User-Centered Design at a Distance

User-Centered Design at a Distance : Presented to the Vancouver User Experience Group (VanUE) October 25, 2006 Paul D. Hibbitts www.paulhibbitts.com User-Centered Design at a Distance Presented to VanUE

About Me

Usability & interface design specialist for over 12 years

Platforms include Windows, Web, Mac, Pocket PC, SmartPhone, Palm OS, Blackberry, and WAP

Led user experience design of small screen interfaces at Infowave Software (2000-02)

Instructor at Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia since 1997

Career origins in Mac multimedia (HyperCard)

Areas of Recent Interest

How to effectively conduct user studies of a software product when its users are in a different city or country?

How to constructively evaluate low-fidelity prototypes with remote users?

How to better communicate and collaborate with out of town clients?

Typical User-Centered Design (UCD) Activities Focus Groups Contextual Inquiries Interviews/Surveys Card Sorts Participatory Design Studies Paper Prototyping Design Reviews Usability Tests Illustrations: Indiana University User Experience Group Meetings Data Analysis

Core UCD at a Distance Activities

Remote contextual inquiries

Remote usability testing

Remote Contextual Inquiries

Benefits and challenges

Choosing screen sharing software

Session preparations

Conducting the session

Post-session activities

Benefits

Larger participant population available

More flexibility in scheduling participants

Reduced travel time and associated costs

Provides a more natural environment for participants

Visibility of any end-user customizations

Additional observers can be easily accommodated

Some Challenges

Company culture and work environment

Participant workplace interruptions

Rapport with participants

Time zone differences

Technical issues, including bandwidth

Choosing Screen Sharing Software

Ease of installation for participants

End-user brand familiarity (e.g. trust)

Screen fidelity and response

Two-way control

Recording support

Cost

Example Screen Sharing Tools

AIM Pro (AOL and WebEx)

Ethnio (Bolt|Peters)

Glance (Glance Networks)

GoToMeeting (Citrix)

MeetMeNow & Meeting Center (WebEx)

Uservue (Techsmith)

Session Preparations

Budget adequate time for scheduling participants

Create an on-line survey which combines an application for participants + user profile

Decide on session format (ideally participants would use their own system, or if necessary a provided “demo” system)

Key Lessons Learned

More detailed preparation required, not less

Conduct one or more subject matter expert interviews (i.e. highly insightful users) before typical end-user sessions

Keep sessions short, ideally 30-45 minutes

Budget time for setup and session overruns

Conducting the Session

Ask users to demonstrate, with real data if possible, their typical work tasks with the system

Record (with permission) audio, and possibly video, of the session – this better supports individually conducting contextual inquiries

Use a telephone headset if at all possible

Key Lessons Learned

Screen resolution can impact performance

Let participants know that you can see their mouse pointer when they are sharing their screen

Don’t be surprised if users have a lot to say!

Screen captures of key screens are an effective alternative to video recording

Post-session Activities

Confirm with participants that they have demonstrated their most important tasks to you

Briefly review the key issues that you’ve learnt during the session

Thank participants, and as appropriate, ask participants if follow-up contact is ok

Key Lessons Learned

Review and transcribe interview sessions as soon as possible (ideally the same day!)

Take advantage of playback speed controls when reviewing audio recording of sessions

Pictured: Sony Digital Voice 2

Remote Usability Tests

Create an introductory slide show for session

Consider test format (e.g. participants verbally or physically interacting with mockups)

When participants are verbally interacting with the mockups, be extra careful about providing unintentional hints (e.g. mouse pointer position)

If the participants are verbally interacting with the mockups consider only recording session audio

Case Study

Canadian Real Estate Association, who kindly granted permission to showcase their project

