Free talk video (you just need to get the access code by email) is here: https://www.iscb.org/cms_addon/multimedia/flvmedia.php?i=1377 Presented at ISMB ECCB 2013 conference: http://www.iscb.org/ismbeccb2013 It is recognised that bioinformatics resources often suffer from usability problems: for example, they can be too complex for the infrequent user to navigate, and they can “lack sophistication” compared to other websites that people use in their daily lives. In this presentation, Dr. Jenny Cham, User-Experience Analyst at the European Bioinformatics Institute, UK, will describe specific case studies to show how user-centred design (UCD) principles can be applied to bioinformatics services. As well as improved usability, the benefits of UCD can include more effective decision-making for design ideas and technologies during development; enhanced team-working and communication; cost effectiveness; and ultimately a bioinformatics service that more closely meets the needs of its target research community.

1. Designing with the user in mind:
how UCD can work for bioinformatics
Jennifer A. Cham
User Experience Analyst
European Bioinformatics Institute, Cambridge
User-Centred Design
= an approach that grounds the
design process in information
about the people who will use
the product/service/tool

5. We need to !
publish more! !

6. So we did…
201
3
201
2

7. My mission today…

8. Is it worth thinking about
who you are designing for?

9. Fact: bioinformatics resources suffer from usability problems
Javahery et al. (2004) Beyond Power: making bioinformatics
tools user-centered. Commun ACM 47:59-62
Bolchini et al. (2009) Better bioinformatics through usability
analysis. Bioinformatics 25:406-412

10. Challenges: Constraints vs. pleasing the user

11. ‘Dry’ and ‘wet’ scientists use the same software
Jakob Nielsen, Usability Engineering 1993

12. We don’t sell stuff…

13. Finding the people

14. Let’s have a go…

15. 1.
Characterise users & their requirements
2.
Design suitable interactions
3.
Test using prototypes using real life scenarios

16. Example: Enzyme Portal

17. Our UCD lifecycle – to design a ‘user-friendly’ portal

18. User profiles/ personae for empathy

19. Fact: you are not the user
≠

20. A persona can mitigate ‘self-as-user’ outlook
Empathising-Systemising Theory
Baron-Cohen, S. et al (2003) The systemizing quotient: an investigation of adults with Asperger syndrome or high-functioning
autism, and normal sex differences. Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London 358: 361-74

22. Designed by Francis Rowland

23. User stories mapped / modelled
Created using yWorks yEd Graph Editor

24. Workshops to explore users’ needs & priorities

25. Where shall
we go on
holiday this
year…?
I wonder what I
could make for
dinner
tonight…

26. ‘Gamestorming’ activities to capture ideas
Gray et al. (2010) Gamestorming: A Playbook for Innovators, Rulebreakers, and Changemakers

27. ‘Canvas sort’
activity

28. Output goes into the interface designs

29. Evaluating prototypes: see them in action

30. Usability testing
on paper
(‘Paper
prototyping’)

31. Result: Visual Specifications
Created using Balsamiq Mockups (http://www.balsamiq.com/products/mockups)

32. So what did we learn?
• Specific things about representing enzyme data
e.g.
• Species-specific 3D model
• General things
e.g.
• Embedded not hyperlinked

33. ! Usability determines how bioinformatics is perceived
!
“there are scientists … who publish work but do not want to
go to the trouble of making the resources easy to use.
Wouldn’t it seem that evidence of usability…should be
prerequisite to publishing a paper about such a resource?”
Our duty à return on public investment in research
Veretnik et al. (2008) Computational biology resources lack persistence and usability. PLoS CB 4:2-4

34. UCD wins…
Evidence from users
Communicate what users want
Decision-making easier
Developers get feedback
Team-work ethos

35. Culture Change:
UX interest group – EBI interfaces community
http://ebiinterfaces.wordpress.com/

37. Acknowledgements

38. www.ebi.ac.uk/enzymeportal

39. Sketchnote of this talk
www.jennycham.co.uk
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97823772@N02/9367537145/
Sketched by Francis Rowland

40. Questions?