Usability in virtual worlds Making Sense of Business in Virtual Worlds Karlsruhe, May 27th, 2008

About us ...

The Otherland Group Making Sense Of Business in Virtual Worlds We are offering consulting and professional services for companies wishing to enter the Metaverse. All of our projects, products and services are developed in a context of integrated brand communication , with a clear focus on return-on-investment and have to have measurable performance indicators . “ Lets do it! The competition is doing it, too.” ... That’s so 2007!

We are offering consulting and professional services for companies wishing to enter the Metaverse.

All of our projects, products and services are developed in a context of integrated brand communication , with a clear focus on return-on-investment and have to have measurable performance indicators .

“ Lets do it! The competition is doing it, too.” ... That’s so 2007!

Full-Service for the Web3D Our Portfolio includes all services necessary for a longterm engagement in virtual worlds, that makes business sense and operates with of measurable key performance indicators . Our business is structured into three divisions which supplement each other but which deliver results independently from each other. Consulting ^ Development Services Consulting for (and before) using virtual worlds in real business Implementation of projects in/with virtual worlds; customers projects and our own Services and products in the realm of virtual worlds; B2C und B2B

Our Portfolio includes all services necessary for a longterm engagement in virtual worlds, that makes business sense and operates with of measurable key performance indicators .

Our business is structured into three divisions which supplement each other but which deliver results independently from each other.

Inworld Advertising Network Since 2007 we are maintaining an advertising network for virtual worlds and conducted some high profile campaigns for companies like Deutsche Post, Funny Frisch, Axel Springer Verlag, EnBW, Gothaer Versicherungen or Festo AG. Together with nugg.ad AG we developed the first solution for “behavioral targeting“ in virtual worlds.

Since 2007 we are maintaining an advertising network for virtual worlds and conducted some high profile campaigns for companies like Deutsche Post, Funny Frisch, Axel Springer Verlag, EnBW, Gothaer Versicherungen or Festo AG.

Together with nugg.ad AG we developed the first solution for “behavioral targeting“ in virtual worlds.

Otherland Real Estate The real estate division of Otherland is the third-largest real estate developer in Second Life Pure premium / luxury segment 8 Mio. virtual sqm in stock 400 customers plus project business Additional services Procurement and development Facility management User support Security

The real estate division of Otherland is the third-largest real estate developer in Second Life

Pure premium / luxury segment

8 Mio. virtual sqm in stock

400 customers plus project business

Additional services

Procurement and development

Facility management

User support

Security

The Otherland Archipelago

Analytics Tools for measuring and controlling the performance of projects in virtual worlds simple log analysis (counter) premium analysis package behavioral analysis vCRM Suite

Tools for measuring and controlling the performance of projects in virtual worlds

simple log analysis (counter)

premium analysis package

behavioral analysis

vCRM Suite

Plus project-driven business

But now ... Usability in Virtual Worlds

Usability in Virtual Worlds

Usability? Usability is a term used to denote the ease with which people can employ a particular tool or other human-made object in order to achieve a particular goal [efficiently, effectively w/ user satisfaction] > Ergonomics Ergonomics is the scientific discipline concerned with designing according to the human needs, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data and methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance. > Human Factors Engineering

Usability is a term used to denote the ease with which people can employ a particular tool or other human-made object in order to achieve a particular goal [efficiently, effectively w/ user satisfaction] > Ergonomics

Ergonomics is the scientific discipline concerned with designing according to the human needs, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data and methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance.

> Human Factors Engineering

But ... usability in virtual worlds? Isn't this for software and machines, only?

Isn't this for software and machines, only?

No!

Every system intended to fulfill a certain function or help users reach a certain goal ... ... should be designed with a maximum of usability

... should be designed with a maximum of usability

Examples for functions Sell stuff Teach visitors something Keep people in my building Present a brand favorably to visitors Change their attitude etc. ...

Sell stuff

Teach visitors something

Keep people in my building

Present a brand favorably to visitors

Change their attitude

etc. ...

