User centred design in practice - is it working? Donna Maurer – Maadmob Interaction Design

Me – right now Freelance information architect/interaction designer Lead interaction designer – big government project this talk is not about my current team Chair for next year's IA Summit Board member – Information Architecture Institute Committee member – Web Industry Professionals’ Association Writing a book about card sorting - due early 2007 Wife, mother, weaver, orchardist

Freelance information architect/interaction designer

Lead interaction designer – big government project

this talk is not about my current team

Chair for next year's IA Summit

Board member – Information Architecture Institute

Committee member – Web Industry Professionals’ Association

Writing a book about card sorting - due early 2007

Wife, mother, weaver, orchardist

Me - previously Usability testing Search implementation Website design Intranet design Information architecture Interaction design User research Web applications Card sorting Usability testing Expert reviews Usability testing Intranet design Information architecture Card sorting Accessibility User research Website design Mentoring Business strategy Web applications Information architecture Card sorting User research Website design Web applications Interaction design Mentoring Training Build websites Study Community

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Today’s structure Challenges & opportunities Current state of practitioner UCD Interesting new approaches & tools Far out, that is a cheesy image

Today’s structure Challenges & opportunities Interesting new approaches & tools Current state of practitioner UCD

Current situation Usability is fairly well known ‘ Ease of use’ is well known Many jobs for usability, user-centred design, interface design, information architecture Web, business, mobile Severe skills shortage

Usability is fairly well known

‘ Ease of use’ is well known

Many jobs for usability, user-centred design, interface design, information architecture

Web, business, mobile

Severe skills shortage

But… Much work being done without UCD Many of great sites and applications are done without a specific user-centred design role. Done by a team who knows something about it, or a team of generally smart people Most government work still unaware of UCD Thousands of developers designing internal systems without considering needs of people on the end of them

Much work being done without UCD

Many of great sites and applications are done without a specific user-centred design role. Done by a team who knows something about it, or a team of generally smart people

Most government work still unaware of UCD

Thousands of developers designing internal systems without considering needs of people on the end of them

Poor work Dissatisfied clients Clients unhappy with the work they get from UCD practitioners, primarily consultants Work is shallow Limited understanding of the domain Focus on users only, not a holistic examination of the problem Expensive for limited return “ Yes, they’re just the shit-kickers, but you still need to talk to them” Overheard from a usability consultant Who said that? I’ll buy her a beer – she’ll spill the beans

Dissatisfied clients

Clients unhappy with the work they get from UCD practitioners, primarily consultants

Work is shallow

Limited understanding of the domain

Focus on users only, not a holistic examination of the problem

Expensive for limited return

“ Yes, they’re just the shit-kickers, but you still need to talk to them”

Overheard from a usability consultant

Who knows they do user-centred design User-centred designers Usability specialists Interaction designers Information architects User experience specialists

User-centred designers

Usability specialists

Interaction designers

Information architects

User experience specialists

Many years Job: Consulting company Length: 2 years in this job, many years in the field Type of work: Design projects for clients. Usually hired to do strategy, user research, information architecture or interaction design. May get involved in usability tests Well read on the basics – keeps up with blogs and magazine sites via RSS. Buys books a couple of times a year. Participates in discussion lists. Attends one conference a year, speaks at local groups occasionally.

Job: Consulting company

Length: 2 years in this job, many years in the field

Type of work: Design projects for clients. Usually hired to do strategy, user research, information architecture or interaction design. May get involved in usability tests

Well read on the basics – keeps up with blogs and magazine sites via RSS.

Buys books a couple of times a year.

Participates in discussion lists.

Attends one conference a year, speaks at local groups occasionally.

Some experience Job: interactive agency Length: 2 years Type of work: Website design for clients. Designing page layouts for websites. Does user research on some projects, sometimes can do usability testing. Has read a number of usability books and has IA book but hasn’t read it all. Subscribes to Jakob Nielsen and Gerry McGovern. Reads other things sent by colleagues. Attends one conference a year. Mostly learns on the job

Job: interactive agency

Length: 2 years

Type of work: Website design for clients. Designing page layouts for websites.

Does user research on some projects, sometimes can do usability testing.

Has read a number of usability books and has IA book but hasn’t read it all.

Subscribes to Jakob Nielsen and Gerry McGovern. Reads other things sent by colleagues.

Attends one conference a year.

Mostly learns on the job

Into usability Job: independent usability consultant Length: 2 years Type of work: Usability testing for clients (makes design recommendations) Occasional user research work. Design work for simple sites & applications. No training – figure it out as she goes Reads web articles, subscribes to a couple of lists, attends UPA Finds it challenging to sell usability But who’s that dude in the background

Job: independent usability consultant

Length: 2 years

Type of work: Usability testing for clients (makes design recommendations)

Occasional user research work. Design work for simple sites & applications.

No training – figure it out as she goes

Reads web articles, subscribes to a couple of lists, attends UPA

Finds it challenging to sell usability

On the sideline Job: webmaster of medium company Length: 1 year Type of work: Company website and intranet design and maintenance Background in communications No user research experience, once had a usability test by a consultant Subscribes to Jakob Nielsen. Mostly learns on the job Sick of everyone criticising - just needs answers How do you feel being stereotyped like this?

