JISC ACADEMIC NETWORKING A User-Centered Design Methodology For a Social Networking Tool

OVERVIEW OF THE PRESENTATION Introduction Who we are About the project in brief Overview of the project The project close-up Preparation before starting with the project Research phase Design phase Coding and implementation phase Wrap-up Feedback Questions? Feedback and comments

Introduction

Who we are

About the project in brief

Overview of the project

The project close-up

Preparation before starting with the project

Research phase

Design phase

Coding and implementation phase

Wrap-up

Feedback

Questions?

Feedback and comments

INTRODUCTION WHO WE ARE About JISC and CARET People involved in the project John Norman (Director) Harriet Truscott (Lead Researcher) Anne-Sophie De Baets (Researcher) Nicolaas Matthijs (UI Developer) Tjhien Liao (UI Designer) Laura James (Project manager) Oszkar Nagy (UI Designer)

WHO WE ARE

About JISC and CARET

People involved in the project

INTRODUCTION ABOUT THE PROJECT Where did the idea come from & what is the aim? “ Create a system for use within universities, which will make sharing and communication about teaching, learning and research between academics, postgraduate and undergraduate students at the universities more effective bringing the best features of social networking to academic networking.” End deliverable Novelty of the project Experimented with user-centred design would this work in Academic world? Intensive research phase design phase with user-testing sessions Flow Interactive www.flowinteractive.com Training us in their methods How well do commercial techniques work in a university software development environment?

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Where did the idea come from & what is the aim?

“ Create a system for use within universities, which will make sharing and communication

about teaching, learning and research between academics, postgraduate and

undergraduate students at the universities more effective bringing the best features of

social networking to academic networking.”

End deliverable

Novelty of the project

Experimented with user-centred design would this work in Academic world?

Intensive research phase design phase with user-testing sessions

Flow Interactive

www.flowinteractive.com

Training us in their methods

How well do commercial techniques work in a university software development environment?

OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT Preparation before starting Defining project planning Defining research question Research phase Recruiting target audience Gathering information: diary studies and interviews Working with data: task goal analysis and affinity sorting Working with data: behavioural axes Working with data: use the analyzed data to create personas Defining user and business requirements to start with design Design phase Using personas and requirements to create extreme designs of concepts User recruitment and user testing sessions: using paper prototypes Using user feedback to merge extreme concepts into 1 refined design User recruitment and user testing sessions: using wire frames Repeating process of user recruitment, user testing and concept refinement until project team and target audience are happy NEXT: We might do another round of design from scratch. Coding and implementation phase Implementing system in New CamTools / Sakai 3

Preparation before starting

Defining project planning

Defining research question

Research phase

Recruiting target audience

Gathering information: diary studies and interviews

Working with data: task goal analysis and affinity sorting

Working with data: behavioural axes

Working with data: use the analyzed data to create personas

Defining user and business requirements to start with design

Design phase

Using personas and requirements to create extreme designs of concepts

User recruitment and user testing sessions: using paper prototypes

Using user feedback to merge extreme concepts into 1 refined design

User recruitment and user testing sessions: using wire frames

Repeating process of user recruitment, user testing and concept refinement until project team

and target audience are happy

NEXT: We might do another round of design from scratch.

Coding and implementation phase

Implementing system in New CamTools / Sakai 3

THE PROJECT CLOSE-UP Preparation before starting Defining the project planning = Guideline; what steps come next? Giving an answer to: How long will the project take? How many people involved? Their roles? How do our plans fit within academic year? Are students available when we need them? What’s the budget? Defining a research question = Guideline of what you are trying to find out during the phases. Our question: “How do students and academics communicate about their teaching, learning and research activities?”

Defining the project planning

= Guideline; what steps come next?

Giving an answer to:

How long will the project take?

How many people involved? Their roles?

How do our plans fit within academic year? Are students available when we need them?

What’s the budget?

Defining a research question

= Guideline of what you are trying to find out during the phases. Our question: “How do students and academics communicate about their teaching, learning and research activities?”

THE PROJECT CLOSE-UP Research phase RECRUITING THE TARGET AUDIENCE AIM : Gathering information from people who are representatives of target audience. What are their needs? diary studies and interviews But first recruit them How? Define criteria Spread of all the people Define amount of participants More criteria = more people Start looking for right participants: different ways Running a survey Find appropriate people in different sources Find appropriate people through personal relationships Reusing lists of participants Picking the right and useful people Contacting participants

RECRUITING THE TARGET AUDIENCE

AIM : Gathering information from people who are representatives of target audience.