Examples for (users) goals Buy a pair of (virtual) high heels Learn how to ... Have a good time Meet other people etc. ...

Buy a pair of (virtual) high heels

Learn how to ...

Have a good time

Meet other people

etc. ...

That‘s why this should be “usable“

... and this should be “usable“, too

... and this

What is the purpose here?

Impress with ‘Sweden‘

The situation today, though: Cool Design rulez! (like on the web in the late 90s)

Cool Design rulez!

(like on the web in the late 90s)

This will (has to) change ... ... as soon as the focus is on business ROI

... as soon as the focus is on business ROI

Is this all about Second Life? No! Everything said is valid for all worlds. Including physical reality, of course ...

No!

Everything said is valid for all worlds.

Including physical reality, of course ...

Problems in Second Life are similar wide-spread (1) User Generated Content - like in RL (2) Second Life itself is already a usability nightmare

(1) User Generated Content - like in RL (2) Second Life itself is already a usability nightmare

Let‘s have a look at the state of the art!

Whoopsie

Disclaimer I have no intention of dissing the competition. But I can’t avoid some examples of other guys works: It is hard to talk about usability without examples We can’t make all the mistakes ourselves That said ... besides the small mistakes I am showing here, all those guys are doing a great job and actually build some of the coolest projects in Metaverse.

I have no intention of dissing the competition.

But I can’t avoid some examples of other guys works:

It is hard to talk about usability without examples

We can’t make all the mistakes ourselves

That said ... besides the small mistakes I am showing here, all those guys are doing a great job and actually build some of the coolest projects in Metaverse.

Where am I? What can I do here?

What do I need a flight assistant for?

Cool Architecture!

Where to?

What will a newbie find here?

Is this what I am looking for?

That‘s what the newbie sees on his screen

Design scaled for a human

Design for avatars Not for humans!

Not for humans!

Let‘s go party!

The road to nowhere

Where am I?

This looks dangerous

Whaaaaahhhhh

Design for avatars And mind your target audience!

And mind your target audience!

Where am I? What am I supposed to do?

Hmmmmm ?

Great, an overview!

Let‘s try ‘orientation‘ ...

Ooops. Where is the Back button?

But ... unquestionably cool design

Some usability rules of thumb Always make clear: Where am I? What can I do here? Where can I go from here? Where have I been? (How do I get back?)

Always make clear:

Where am I?

What can I do here?

Where can I go from here?

Where have I been? (How do I get back?)

Usability is not only about orientation

What do these people want from me?

Aaahh, a panel!

Why don‘t they talk with me?

Why should I do this?

Fulfill users expectations Something that looks like an avatar ... ... should behave like an avatar Something that looks like a car ... You get the idea? And please don’t overdo “creativity” Make it simple Tell your users, what you want Tell your users, what they can expect

Something that looks like an avatar ... ... should behave like an avatar

Something that looks like a car ... You get the idea?

And please don’t overdo “creativity”

Make it simple

Tell your users, what you want

Tell your users, what they can expect

Even successful projects can have issues

Where to?

Where is the stuff I am looking for?

Sometimes the old ideas are the best

Why not hand out a map?

And, while we are at it ... why not quote prices, too? :=)

There is always room for more usability!

So, Usability in SL has ... „room for improvement“ How to improve it?

How to improve it?

Two Ways to Approach Usability Ask the experts Ask the users

Ask the experts

Ask the users

Ask the experts? Much better than letting designers or software developers anticipate users needs, expectations, thoughts ...

Much better than letting designers or software developers anticipate users needs, expectations, thoughts ...

It doesn‘t make the process any easier, though

Usability experts are from Mars, Designers are from Venus ... and software devs are from Jupiter

Usability experts are from Mars, Designers are from Venus ... and software devs are from Jupiter

Ask the Experts? Experts are people, too. So many websites suck today because of the hippo - as in the "highest paid person's opinion." Avinash Kaushik, Analytics Evangelist Google, Inc.

Experts are people, too.

So many websites suck today because of the hippo - as in the "highest paid person's opinion."

