From Apples to eye surgery: designing useful user experiences By Ruth Ellison Twitter: @RuthEllison For Canberra Girl Geek Dinners #2 On 4 th April 2009

Let me tell you a story about laser eye surgery...

Let me tell you a story about laser eye surgery...

What is user experience (UX)? "User experience" encompasses all aspects of the end-user's interaction with the company, its services, and its products. - Nielsen Norman Group

"User experience" encompasses all aspects of the end-user's interaction with the company, its services, and its products.

- Nielsen Norman Group

What is user experience? “ The sum of a series of interactions between people, devices and events – or any combination thereof” - Eric Reiss

“ The sum of a series of interactions between people, devices and events – or any combination thereof”

- Eric Reiss

UX is the user interface UX is just about usability UX is just about the user Want more info? Check out this excellent article by Whitney Hess about 10 Most Common Misconceptions About User Experience Design , located at http://mashable.com/2009/01/09/user-experience-design/?cp=2

UX is the user interface

UX is just about usability

UX is just about the user

Why is good UX important? Helps to build trust Create good will Encourage loyalty* * Perhaps not always applicable to Government Empowering your users It’s good business sense

Helps to build trust

Create good will

Encourage loyalty*

* Perhaps not always applicable to Government

Empowering your users

It’s good business sense

Impacts of bad UX Frustrated people Negative perception Multiple contact points with organisation = increased costs Increased errors = increased costs Angry! By danorbithttp://www.flickr.com/photos/danorbit/2278238975/ Available under Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.0 Generic license

Frustrated people

Negative perception

Multiple contact points with organisation = increased costs

Increased errors = increased costs

Who’s responsible for UX? Is it the... User interface designers? Usability folks? Business analysts? Developers? Marketing & communications people? Others?

Is it the...

User interface designers?

Usability folks?

Business analysts?

Developers?

Marketing & communications people?

Others?

It’s everyone’s business

User experience needs to be... Valuable Usable Engaging Credible Pleasurable

Valuable

Usable

Engaging

Credible

Pleasurable

Valuable

Usable

More Bars in more places By DeaPeaJayfrom http://www.flickr.com/photos/deapeajay/2456458827/ Available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license

Source: http://i.gizmodo.com/5162715/cheap-user-interface-hack-finally-solves-tv-remotes-stupidity

Engaging

Playing four way pong By Ruth Ellison http://www.flickr.com/photos/laruth/2898887818/in/set-72157607568443264/ Available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.0 Generic license

Source: http://reviews.cnet.com/i/bto/20080227/Wii.jpg

Credible

Which one instils more confidence?

Pleasurable

Photo sources: http://daddytypes.com/archive/apple-iphone-in-hand.jpg http://www.textonphone.com/img/iphone.png

How do we go about creating great experiences?

Think outside the screen

Think outside the screen

Think about... The organisation What are you trying to achieve? Legislative requirements? Timelines, budget & resourcing – what can be realistically achieved? Business processes? Language & definitions?

The organisation

What are you trying to achieve?

Legislative requirements?

Timelines, budget & resourcing – what can be realistically achieved?

Business processes?

Language & definitions?

Think about... The people Who are your users? What are their goals? Environment in which they will use your system? Level of knowledge & experience of organisation & system? Prior experiences & perceptions

The people

Who are your users?

What are their goals?

Environment in which they will use your system?

Level of knowledge & experience of organisation & system?

Prior experiences & perceptions

Think about... The system How offline and online materials complement each other Physical layout of office/workplace/shop Interactions between channels phone, internet, in person

The system

How offline and online materials complement each other

Physical layout of office/workplace/shop

Interactions between channels

phone, internet, in person

Do... User research to understand the people, what they do, how they think, and why they do things a certain way Share the findings in interesting ways (e.g. telling stories) Visualise the solution so it’s easily communicable

User research to understand the people, what they do, how they think, and why they do things a certain way

Share the findings in interesting ways (e.g. telling stories)

Visualise the solution so it’s easily communicable

Get... Users involved in the design process Stakeholders & project team involved

Users involved in the design process

Stakeholders & project team involved

Do... Use user experience for good rather than evil

Use user experience for good rather than evil

UX is the sum of all the interactions with the organisation/product/service It’s more than the user interface Develop a deep understanding of your users and what you’re trying to achieve

UX is the sum of all the interactions with the organisation/product/service

It’s more than the user interface

Develop a deep understanding of your users and what you’re trying to achieve

When Signage Goes Wrong By rdolishnyhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/rdolishny/2760207306/ Available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 2.0 Generic license

Thanks! Ruth Ellison Email: [email_address] Web: www.ruthellison.com @RuthEllison Find this presentation at www.slideshare.net/ruthellison

Ruth Ellison

Email: [email_address]

Web: www.ruthellison.com

@RuthEllison

Find this presentation at www.slideshare.net/ruthellison