Job: webmaster of medium company

Length: 1 year

Type of work: Company website and intranet design and maintenance

Background in communications

No user research experience, once had a usability test by a consultant

Subscribes to Jakob Nielsen.

Mostly learns on the job

Sick of everyone criticising - just needs answers

Learning Books Online articles Conferences On the job Most practitioners have no knowledge of or access to academic research And most don’t care Hmph…their loss

Books

Online articles

Conferences

On the job

Most practitioners have no knowledge of or access to academic research

And most don’t care

“ In the varied topography of professional practice, there is a high, hard ground overlooking a swamp. On the high ground manageable problems lend themselves to solution through the application of research-based theory and technique. In the swampy lowland, messy, confusing problems defy technical solution. The irony of this situation is that the problems of the high ground tend to be relatively unimportant to individuals or society at large, however great their technical interest may be, while in the swamp lie the greatest problems of human concern.” Donald A Schon – Educating the Reflective Practitioner

“ In the varied topography of professional practice, there is a high, hard ground overlooking a swamp.

On the high ground manageable problems lend themselves to solution through the application of research-based theory and technique. In the swampy lowland, messy, confusing problems defy technical solution.

The irony of this situation is that the problems of the high ground tend to be relatively unimportant to individuals or society at large, however great their technical interest may be, while in the swamp lie the greatest problems of human concern.”

Donald A Schon – Educating the Reflective Practitioner

“ I am a sucker for presentations where standard user-centered design methods (stakeholder interviews, user research, interaction design, prototyping) are used in novel environments, such as the design of a web, kiosk, and mobile system for supporting art appreciation at the Getty Center in L.A. It continues to provide evidence that such design isn't special or otherworldly.” http://www.peterme.com/archives/000797.html

“ I am a sucker for presentations where standard user-centered design methods (stakeholder interviews, user research, interaction design, prototyping) are used in novel environments, such as the design of a web, kiosk, and mobile system for supporting art appreciation at the Getty Center in L.A. It continues to provide evidence that such design isn't special or otherworldly.”

http://www.peterme.com/archives/000797.html

Interesting tools and approaches

Tagging Tagging: Users provide descriptive keywords to the resource. No vocabulary, categories or master scheme –whatever authors or users Characterised by the long tail Folksonomy: Technically a taxonomy generated by the folks – the users of it. The word usually applies to the use of tagging within a social network The two poster children of tagging are del.icio.us and flickr Others Gmail – tag messages, rather than filing them Extra tasty – tag drinks for refinding Powerhouse museum – categories plus tags

Tagging:

Users provide descriptive keywords to the resource.

No vocabulary, categories or master scheme –whatever authors or users

Characterised by the long tail

Folksonomy:

Technically a taxonomy generated by the folks – the users of it.

The word usually applies to the use of tagging within a social network

The two poster children of tagging are del.icio.us and flickr

Others

Gmail – tag messages, rather than filing them

Extra tasty – tag drinks for refinding

Powerhouse museum – categories plus tags

Tagging Advantages Flexible Great for emerging domains Reflects language of users Cognitively easy to manage Disadvantages Not suitable for all the uses to which it has been put Not suited for domains in which retrieval accuracy is key Many decisions about maintenance Still new and odd

Advantages

Flexible

Great for emerging domains

Reflects language of users

Cognitively easy to manage

Disadvantages

Not suitable for all the uses to which it has been put

Not suited for domains in which retrieval accuracy is key

Many decisions about maintenance

Still new and odd

User-generated content Threadless – T-shirts designed by the community, voted on by the community, printed and sold to the community Extra Tasty – all recipes provided by the community Flickr Wikipedia – the ultimate user-generated content site Del.icio.us – all content provided by the community Digg – community diggs for articles and returns them to the top of the pile Upcoming.org – user-added events Does she ever stop talking about booze?

Threadless – T-shirts designed by the community, voted on by the community, printed and sold to the community

Extra Tasty – all recipes provided by the community

Flickr

Wikipedia – the ultimate user-generated content site

Del.icio.us – all content provided by the community

Digg – community diggs for articles and returns them to the top of the pile

Upcoming.org – user-added events

Mash-ups (link) Combining data from two different sources Most commonly public data plus google maps Most famous Housing maps : Craigslist + Google Maps ( avi ) Chicago Crime : Chicago crime data + Google Maps ( avi ) My favourites Upcoming+last.fm (images/allcrazystyle.avi) What’s interesting Showing available data in different ways Providing value beyond the original service

Combining data from two different sources

Most commonly public data plus google maps

Most famous

Housing maps : Craigslist + Google Maps ( avi )

Chicago Crime : Chicago crime data + Google Maps ( avi )

My favourites

Upcoming+last.fm (images/allcrazystyle.avi)

What’s interesting

Showing available data in different ways

Providing value beyond the original service

Social & connections Flickr – connect with friends Del.icio.us – find bookmarks from others or from friends Upcoming – see who is attending Lastfm – listen to music from friends or similar interests My social group is the same everywhere, but I have to enter it from scratch