Avinash Kaushik, Analytics Evangelist Google, Inc.

Ask the Users! A much, much better idea!

A much, much better idea!

Enter User Centered Design

User Centered Design

User Centered Design. „ You are not the Audience“ Put the (future) users into the focus. Work open-endedly. Don’t have an expert design ready before you start and plan for one big test at the end.

„ You are not the Audience“

Put the (future) users into the focus.

Work open-endedly. Don’t have an expert design ready before you start and plan for one big test at the end.

Basics UCD | ISO 13407 “ Human centered design processes for interactive systems” Principles: Actively involve the users in the design and development Iterative Evaluation of designs with the end users Multi-disciplinary staffed development teams Major goals: More effective, more efficient use of the system Improved working conditions More “Joy of Use” / Flow

“ Human centered design processes for interactive systems”

Principles:

Actively involve the users in the design and development

Iterative Evaluation of designs with the end users

Multi-disciplinary staffed development teams

Major goals:

More effective, more efficient use of the system

Improved working conditions

More “Joy of Use” / Flow

Process model UCD (simplified) User interviews (8 - 12) Mental Model Personas / Scenarios Paper models / wire frames User Testing Prototype User Testing Final Version

User interviews (8 - 12)

Mental Model

Personas / Scenarios

Paper models / wire frames

User Testing

Prototype

User Testing

Final Version

Step 1: User interviews Developers and experts can never have the same attitude towards the end product as the real user . So ... Let us find out what the user thinks! We start with a series of intense user interviews.

Developers and experts can never have the same attitude towards the end product as the real user .

So ... Let us find out what the user thinks!

We start with a series of intense user interviews.

What we want to find out Needs What are the user’s needs (information, services, performance, features, ...) Desires What does the user want (rarely identical with the needs)? Abilities What can we expect about the user’s abilities and knowledge? In which situations / contexts are the using our systems? Methods How do users solve similar challenges today (without our system)? (steps, order of steps, breaks, phases ...)

Needs What are the user’s needs (information, services, performance, features, ...)

Desires What does the user want (rarely identical with the needs)?

Abilities What can we expect about the user’s abilities and knowledge? In which situations / contexts are the using our systems?

Methods How do users solve similar challenges today (without our system)? (steps, order of steps, breaks, phases ...)

Resulting in a “mental model”

Personas Mental models describe user’s thoughts, ideas and prerequisites on an abstract level. To really envision our users, we need something else one or more persona(s) Personas describe a ‘real’ (fictive) person from the systems target group.

Mental models describe user’s thoughts, ideas and prerequisites on an abstract level.

To really envision our users, we need something else

one or more persona(s)

Personas describe a ‘real’ (fictive) person from the systems target group.

Personas A name An age A gender A picture A private situation A job A particular PC A specific reason for using the system A goal Individual needs/wants Individual fears Personas have Stereotypes are good! (“Nerd“, “Yuppie“, “old miser”). Political correctness is NOT the goal. Personas should help the development team, to understand the user maybe even impersonate him/her.

A name

An age

A gender

A picture

A private situation

A job

A particular PC

A specific reason for using the system

A goal

Individual needs/wants

Individual fears

An example: Holger This is Holger. age: 38 situation: married, one son small house, near Munich occupation: team leader development with a big electronics company web: spends > 3h/day on the web (job related) spends > 1h/day on the web (private) windows based notebook, 1GHz, 2GB income: 2.500 EUR etc. etc.

This is Holger.

age: 38

situation: married, one son

small house, near Munich

occupation: team leader development with a big electronics company

web: spends > 3h/day on the web (job related) spends > 1h/day on the web (private) windows based notebook, 1GHz, 2GB

income: 2.500 EUR

etc. etc.

Scenarios Little stories about the personas (no use cases), How and with what goals, in which perticular situation they use our system. Important: Something might go wrong Other people might join/get involved Typically 3 - 4 Scenarios per Persona.

Little stories about the personas (no use cases),

How and with what goals,

in which perticular situation

they use our system.

Important:

Something might go wrong

Other people might join/get involved

Typically 3 - 4 Scenarios per Persona.