What are their needs? diary studies and interviews

But first recruit them How?

Define criteria Spread of all the people

Define amount of participants More criteria = more people

Start looking for right participants: different ways

Running a survey

Find appropriate people in different sources

Find appropriate people through personal relationships

Reusing lists of participants

Picking the right and useful people

Contacting participants

A section in an online survey

THE PROJECT CLOSE-UP Research phase GATHERING INFORMATION BY DOING DIARY STUDIES AND INTERVIEWS Thoughts AIM: gathering information What are their problems? What to design later? BASIC PRINCIPLE : let them fulfill tasks Doing the diary and interview Capturing the information Note taking Task goal analysis or recording and analyzing afterwards Diary before the interview Diary combined with interview questions Questionnaire

GATHERING INFORMATION BY DOING DIARY STUDIES AND INTERVIEWS

Thoughts

AIM: gathering information What are their problems? What to design later?

BASIC PRINCIPLE : let them fulfill tasks

Doing the diary and interview

Capturing the information

Note taking

Task goal analysis or recording and analyzing afterwards

Documents used during interview Diary combined with interview questions Questionnaire : extra questions during interview

THE PROJECT CLOSE-UP Research phase WORKING WITH THE DATA : TASK GOAL ANALYSIS AIM: analyzing data from interview through linking it to categories First phase in process of analyzing information Close-up Description of the process

WORKING WITH THE DATA : TASK GOAL ANALYSIS

AIM: analyzing data from interview through linking it to categories

First phase in process of analyzing information

Close-up

Description of the process

Description of the process

THE PROJECT CLOSE-UP Research phase WORKING WITH THE DATA : AFFINITY SORTING So far : awful lot of data need to sort it AIM : find patterns in the information, cluster similar behaviours How? Cut every single entry of every participant and put randomly on the wall Find entries which are similar and cluster them End up with lots of sorted clusters which present similar behaviours of people included in our research

WORKING WITH THE DATA : AFFINITY SORTING

So far : awful lot of data need to sort it

AIM : find patterns in the information, cluster similar behaviours

How?

Cut every single entry of every participant and put randomly on the wall

Find entries which are similar and cluster them

End up with lots of sorted clusters which present similar behaviours of people included in our research

A lot of sorted post-it notes …

THE PROJECT CLOSE-UP Research phase WORKING WITH THE DATA: BEHAVIOURAL AXES AIM: visually represent participants Compared to each other According to behaviours found during Task Goal analysis Group in as few clusters as possible easier to work with How? Create grid with only behavioural axes poles on it Write down every participant’s name on colour coded post-its Put every name on the grid compared to each other and try to find patters

WORKING WITH THE DATA: BEHAVIOURAL AXES

AIM: visually represent participants

Compared to each other

According to behaviours found during Task Goal analysis

Group in as few clusters as possible easier to work with

How?

Create grid with only behavioural axes poles on it

Write down every participant’s name on colour coded post-its

Put every name on the grid compared to each other and try to find patters

Behavioural axes with patterns

THE PROJECT CLOSE-UP Research phase WORKING WITH THE DATA: USE ANALYZED DATA TO CREATE PERSONAS A persona: Represents needs of larger (the whole) group of users Identifies user’s needs, motivations, expectations, goals Brings the group of users to life presenting them as real people Helps focusing during design phase Can be a ‘Primary’ or ‘Secondary’ persona How to present them as real people The 3 personas we ended up with made-up name made-up picture Goals based on all participants’ information

WORKING WITH THE DATA: USE ANALYZED DATA TO CREATE PERSONAS

A persona:

Represents needs of larger (the whole) group of users

Identifies user’s needs, motivations, expectations, goals

Brings the group of users to life presenting them as real people

Helps focusing during design phase

Can be a ‘Primary’ or ‘Secondary’ persona

How to present them as real people

The 3 personas we ended up with

Primary persona: Isobel

Secondary persona 1: Peter

Secondary persona 2: Kate

THE PROJECT CLOSE-UP Research phase DEFINING USER AND BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS TO START DESIGN PHASE Bridge between research and design phase How? Used goals of every persona to translate them into requirements Example: Goal: “Discover what other people are working on.” Requirement: “The user needs to be notified about relevant people or content they wouldn’t otherwise know about.”

