This document discusses the importance and benefits of user-centered design (UCD) when developing websites and digital products. It outlines some of the key challenges of implementing UCD, such as clients not prioritizing user research and additional iterations being seen as extra costs. The author advocates starting UCD early in the design process through workshops to define user personas, journeys, and goals. Some tips provided include conducting remote usability testing with prototypes, analyzing results objectively, and improving iteratively based on findings. Overall, the document promotes adopting a UCD approach to create more usable and successful products that satisfy real user needs.

1. User Centered Design
approach in a Drupal
agency: keep calm and
carry on
Anna Hanchar
@anna.hanchar

2. Agenda 1 What is UCD
2
3
4
What is the challenge
Why UCD
What is our approach
5 Our steps to follow
6 How we test
7 Tips and tricks

3. 1
2
3
4
Why UCD
What is UCD
What is the challenge
What is our approach
Agenda
5 Our steps to follow
6 How we test
7 Tips and tricks

4. User Centered Design
Early focus on users and tasks
Launch and Maintenance
Design and implementation
Conceptual design
Usability evaluation

5. 1 What is UCD
2
3
4
Why UCD
What is the challenge
What is our approach
Agenda
5 Our steps to follow
6 How we test
7 Tips and tricks

6. Client is NOT the user
Client defines how a website should look like

7. UCD is the link
Connects end-user and client
Usable products that end-users love
Happy customers and
saved/earned money

8. 1 What is UCD
2
3
4
What is the challenge
Why UCD
What is our approach
Agenda
5 Our steps to follow
6 How we test
7 Tips and tricks

9. The challenge is
How to sell it?!
• “Awesome UX comes naturally”
misconception
• Additional research/iterations/changes =
additional budget
• Client knows the best

10. 1 What is UCD
2
3
4
What is the challenge
Why UCD
What is our approach
Agenda
5 Our steps to follow
6 How we test
7 Tips and tricks

11. Start early, walk together
• Sell the client a product design process as a
whole
• Include specification workshops in the project
scope
• Personas
• Customer journey
• Conversion goals

12. 1 What is UCD
2
3
5
What is the challenge
Why UCD
Our steps to follow
Agenda
4 What is our approach
6 How we test
7 Tips and tricks

13. 1. IA is essential
• Milestones (Header, Footer)
• Clear structure and visual feedback

14. 2. Important parts of UX
• What are the most essential workflows?
• Notifications?
• Emails created and translated?
Image source: http://speckyboy.com/2011/03/31/10-essential-web-application-usability-guidelines/

15. 3. Wireframes and prototype are
part of specification

16. 4. Reduce to the max

17. 4. Reduce to the max

18. Agenda 1 What is UCD
2
3
4
What is the challenge
Why UCD
What is our approach
5 Our steps to follow
6 How we test
7 Tips and tricks

19. We conduct UX tests
Remote moderated usability test
• Participants are at home or what suits them best
• Script via Google Forms
• VC Software
• Video and audio recording

20. We test
• Clickable prototype with the homepage designed
• Target users
• Go through tasks and think aloud
• Rate the experience before and after interaction
• Complete System Usability Scale

21. We do the homework
• Analysis of videos
• SUS and questionary results

22. Present results wisely
• Always propose a way how to solve a problem
• Wrap as nicely as possible and add some sugar
• Visualise

23. Results side effects
“Thank God you get this feedback, you made
me very happy just now!”

24. Agenda 1 What is UCD
2
3
4
What is the challenge
Why UCD
What is our approach
5 Our steps to follow
7 Tips and tricks
6 How we test

25. Test and research
• As early as possible
• The most important interactions
• Embrace as much as possible of user experience

26. Rules to follow
• Never conduct usability tests shortly before
launch
• UX researcher is not interaction designer
discuss the results together
• Improvements can be implemented in different
phases

27. Always improve
Have a hypothesis that a feature is not user friendly?
• Guerilla tests with a couple of people
• Elaborate a better solution

28. Login redesign

29. Work as a team
• Slack UX-channel
• Feedbacks of the team on (clickable) prototypes and designs
• Design critique is an input and not critique
• Share best practises and findings on Demofriday

30. It’s worth it!
• Save costs in the long run -> fewer change
requests
• User friendly solutions and high quality
• Happy customers

31. Contribute
Drupal features can be improved
Create a solution (for your client)
Contribute this to drupal.org

32. Error messages
https://github.com/AmazeeLabs/ife

33. Questions?