This document discusses user experiences with software and how they can impact government and citizens. It provides nine laws of effective user experiences based on common successes, including focusing on the user first, empathizing with users, delivering software where users want it, gathering feedback through conversation, interpreting rather than directly taking user requirements, valuing good design, not trying to build for everyone, collaborating across teams, and allowing for flexibility rather than rigid plans. The document advocates applying these laws to optimize user adoption and achieve the benefits of software ROI for both government operations and citizens.
By the Book: How Great User Experiences in Software Can Impact Government and Citizens
1. By the Book
How Great User Experiences in Software
Can Impact Government and Citizens
Anthony Franco twitter.com/anthonyfranco
President, EffectiveUI anthonyfranco.wordpress.com
4. Software ROI for Government
Operational Efficiency
Dissemination of Information
Gathering of Information
Collaboration
Compliance
5. Software ROI for Citizens
Citizen Enablement Tools:
•BenefitSelf Service
•Convenience
Information Transparency
Information Find-ability
6. example ROI calculations
citizen self service x user adoption = ROI
employee data entry x user adoption = ROI
information gathering x user adoption = ROI
process automation x user adoption = ROI
collaboration portals x user adoption = ROI
compliance portals x user adoption = ROI
15. ✓
focus on the end user first by:
understanding user
goals and needs
before deciding on a
technology approach
16. avoid: Vector Graphics
MXML
Flash Client Processing Cover-flow
Java Service Oriented Architecture
Sliverlight
Animation Social Networking
Streaming Video Aqua Multi-Channel
Runtime Skip Intro
Web 2.0 Productivity iPhone Accessibility
Google Reflections Audio
AJAX Thin Client
Security Sandbox Multi-Touch APIs
Apple Open Source
Flex Rich Conversions Microsoft Adobe
XAML Web Services Objective C SUN
buzz word bingo
17. ✓
focus on the end user first by:
understand user
goals and needs
before deciding on
the user flow
18. BUSINESS UNITS TURN IT INTO THIS:
PICK HOW YOU OPEN AN STORE CREDIT CLICK EMAIL
SHIP WILL PAY CARD INFORMATION WAIT FOR EMAIL TO CONFIRM
ACCOUNT
Now? I just want to
ship something.
LOGIN
PACKAGE, CHOOSE
TO & FROM CHECK PRICE/
DETAILED CONFIRM TRACK
SERVICE PAY
DESCRIPTION
I don’t know how What does
to answer that. each cost?
user flows as defined by executives
19. USERS WANT THIS:
PACKAGE, COST VS. CONFIRM
SHIP TO & FROM TIME DECISION PAY & TRACK
this is what users wanted
33. ABC CORP SYSTEM
ARCHITECTURE
TRANSACTION
CITIZEN DATA
SERVER
LEGACY
BPM AUTOMATION CMS
FRAMEWORK project teams to
minimize the user
3rd PARTY 3rd PARTY
WORKFLOW CONTENT in almost every
process
SOA
SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION
UI
this is our fault
89. TriGeo Console Project Milestone v_0.1
Last Modi ed: October 30, 2008 9:12 AM
USER INTERVIEWS INTERVIEW #1 NOTES nds something then looks at details :( con gure/manage tools
Only person take action takes forever to load
technical support resolve address
other people on technical sta use it check attacks source Dashboard
monitor logs who is/traceroute CPU, memory
not as dedicated Others check logs/trouble shooting Dial, inspection log
not regular basis Would like to nd all for IP for week/ overall network security health
calls the TriGeo Console “the TriGeo” day/month (Green/Yellow/Red)
Runs it in the background Deep dive in IGS Version of software
set up alerts Block IP name of device
gets alert google.com for IP to see if we do attackers/source hold
always open on separate computer business with graph - top 10 attackers
wants sounds Filters Graph/pie chart
uses blinking 58 (all) some TriGeo/some created top devices generating IP events In/
Cisco IPS 37 in tabs (dynamic and changing) = 6 Out TriGeo Console Project Milestone v_0.1
rows of tabs Last Modi ed: October 30, 2008 9:12 AM
uses the management console line graph/real time
Monitors TriGeo and any alerts that Mentioned the usage of “ lter sets” attacks over time
come through IPS then uses that TriGeo #of alerts generated
console for that event. Custom top alerts
USER INTERVIEWS CONT. describes this as “synergy” INTERVIEW #2 NOTES
“Day in the Life”
what kind/how many
functioning 20 - 3 rows
logs IGS - servers, edge, rewall suspicious tra c create and delete a lot
monitors servers, workstations
consolidate logs Morning activity/events Wishlist 10-11 on dedicated
research
nd out what events are coming from checkdatabases
sql lters Top Tasks
scheduling reports
which thing check tools on team, some semi-trained
4 people (status=up?) remain in directory where you put the
Console runs 24/7 Windows
IGS console has better capabilities run/check person
primary reports last one *same location
view tabs jumps around from window to
let it run all day
not enough licenses for all comps, but ? -rule builder
favorite serving locations window
Top Activities
going that route tools lag time
tools create lter from alert Context Scenarios
run on desktop to get a sense of Windowing
120 workstations would like ad hoc reports/custom
reports for rules too ! Logs in to the console
what’s going on the network (tabs) most apps run like that there are already prebuilt ones likes drag and drop for rules and lters
go through tabs to see what’s going
! Monitors network feeds
Usage
not much thought analyzeLife on internet (IP, domain,
Day in info
on throughout the day (made on navigating through window when other alerts? no?