DEFINING USER AND BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS TO START DESIGN PHASE

Bridge between research and design phase

How? Used goals of every persona to translate them into requirements

Example: Goal: “Discover what other people are working on.” Requirement: “The user needs to be notified about relevant people or content they wouldn’t otherwise know about.”

THE PROJECT CLOSE-UP Design phase USING PERSONAS & REQUIREMENTS TO CREATE EXTREME DESIGNS OF CONCEPTS AIM : End up with extreme preliminary designs of concepts How? Brainstorm about requirements and personas Initial thoughts Matching related thoughts End up with more than 10 but picked 3 most important and useful ones. Each linked to a persona Extreme thoughts Fleshed out so we got real ideas to start designing with Advantages of this step : Extreme ideas: designers can be more creative Every persona’s needs will be answered in a design

USING PERSONAS & REQUIREMENTS TO CREATE EXTREME DESIGNS OF

CONCEPTS

AIM : End up with extreme preliminary designs of concepts

How?

Brainstorm about requirements and personas

Initial thoughts

Matching related thoughts

End up with more than 10 but picked 3 most important and useful ones.

Each linked to a persona

Extreme thoughts

Fleshed out so we got real ideas to start designing with

Advantages of this step :

Extreme ideas: designers can be more creative

Every persona’s needs will be answered in a design

Initial brainstorm thoughts : The 3 extremes we picked Concept 1: ‘Get up, Go outside!’ Concept 2: ‘The board game vs. Ballroom dancing’ Concept 3: ‘The Switchboard’

Fleshing out those 3 ideas: Getting ideas to start designing with Concept 1: ‘Get up, Go outside!’ with some extra thoughts Concept 3: ‘The switchboard’ with some extra thoughts Concept 2: ‘The board game vs.. ballroom dancing’ with some extra thoughts

THE PROJECT CLOSE-UP Design phase IT’S TIME TO SEE WHAT USERS THINK : USER RECRUITMENT AIM : Find relevant people to see whether our designs really are answers to their needs. DIFFERENT : Now specifically focusing on 3 personas How recruiting? Same ways as before: Define criteria Spread of 3 personas Define amount of participants Start looking for right participants: different ways Running a survey : questions to find out personas Find appropriate people in different sources Find appropriate people through personal relationships Reusing lists of participants Picking the right and useful people Contacting participants

IT’S TIME TO SEE WHAT USERS THINK : USER RECRUITMENT

AIM : Find relevant people to see whether our designs really are answers to their needs.

DIFFERENT : Now specifically focusing on 3 personas

How recruiting? Same ways as before:

Define criteria Spread of 3 personas

Define amount of participants

Start looking for right participants: different ways

Running a survey : questions to find out personas

Find appropriate people in different sources

Find appropriate people through personal relationships

Reusing lists of participants

Picking the right and useful people

Contacting participants

THE PROJECT CLOSE-UP Design phase IT’S TIME TO SEE WHAT USERS THINK : USER TESTING SESSIONS USING PAPER PROTOTYPES Why paper prototypes: We want to keep it looking unfinished at this stage We want to get more hones feedback The 3 concepts we ended up with 3 different kinds of prototypes; 1 for each persona Each concept contains several pages Way of doing user testing sessions 2 rooms, one-way mirror Observe and analyze at high level

IT’S TIME TO SEE WHAT USERS THINK : USER TESTING SESSIONS USING

PAPER PROTOTYPES

Why paper prototypes:

We want to keep it looking unfinished at this stage

We want to get more hones feedback

The 3 concepts we ended up with

3 different kinds of prototypes; 1 for each persona

Each concept contains several pages

Way of doing user testing sessions

2 rooms, one-way mirror

Observe and analyze at high level

Concept 1: ‘Get up and go outside’

Concept 2: ‘Board game’

Concept 3: ‘The switchboard’

An example of an user testing session

THE PROJECT CLOSE-UP Design phase USING FEEDBACK TO MERGE EXTREME CONCEPTS INTO 1 REFINED DESIGN Before: 3 extreme designs; 1 for each persona AIM : end up with 1 design instead of 3 So: merge 3 designs into 1