National REALTOR ® Web-based application

Over 25,000 users spread across the country

Client + (most) end users at a distance

Software Tools Used

Basecamp

GoToMeeting 2.0

Office 2003

SnagIt 7.0

Sony Digital Voice 2.0

SurveyMonkey.com

Pictured: Basecamp by 37signals

Project Outline

Initial background/domain research

Stakeholder interviews

Subject matter expert interviews (screen sharing)

Remote contextual inquiries

Expert usability review of current application

Application redesign (b&w mockups)

Subject matter expert walkthroughs of mockups

Usability testing of mockups

Example Remote Contextual Inquiry Findings

While most REALTORS ® expressed overall satisfaction with WEB Forms , learnability and efficiency could still be dramatically improved

Some highly beneficial features were underutilized due to low visibility

Feature usage was often impeded by an unnecessarily high level of user interface complexity

Some terminology used within WEB Forms was not understandable or not sufficiently descriptive for REALTORS ®

Valuable design input and feedback from WEB Forms trainers and help desk personnel was underutilized

Printable Single Forms Transaction Kits Transaction Templates Custom Clauses Transaction Kit Name Address Type MLS® # Created Modified  ( )  Rogers 456 Any Street Sale 384564 31-May-06 09-Jun-06 Manage Kit ( )  Lee 789 Any Street Sale 384657 20-May-06 30-May-06 Manage Kit ( )  Miller 123 Any Street Listing 284656 01-Jan-06 12-May-06 Manage Kit ( )  Watkins 456 Any Street Sale 678365 17-Feb-06 21-Apr-06 Manage Kit ( )  McNeil 789 Any Street Sale 198463 25-Apr-06 14-Apr-06 Manage Kit Show: 1-10 of 30 | First | Prev | Next | Last 10 per page ( )  Davis 123 Any Street Listing 783753 18-May-06 02-Apr-06 Manage Kit ( )  Lang 456 Any Street Listing 284675 29-Feb-06 27-Mar-06 Manage Kit ( )  Peters 789 Any Street Sale 864343 12-Jan-06 11-Mar-06 Manage Kit ( )  Lau 123 Any Street Sale 294654 15-Dec-06 30-Feb-06 Manage Kit ( )  Munro 456 Any Street Sale 396754 07-Jan-06 11-Feb-06 Manage Kit Search: for: Search Clear Search Transaction Kit Name Help | Sign Out WEB Forms Your Name, Ottawa Real Estate Board ( Change Board ) Announcements: OREB Standard Form Updates View all announcements… Create New Transaction Kit Email Duplicate Delete Change MLS® # Print ©2006 The Canadian Real Estate Association. All Rights Reserved.

All Forms Recently Used Forms Show: My transaction forms: Change Order Sales  Add » Add » Add »  Add » Add » Add »  Add » Add/Remove Forms for the Transaction “Jones” Help | Sign Out WEB Forms Your Name, Ottawa Real Estate Board Agreement of Purchase and Sale - 100 ( Preview ) Agreement of Purchase and Sale - Condominium Resale ( Preview ) Agreement of Purchase and Sale - Cooperative Building Resale - 102 ( Preview ) Amendment to Agreement of Purchase and Sale ( Preview ) Commission Slip - 1 ( Preview ) Commission Slip - Agreement to Lease - 1A ( Preview ) Confirmation of Co-operation and Representation ( Preview ) Remove « Agreement of Purchase and Sale ( Preview ) Remove « Amendment to Agreement of Purchase and Sale ( Preview ) Remove « Confirmation of Co-operation and Representation ( Preview ) Remove « Notice of Fulfillment of Condition ( Preview ) Cancel < Back Add/Remove Forms Done ©2006 The Canadian Real Estate Association. All Rights Reserved.

Remote Usability Test Results  =Success, ½ =Partial Success    ½  REALTOR ® #6     ½ REALTOR ® #5      REALTOR ® #4  ½    REALTOR ® #3      REALTOR ® #2     ½ REALTOR ® #1 Task 5 Task 4 Task 3 Task 2 Task 1

Where To Go From Here?