguay

Whereweretherespondentsfrom?

>100respondents40‐99respondents10‐39respondents>10respondents


Execu<vesponsorship‐Champion


Execu<vesponsorship‐Level


Interfacestandards


Interfacestandards–Ongoingauditprocess


Commonmethod


UXmethods‐Required


UXmethods–Requiredac<vi<es


Knowledgemanagement:Sharedtools


KnowledgeManagement:Sharedlearnings


ProfessionalStaff–RecognizingUX


Professionalstaff–Full<meprac<<oners


Professionalstaff–Cer<fiedprac<<oners


Training–Advancedtraining(Prac<<oners)


Training–Outreachandawareness


Showcaseprojects–Recognizingachievement


DigitalStrategy–Governancecommiiee


DigitalStrategy–Repor<ngoutcomes


Conclusions


Ifyoueavesdropinelevators,youwillhearthatusabilityhastransformedfromabusinessdifferenAatortoarouAnecomponentofbusinesspracAce.Tosomeextentthisistrue.HFI’sUXMaturitySurveyindicatesthatstable,visible,internalusabilityanduserexperiencegroupswithexecuAvesupporthavebecomesignificantlymoreprevalentsinceSchaffer(2004)outlinedtheelementsofamatureusability/userexperiencepracAce.ButhavingapresenceisnotthesameashavingapracAce.ThemostcommonchallengesfacedbydevelopingUsabilityPracAcestodayare:

• NorealexecuAvechampion• NocentralizedfuncAon• EnergyandExecuAvesupport,butnoStrategy• Ateamthatreinventsthewheel

NoRealExecu<veChampionOverhalfofrespondentsindicatedthattheirusabilityeffortslackedatrueexecuAvechampion.BecauseofthelackoforganizaAonalrecogniAonand,byextension,funding,theseteamsareconstantlyin“triage”mode.Theydogreatwork–butitisjust‐in‐Ame.Becausetheyarejustkeepingup,thegrouprarelyhasAmetodevelop–muchlessdisseminate–thefoundaAonalresearchortoolsthatcouldbebenefittheorganizaAonasawhole.OverAme,teamsinthissituaAonlosetheirmomentum.Teammembersarereabsorbedintorolesthatsoundlikeusabilityroles(e.g.,BusinessAnalyst)orrelatedcomponentsoftheorganizaAon.CulAvaAngatrueexecuAvechampionisthenecessarynextstepforusabilitypracAcesatthisstage.

NoCentralizedFunc<onOrganizaAons–eventhosewithusabilityawareness–canfailtorecognizetheimportanceofavisible,centralizedfuncAon.Free‐floaAngtalentimprovesuserexperience,butinaspoYyway.UsabilitypracAAonerstendtofindthemselvesdoingothertypesofwork(e.g.,coding.)Further,thelackofvisiblerecogniAonthatusability/userexperiencerepresentsadiscreteskillsetreinforcesthemyththatusabilityisjustcommonsense.IndividualswithoutausabilitybackgroundconAnueto“dousability.”Evenwitharealchampion,distributedprofessionalscanrarelyachievethemomentumnecessarytobuildtheresourcesthatmarkamaturepracAce.(Thosewhodo,findthemselvespartofacentralizedgroup.)CreaAngacentralizedpracAceorfuncAonisthenextstepfororganizaAonsatthisstage.

Conclusions


EnergyandExecu<veSupport,butNoStrategyAnunanAcipatednumberoforganizaAonshaveestablishedusabilitygroupswhichoperatewithnoclearcharter,governance,oraccountability.WithinthisconfiguraAon,usabilitygroupscandrivesubstanAalandvaluableimprovementstouserexperience.ButtheseimprovementsarenotopAmallylinkedtothecurrentbusinessstrategyorprioriAes.Assuch,Ame‐sensiAveopportuniAescanooenbemissed.EngagingtheexecuAvesuitetocreateavision&direcAondocumentandengageinstrategyisthenextstepfororganizaAonsatthisstage.ATeamthatReinventstheWheelOrganizaAons–includingthosewithmatureUsabilitypracAces–systemaAcallyfailtorecognizethevalueinreusablework.Reportsaregeneratedbutrarelycollectedandcategorizedforfutureuse.Withoutacentralrepositorytogatherfindingsandaninfrastructurethatsupportsmeta‐taggingandaccess,organizaAonsmaygatherthesameinsightsoverandover.Theinsightsarethere–ifyouknowtherightpersontoask.LongAmeteammemberscanbecomea“warehouse”forinsightsonagivenconsumergrouporproduct.TheperceivedcontribuAonsandvalue‐to‐costraAoofusabilitygroupsinthissituaAonislimited.OrganizaAonsinthissituaAonneedtocreateasystemtoarchiveandtagtheiroutputthatencouragesfindability,use,andreuse.

Havingapresenceisnotthesameashavingaprac<ce

AsmanysurveyparAcipants(andreaders)know,havingatalentandpassionforusabilityisnotenough.Forateamtobetrulysuccessful,seniorleadershipmustparAcipateacAvely.UlAmately,eachofthesescenariosreflectsafailureofexecuAveleadershiptounderstandandcommitthenecessaryenergy,supportandresourcestorealizethefullpromiseofusability.

What’snext…


HFI’slong‐standingrelaAonshipwithnumerousFortune500companies–halfoftheFortune50,infact–enablesustoperformongoingresearchonthesynergisAcbenefitsthatlong‐terminsAtuAonalizaAonofuserexperience,supportedbyconAnuousexecuAvechampionship,isprovidingsuccessfulenterpriseorganizaAons.UsabilitymaturityisbydefiniAonlong‐termratherthanaquickfix,andouranalysisconsistentlyrevealsincreasinglydeeplevelsofbenefitthataccruetotheorganizaAon.

Wheredoyoustand?HumanFactorsInternaAonalconductedthissurveytodevelopasnapshotoftheuserexperienceoperaAonswithinusability‐awareorganizaAonsaroundtheworld.ThenwedevelopedtheUserExperienceMaturityChecklist(seeAppendixA).ThechecklistevaluatesyourownorganizaAon’susabilitymaturityandactsasanext‐stepguide.EvenwithSchaffer’susabilitymaturitycriteria,however,thereisnoone‐size‐fits‐allapproachtousabilitymaturity.Inthefinalanalysis,thesetofusabilitychallengesyourorganizaAonfacesisunique.Thesize,structure,marketandcultureofyourorganizaAonalldeterminethepathitneedstotaketousabilitymaturity,inaddiAontoitspresentlevelofuser‐centricityandthetypesofmanagement“syndromes”thatmustbeovercome.ForsomeorganizaAons,theresultsofthissurveywillclearlysuggestauserexperiencestrategythatwillmoveittowardstheinsAtuAonalizaAonofusability.Formany,however,workingwiththeexperienceduserexperiencestrategistsatHumanFactorsInternaAonalwillbethemosteffecAvewaytointerpretandapplythesurveydatafromthissurveytotheirpresentlevelofusabilitymaturity.

References


Schaffer,E.(2004),TheInsAtuAonalizaAonofUsability:Astep‐by‐stepguide.AddisonWesley:NewYork.Straub,K.(2004),OntheMeta‐UsabilityofUserInterfaceStandards(orIfthedevelopercan'tuseit,thestandardisnotthere).UserInterfaceDesignUpdatenewsleYer,availablefromwww.humanfactors.com/downloads/aug04.asp.

19June2009

hfi usability maturity survey findings - 2009

Technology