USING FEEDBACK TO MERGE EXTREME CONCEPTS INTO 1 REFINED DESIGN

Before: 3 extreme designs; 1 for each persona

AIM : end up with 1 design instead of 3

So: merge 3 designs into 1

THE PROJECT CLOSE-UP Design phase IT’S TIME TO SEE WHAT USERS THINK : USER RECRUITMENT AIM : Find relevant people to see whether our designs really are answers to their needs. DIFFERENT : Instead of concentrating on personas, more on different kinds find out how merged system works for everyone How recruiting? Same ways as before: Define criteria Spread of 3 personas Define amount of participants Start looking for right participants: different ways Running a survey Find appropriate people in different sources Find appropriate people through personal relationships Reusing lists of participants Picking the right and useful people Contacting participants

IT’S TIME TO SEE WHAT USERS THINK : USER RECRUITMENT

AIM : Find relevant people to see whether our designs really are answers to their needs.

DIFFERENT : Instead of concentrating on personas, more on different kinds find out how merged system works for everyone

How recruiting? Same ways as before:

Define criteria Spread of 3 personas

Define amount of participants

Start looking for right participants: different ways

Running a survey

Find appropriate people in different sources

Find appropriate people through personal relationships

Reusing lists of participants

Picking the right and useful people

Contacting participants

THE PROJECT CLOSE-UP Design phase IT’S TIME TO SEE WHAT USERS THINK : USER TESTING SESSIONS USING WIRE FRAMES Why wire frames: Clickable wire frames on laptop More realistic feeling Allowed to criticize detail more at this stage The design we ended up with 1 design, containing the information of the 3 concepts 3 personas as well Way of doing user testing sessions 2 rooms, one-way mirror Observe and analyze at high level Screen recordings

IT’S TIME TO SEE WHAT USERS THINK : USER TESTING SESSIONS USING

WIRE FRAMES

Why wire frames:

Clickable wire frames on laptop

More realistic feeling

Allowed to criticize detail more at this stage

The design we ended up with

1 design, containing the information of the 3 concepts 3 personas as well

Way of doing user testing sessions

2 rooms, one-way mirror

Observe and analyze at high level

Screen recordings

The merged design : wire frame

THE PROJECT CLOSE-UP Design phase PROCESS OF USER RECRUITMENT, USER TESTING, REFINEMENT UNTIL PROJECT TEAM AND TARGET AUDIENCE ARE HAPPY Done so far : Came up with 3 extreme designs of concepts Tested them Merged into 1 design Tested again Found out how to refine this as well This process could go on until project team & target audience are happy Future : We’re planning to have further design rounds

PROCESS OF USER RECRUITMENT, USER TESTING, REFINEMENT UNTIL

PROJECT TEAM AND TARGET AUDIENCE ARE HAPPY

Done so far :

Came up with 3 extreme designs of concepts

Tested them

Merged into 1 design

Tested again

Found out how to refine this as well

This process could go on until project team & target audience are happy

Future :

We’re planning to have further design rounds

THE PROJECT CLOSE-UP Coding and implementation IMPLEMENTING SYSTEM IN NEW SAKAI-BASED CAMTOOLS Within some time : putting decided designs into code Have a look how to implement in new Sakai-based CamTools At same moment : Building basic networking into new Sakai-based CamTools (piloting autumn this year)

IMPLEMENTING SYSTEM IN NEW SAKAI-BASED CAMTOOLS

Within some time : putting decided designs into code

Have a look how to implement in new Sakai-based CamTools

At same moment : Building basic networking into new Sakai-based CamTools

(piloting autumn this year)

THE PROJECT CLOSE-UP Wrap-up We enjoyed learning about user-centric design . We felt this was a useful way to connect with real users and design for them. We hope to try similar methods again on future projects . It’s a never ending process: We’re still learning about how to do user research and user-centric design. We’re looking forward to seeing our academic networking concepts realized in the future.

We enjoyed learning about user-centric design . We felt this was a useful way to connect with real users and design for them. We hope to try similar methods again on future projects .

It’s a never ending process: We’re still learning about how to do user research and user-centric design.

We’re looking forward to seeing our academic networking concepts realized in the future.

CONTACT US WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT IT? Websites : http://www.caret.cam.ac.uk http://academic-networking.blogspot.com People : Laura James (project manager): [email_address] Anne-Sophie De Baets (researcher): [email_address]

WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT IT?

Websites :

http://www.caret.cam.ac.uk

http://academic-networking.blogspot.com

People :

Laura James (project manager): [email_address]

Anne-Sophie De Baets (researcher): [email_address]

FEEDBACK Questions?

Thank you!