see accounts) Dashboard ! Sets advanced filters
general health monitoring
TriGeo most custom) looking into speci c task
security functions knowledge base
same day to day what each server is doing ! Establishes rules
login errors, hardware errors
program rules for health uses it when needed
driven by lters
! Receives an alert
*trying to nd info that was stored by lter to nd what’s going on or
TriGeo through reports 9
! Drills down to problem area
run reports make notes of Ext.Info Wishlist ! Discovers and attack
tool alias wants to be able to deal with
monitor console
unmanaged Device ! Quarantines affected area
IDS make rules in rule builder
Rule Builder make notes, then goes into rule Quick reports with button click
dedicated machine builder
alerts Alert
general server health like being able to click and create rule TriGeo Console Project Milestone v_0.1
! James Woo
disk usage or has to take info and plug info rule Last Modi ed: October 30, 2008 9:12 AM
Power User Primary Persona
virus alerts automatically
windows time sync search alerts in Rule Builder?
29 savers rules in alpha order
go through log les order is confusing
USER RESEARCH SUMMARY backups succeeded CONSIDERATIONS to deal with
would like to be able James is an IT administrator for an internal network of a 3000 employee corporation. He is
services stopping? General
unmanaged workstations**
on call 24-7 and is responsible for maintaining a very complex, multi-tiered environment, Context Scenarios
restart Tabs take up a lot of space.
take action
Tactics for gaining insight into an application through the eyes of ! Logs in to the console
on/o line agents
users can be achieved many ways. User interviews, observation,
Navigation should be area- and task-
lter tabs from high-profile servers to employee computers.
based ! Reviews Network Activity
round-table discussions. This research directly impacts the
direction of the design and execution.
Multiple windows should be brought ! Sets New Rules
into the “central” portion of the
10
Being able to put his finger to the “pulse of the network”, maintain fine-grain control of
application as much as possible
As part of the TriGeo project, user interviews were conducted
Primary tasks should be brought out traffic and maintain a high level of security is what James relies on. There are gigabits of
over the phone to gain a general insight to usage patterns,
pain points and usability. When progress is made incorporating
of “hidden” contextual menus to be activity happening every hour that he must be able to respond to at a moments notice.
more top-level
this feedback, more focussed research is done to further re ne
Eliminate redundancy in menus
aspects of the application.
There is a separation between menus When James logs in to the application he is able to maintain an overview of his network.
and information
Initial phone interviews were made, however E ectiveUI was
Addition of a Dashboard (Ops Center) He knows the network inside and out and has customized his “workspace” to cater to the
asked to halt further user analysis and focus on the direct
feedback provided by primary stakeholders.
Ability to customize in various ways most critical areas.
Add methods of “progressive
disclosure” allowing users to dive ! Marian Phillips
Altogether, six people were interviewed and written notes were
deeper.
obtained accordingly.
Based on the discussions with users and making an evaluation
Consistency in work ows and
interface elements Novice User Secondary Persona
of the console, a number of target areas were identi ed for
Ops Center
improvement and consideration. Feedback from TriGeo also
helped drive the focus on some of these areas.
Ability to customize view and content Marian is IT support for a 200 employee company. She monitors the network, but also
Ability to add pre-created “Portlets” or
create unique ones
helps with employee hardware and software.
“Work Areas”
Re ne results using a variety of criteria
The first order of business for Marian is checking email, voice messages and the current
In-context options for taking action on status of the network. She receives an email stating that employees are no longer allowed TriGeo Console Project Milestone v_0.1
areas of interest to browse YouTube.com. Last Modi ed: October 30, 2008 9:12 AM
In-line re nement of data
In addition to monitoring the network, Marian can perform a couple easy steps to creating
Context Scenarios
8 a rule to block employees from browsing to YouTube.com. Sure, Marian can view every
! Logs in to the console
EXPERIENCE MAP
network activity, but her primary concern is respondingGlancesimmediate demands of
! to the at Dashboard
enforcing company policies. ! Evaluates network “saves”
The Experience Map acts as a diagram of the “ ow” of an
application. It is important to hone in on this high-level
framework of the application so a clear direction may be
Context Scenarios
established. This map helps the direction of wireframes without
getting too far into the details. ! Demonstrates the application
! Drills into specific features
The content of the Experience Map is based on user research,
a current understanding of the application and methods of
! Clark McCarthy improving usability. As more information is gathered and
Experience Map evolves until a direction has been established.
Executive User Secondary Persona ! George Newstead
Creating the Experience Map was an ongoing process that ran
in tandem with wireframes and creating design compositions.
