The document discusses user experience strategy and design, outlining a 5-step process for conducting user research and usability evaluations. The steps include: 1) defining objectives and metrics, 2) conducting user research to understand user roles and knowledge, 3) performing task analysis and optimization, 4) designing the UX/UI to meet tasks and users, and 5) evaluating the design against objectives. Key aspects covered include identifying representative users, analyzing tasks through triggers, artifacts, and outcomes, and classifying different types of errors during evaluation.

1. Click to edit Master title style
Click to edit Master text styles
Second level
Third level
Fourth level
Fifth level
1/29/2015 1

2. User Experience
Strategy & Design
How to conduct user research and
usability evaluations
by Larry Marine

3. The BIG Picture
• 4 levels of design
– 1. Objectives – goals and metrics
– 2. Strategic – process flows (best practices)
– 3. Tactical – task flows
– 4. Implementation – UX/UI design

4. 5 Steps of Design
• 1. Objectives – goals and metrics
• 2. User Research – roles, knowledge
• 3. Task Analysis – task flow optimization
• 4. UX/UI Design – design to the tasks &users
• 5. Evaluation – does it serve the objectives

5. Objectives
• What will a successful product achieve
• Goal – brief, not a mission statement
• Get clarity and consensus
• Identify observable metrics
– How much by when

6. User Research
• Half dozen representative users are enough
• Subjective
– Surveys
– Interviews
– Focus groups
– Journals
• Objective
– Ethnographic observations

7. User Roles
• Not of a person, but the hats they wear
• Habits, metaphors, lingo, knowledge
• Create user caricatures
• Browsing Betty
• Surgical Sam
• Birthday Bob

8. Task Analysis
• Best practices and task optimization
• Triggers
• Artifacts
• Outcomes
• Start backwards
– End result, then tasks that achieve it

9. Task Flows

10. UX/UI Design
• User interaction paradigms/models
• Keep it simple
– One task per screen
• Stick to the playbook
– No extra “cool” stuff
• Utilize common tools or patterns
– Avoid custom controls
• Make the design transparent to the task

11. Design Evaluation
• Expert review
• Usability Testing
• What gets in the way of success?
– Severity of the errors

12. Severity of Errors
• User Reality Result
• Right Right Good
• Wrong Wrong Minor, adds time
• Wrong Right Major, “fix” a good result
• Right Wrong Critical, data integrity

13. Yellow Pages
• Objectives: Sustainable large ad customers
• Users: Typical homeowner
• Tasks: Find a plumber
– Fix leaky basement

14. Free Evaluation
• 1 ½ hour free evaluation
• Try it yourself, first
• Then, compare your notes to mine