Flickr – connect with friends

Del.icio.us – find bookmarks from others or from friends

Upcoming – see who is attending

Lastfm – listen to music from friends or similar interests

AJAX AJAX stands for asynchronous javascript over XML Richer interface interactions Part-page updates with no page reload Direct editing Drag & drop Feedback, automatic saves Challenges Designer inexperience with rich interactions Part-page updates break the user mental model of ‘pages’ Visually communicating what can be done Emerging interface conventions Accessibility Big deal, we’ve been designing guis for years

AJAX stands for asynchronous javascript over XML

Richer interface interactions

Part-page updates with no page reload

Direct editing

Drag & drop

Feedback, automatic saves

Challenges

Designer inexperience with rich interactions

Part-page updates break the user mental model of ‘pages’

Visually communicating what can be done

Emerging interface conventions

Accessibility

Our challenges… OK, deep breath

New design challenges Designing for engagement, not basic usability Designing shells to be filled with content Designing for social networks & interaction Non linear processes – closer to synchronous Designing for reuse of data Building and maintaining community Traditional usability testing doesn’t work

Designing for engagement, not basic usability

Designing shells to be filled with content

Designing for social networks & interaction

Non linear processes – closer to synchronous

Designing for reuse of data

Building and maintaining community

Traditional usability testing doesn’t work

Process changes Build for your own problem Focus narrowly Generalist teams Get it out there Build community Listen to customers Release often Market virally Less user research or usability testing

Build for your own problem

Focus narrowly

Generalist teams

Get it out there

Build community

Listen to customers

Release often

Market virally

Less user research or usability testing

“ in the last 10 years, there has been no discernable relationship between corporate investment in user-centered design practices and the regular production of usable products from those corporations” “ The best way we can collectively improve our opportunities is to stop drinking the Kool-Aid and start questioning our own practices and beliefs. It shouldn't be a matter of faith that our practices produce good designs. It should be a matter of fact.” Jared Spool. http://www.informationdesign.org/special/spool_interview.php

“ in the last 10 years, there has been no discernable relationship between corporate investment in user-centered design practices and the regular production of usable products from those corporations”

“ The best way we can collectively improve our opportunities is to stop drinking the Kool-Aid and start questioning our own practices and beliefs. It shouldn't be a matter of faith that our practices produce good designs. It should be a matter of fact.”

Jared Spool. http://www.informationdesign.org/special/spool_interview.php

Where I think we need to head “ Design is one of the basic skills a person needs to function in modern society” Kees Dorst. By Design, Radio National, 12 August Focus less on user-centred and more on design Learn about our own context Understand business How do development teams work How do developers think What do they need to know from us Totally eliminate design by testing

“ Design is one of the basic skills a person needs to function in modern society”

Kees Dorst. By Design, Radio National, 12 August

Focus less on user-centred and more on design

Learn about our own context

Understand business

How do development teams work

How do developers think

What do they need to know from us

Totally eliminate design by testing

Selling our services Stop selling usability Stop acting like you’re the centre of the universe Start selling design Communicate more clearly Pay more attention to what you do - know your own value

Stop selling usability

Stop acting like you’re the centre of the universe

Start selling design

Communicate more clearly

Pay more attention to what you do - know your own value

Teach and mentor Mentoring is more useful than delivering Adopt design studio thinking Work in teams Always analyse design outcomes Stop writing ‘what is’, start writing ‘how to’ How to think, not how to do Teach principles not rules Provide tools not methods Identify & share learning opportunities Most conferences are podcast

Mentoring is more useful than delivering

Adopt design studio thinking

Work in teams

Always analyse design outcomes

Stop writing ‘what is’, start writing ‘how to’

How to think, not how to do

Teach principles not rules

Provide tools not methods

Identify & share learning opportunities

Most conferences are podcast

“ This is that category with the asterisk that means ‘hard’, since I feel like I’m giving you advice that says, ‘to win a beauty pageant, (a) get beautiful, and (b) enter the pageant’.” Joel Spolsky (http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/FindingGreatDevelopers.html)

“ This is that category with the asterisk that means ‘hard’, since I feel like I’m giving you advice that says, ‘to win a beauty pageant, (a) get beautiful, and (b) enter the pageant’.”

Joel Spolsky (http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/FindingGreatDevelopers.html)

Take it up a notch “We’ve evolved from a focus on features to focus on ease of use and now will have the opportunity to focus on quality of life” “Good design is at the heart of quality of life. Designers today have an opportunity to design at a time when mass consciousness will really value great design” Linda Stone, IDEA Conference

“We’ve evolved from a focus on features to focus on ease of use and now will have the opportunity to focus on quality of life”

“Good design is at the heart of quality of life. Designers today have an opportunity to design at a time when mass consciousness will really value great design”

Linda Stone, IDEA Conference

Questions & thanks http://maadmob.net/ 0409-778-693 [email_address]

http://maadmob.net/

0409-778-693

[email_address]