TriGeo Executive
Clark is CTO for a 3000 employee company and reports directly to board members. inconsistent overlap due to these areas
Although there was some
He likes to keep tabs on the companies networkproduct that being done in parallel, thinking around on the path to a to
George is looking for a response and effectiveness to see and headed wireframes helped
can be white labeled if
TriGeo Console Project Milestone v_0.1
spending all that money on new servers is really paying off. tightenwith required functionality. vice versa.
SaaS offering while delivered on time and areas of the Experience Map and
Last Modi ed: October 30, 2008 9:12 AM
Steve wants an easy-to-use dashboard that allows him to monitor just how great his of the TriGeo Console was generated
In the end, a solid overview
that acts as the foundation for additional development and user
network is running. It also doesn’t hurt that he has high level information he can use is still work to be done and directly
experience re nement. There Context Scenarios
to get get praise from the boss. correlates to the Wireframes. ! Gives a demo
WIREFRAMES : OPS CENTER
! Navigates through features
! Linda Deris
TriGeo Employee
Linda is focused on selling TriGeo offerings. She wants something easy to demo and
TriGeo Console Project Milestone v_0.1 sell while successfully conveying the value, ease and power of the application.
Last Modi ed: October 30, 2008 9:12 AM 20
WIREFRAMES : MONITOR
TriGeo Console Project Milestone v_0.1
Last Modi ed: October 30, 2008 9:12 AM
28
WIREFRAMES : OPS CENTER
34
31
planning only gets you 20% of the way there
92. The Broken Analogy
“A bridge is the sum of its
parts. The pieces of metal
and welds and everything
else all add up to a single,
static bridge. A software
system is the behavior
created by the dynamic
interaction of its parts”
EffectiveUI
The art of building great experiences in software
94. Can we move the bridge 17
feet to the left?
It’s only 17 feet, so that’s
not a big deal, right?
95. We aren’t very happy with
how the bridge looks so far.
Can you propose a change
in the kind of materials
you’re using to make it
more attractive?
96. Remember when you asked us
whether the bridge would ever
need to support vehicle traffic
and not just pedestrian traffic,
and we weren’t sure, so we just
settled on the cheaper
pedestrian version? Well, we
were wrong. What can you do to
make this work for our needs?
97. We’ve hired an offshore
company to start building from
the other side of the valley so we
can cut the construction time in
half. They’re making some
improvements on your design,
so please coordinate with them
to make sure everything comes
together ahead of schedule.
102. 8 criteria for good user experiences:
✓ provide valuable feedback
✓ behave with consistency
✓ behave in a familiar way
✓ be obvious and efficient
✓ be responsive and perform
✓ help people & businesses accomplish goals
✓ be brand consistent & elegant
✓ be progressive & trustworthy
106. Context Scenarios
Logs in to the console
Monitors network feeds
Sets advanced lters
Establishes rules
Receives an alert
Drills down to problem area
Discovers and attack
Quarantines a ected area
James Woo Context Scenarios
Logs in to the console
Power User Primary Persona Reviews Network Activity
Sets New Rules
James is an IT administrator for an internal network of a 3000 employee corporation. He is
on call 24-7 and is responsible for maintaining a very complex, multi-tiered environment,
from high-pro le servers to employee computers.
Being able to put his nger to the “pulse of the network”, maintain ne-grain control of
tra c and maintain a high level of security is what James relies on. There are gigabits of
activity happening every hour that he must be able to respond to at a moments notice.
Marian Phillips
When James logs in to the application he is able to maintain an overview of his network.
Novice User Secondary Persona
He knows the network inside and out and has customized his “workspace” to cater to the
Context Scenarios
Logs in to the console
most critical areas. Glances at Dashboard
Marian is IT support for a 200 employee company. She monitors the network, but also Evaluates network “saves”
helps with employee hardware and software.
The rst order of business for Marian is checking email, voice messages and the current
status of the network. She receives an email stating that employees are no longer allowed
to browse YouTube.com.
In addition to monitoring the network, Marian can perform a couple easy steps to creating
a rule to block employees from browsing to YouTube.com. Sure, Marian can view every Clark McCarthy
network activity, but her primary concern is responding to the immediate demands of
enforcing company policies. Executive User Secondary Persona Context Scenarios
Demonstrates the application
Drills into speci c features
Clark is CTO for a 3000 employee company and reports directly to board members.
He likes to keep tabs on the companies network response and e ectiveness to see if
spending all that money on new servers is really paying o .
Steve wants an easy-to-use dashboard that allows him to monitor just how great his Newstead
George
network is running. It also doesn’t hurt that he has high level information he can use
to get get praise from the boss. TriGeo Executive
George is looking for a product that can be white labeled and headed on the path to a
SaaS o ering while delivered on time and with required functionality.
Context Scenarios
Gives a demo
Navigates through features
Linda Deris
TriGeo Employee
Linda is focused on selling TriGeo o erings. She wants something easy to demo and
sell while successfully conveying the value, ease and power of the application.
user archetypes