Testing with paper models VERY useful for web design ... not really relevant for virtual worlds today

VERY useful for web design

... not really relevant for virtual worlds today

User tests All tests have to be run in a controlled environment - but not necessarily in a lab. Stay pragmatic. More important: Test often Document tests properly Analyze tests immediately

All tests have to be run in a controlled environment - but not necessarily in a lab. Stay pragmatic.

More important:

Test often

Document tests properly

Analyze tests immediately

Testing setup Raum 1 - Testdurchführung Raum 2 - Beobachtung Der „Rechner“ Moderator Proband Video Beobachter 1 Beobachter 2

Tight iteration cycles Test early Test often (weekly) Many tests (small groups) instead of few big ones Short cycles guarantee, that the project can’t run into the wrong direction for too long.

Test early

Test often (weekly)

Many tests (small groups) instead of few big ones

Short cycles guarantee, that the project can’t run into the wrong direction for too long.

Mental models, personas, scenarios. They are - besides the iterative approach - central for the growing success of UCD. The goal is a deep understanding for the real user . What do they want? What do they need? In what terms/concepts do they think about “the system”? What knowledge and abilities do they have? What knowledge and abilities are missing? In which situation/context are they using “the system”? etc. ...

They are - besides the iterative approach - central for the growing success of UCD. The goal is a deep understanding for the real user .

What do they want?

What do they need?

In what terms/concepts do they think about “the system”?

What knowledge and abilities do they have?

What knowledge and abilities are missing?

In which situation/context are they using “the system”?

etc. ...

That is the state of the art ... for achieving better usability

Yes, you can do all of this in virtual worlds! It doesn’t hurt It doesn’t cost you and arm and a leg It is actually helpful

It doesn’t hurt

It doesn’t cost you and arm and a leg

It is actually helpful

Principles You are Not the Audience! Test Test often Use real users for your tests Recruit them from your target audience Believe your test results

You are Not the Audience!

Test

Test often

Use real users for your tests

Recruit them from your target audience

Believe your test results

Testing is not “prohibitively expensive“ Small tests are helpful 8 - 12 user tests usually find all the usability issues in a small system, usually “ No testing” is expensive! Unusable projects waste your money Fixing issues gets more and more expensive in later project stages

Small tests are helpful

8 - 12 user tests usually find all the usability issues in a small system, usually

“ No testing” is expensive!

Unusable projects waste your money

Fixing issues gets more and more expensive in later project stages

Rules of Thumb Design for the Avatar, not for a human! Do walk-throughs often! Do fly-throughs, too! Always make clear: Where am I? What can I do here? Where can I go from here? Where have I been? Billboards are not necessarily evil

Design for the Avatar, not for a human!

Do walk-throughs often!

Do fly-throughs, too!

Always make clear:

Where am I?

What can I do here?

Where can I go from here?

Where have I been?

Billboards are not necessarily evil

Will this still lead to cool projects? You bet!

You bet!

Discuss ...

The Fine Print The ideas and concepts presented herein have been created by and are the property of The Otherland Group GmbH. They are protected by Copyright laws in Europe, the USA and other countries. The reproduction of this document and/or distribution to third parties - as a whole or in part - is strictly prohibited. Kontakt: Markus Breuer markus.breuer@otherland-group.com +49 [ 170] 807 23 56 http://www.otherland-group.com http://otherland.blogs.com The Otherland Group Köpenicker Str. 48/49 (DAZ) 10179 Berlin-Mitte, Germany

The ideas and concepts presented herein have been created by and are the property of The Otherland Group GmbH. They are protected by Copyright laws in Europe, the USA and other countries. The reproduction of this document and/or distribution to third parties - as a whole or in part - is strictly prohibited.

Kontakt: Markus Breuer

markus.breuer@otherland-group.com +49 [ 170] 807 23 56 http://www.otherland-group.com http://otherland.blogs.com

The Otherland Group Köpenicker Str. 48/49 (DAZ) 10179 Berlin-Mitte, Germany