why the best gov sites use user-centered design
DESCRIPTION
Jonathan Rubin, First Fridays Usability Program PPT, 4.93 MB, 62 slides, November 2013TRANSCRIPT
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Why the best gov sites use User-Centered Design
Jonathan RubinFirst Fridays Usability Program
User-Centered Design Takeaways
1. UCD saves money and improves websites
2. Gov’t and top companies already use it
3. UCD = good customer service
4. Use early and often
5. First Fridays can help teach you about UCD
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1. What is User-Centered Design?
You are not your users
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YouTarget
Audience
User-Centered Design =
Focusing on needs, wants, and limitations of target audience of a product at each stage of the design process.
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User-Centered Design
Research Design User Testing (Usability)
• Planning
• Requirements
• Surveys
• Focus Groups
• Personas
• Interviews
• Content Organization
• Tasks
• Prototypes
• Usability Testing
• Expert Eval.
• Interviews
• 508 Testing
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5 E’s of Usable Products
• Effective
• Efficient
• Engaging
• Error Tolerant
• Easy to Learn
- Whitney Quesenbery (2004) ‘Balancing the 5Es: Usability’
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Here!
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User-Centered Design: Not a soft science
Rooted in:
• Cognitive Science - 1930s• Human Factors and Ergonomics - WWI• "Scientific Management" - 19th cen.• Scientific Method
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UCD degrees at 60+ Universities
Stanford
Carnegie Mellon
Univ of Michigan
NYU
Penn State
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Fortune 500 companies with UCD teams
Walmart
Apple
GE
GM
Ford
Google, etc.
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From 2013 Survey: # UCD staff
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Part Time Full Time
Had at least 1 person
86% 59%
Average # of people
2 3
Range of people
0-10 0-30
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Top to Bottom UX
Used frequently
Occasional UX
Know but don't practice
No one knows UX
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%
3%
19%
46%
25%
8%
How widespread is UCD / UX at your organization?
Increase• User success on tasks• Site visits • Customer Satisfaction
Decrease• Time to complete tasks• Volume of emails / help calls• Development Costs
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Benefits of good design
UCD = Good Customer Service
Poor design = budget overruns
Three reasons websites go over budget:
1. Requests for changes by users
2. Users can't accomplish key tasks
3. Lack of communication with users
- Lederer & Prasad, ‘Nine Management Guidelines for Better Cost Estimating’ CACM 35 (2).
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The user is always right. If there is a problem with the use of the system, the system is the problem, not the user.
- IBM usability expert Dr. Clare-Marie Karat
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For developers and manufacturers, the advantages of creating usable products far outweigh the costs.
The rule of thumb: Every dollar invested in ease of use returns $10 to $100.
- IBM "On User-Centered Design"
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2. Usability Testing 101
User-Centered Design
Research Design User Testing (Usability)
• Surveys
• Focus Groups
• Personas
• User Requirements
• Interviews
• Content Organization
• Tasks
• Prototypes
• Usability Testing
• Expert Eval.
• Interviews
• 508 Testing
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Usability Testing (aka User Testing)
Setting a series of tasks for people to complete and noting any problems they encounter
– Andy Budd
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@jonathan_rubin
Usability is like oxygen - you never notice it until it is missing - Anonymous
What you need to do a test
1. Something to test (site, poster, service, etc.)
2. Tasks for people to do
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Top Tasks – Why they’re here
• Learn about your services• Find your contact information• Register for a class• Purchase something• Leave a comment• Get a rate quote
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What’s on a testing script
• Give intro and ground rules• Questions about user• Sign release (if recording)• Easy Tasks• Harder tasks• Post-test questions (optional)• Thanks and incentive (if any)
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Active Listening / Think-Aloud Protocol
• Silent, Traditional, or Coaching (we’ll use this)• Designed to get unbiased data• Tester does 90% of talking• Ask Open Ended Questions (if any)• Be unbiased: Don’t let on if they are right or
wrong
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If… Don’t Say Say
They aren’t talking
“Hey – we’re paying you here…”
“What are you thinking?”
They get a task wrong
“Oops – that’s wrong!”
“Thanks for the feedback!”
They get a task right
“Good job!” “That’s very helpful!”
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If… Don’t Say Say
They screw up majorly and get upset
“Ha ha ha.. OMG!”
“Remember, you can’t do anything wrong,” or “You’re doing a great job!”
They criticize your design
“Hey – we worked really hard on this!”
“Thanks for the feedback!”
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If… Say
They aren’t talking
They get a task wrong
They get a task right
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If… Say
They screw up majorly and get upset
They criticize your design
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4. Website Best Practices
Most common website problems
1. Users can't understand purpose of site
2. Top tasks difficult to complete
3. Too much text / information not prioritized
4. Confusing or obscure terms
5. Navigation not consistent
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Website Best Practices
1. Clear starting point
2. Have cream rise to the top
3. Make search simple
4. Plain Language
5. Consistent navigation
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1. Give a clear starting point
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2. Make cream rise to the top
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5. Difficulty with top tasks1. Can’t find info via any means or know
where to begin
5. Difficulty with top tasks1. Can’t find info via any means or know
where to begin
3. Use Plain Language
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4. Make search simple
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Before: 7 text items to scan
After: 3 text items to scan
5. Consistent Navigation
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6 things you can do right now
1. Talk to users
2. Define top 3 target audience groups
3. Determine top tasks / Prioritize content
4. Expert Evaluation (Howto.gov/firstfridays )
5. Usability test (Rocket Surgery Made Easy)
6. Training (us or DigitalGov University)
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6. In Conclusion
User-Centered Design Takeaways
1. UCD saves money and improves websites
2. Gov’t and top companies already use it
3. UCD = good customer service
4. Use early and often
5. First Fridays can help teach you about UCD
Howto.gov/firstfridays
First Fridays Usability Program
Jonathan Rubin
Twitter: @govnewmedia
www.Howto.gov/firstfridays
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