Design 2 Carla B. Zoltowski June 10, 2009

User-centered Design: Basic Principles Early focus on users Designing for and with users Empirical measurement and evaluation Iteration

User knowledge in design Needs vs. wants Intended use vs. actual use o“Slanty” design Activity-centered Information needs to be usable by designer: oConcise oVisual oTangible oExperiential

What is already out there? Literature Review Benchmarks oWhat is available oWhy did they use their approach oPatent searches avoid infringement Protect IP Reverse engineering or dissection

Gathering information from users User surveys and questionnaires Interviews (formal and informal) Focus groups– interviews with multiple people Semantic differentials SimpleComplicated

Gathering information about users Observation: Observe the users, preferable engaging in the target activity of the design Ethnography: Deeper immersion; understanding the culture in which the product exists Role-playing: put yourself in the user’s shoes, chair, and/or space oEmpathic modeling: Simulating the sensory/motor/cognitive constraints

Gathering information about users, cont. Brainstorming: brainstorms potential features, constraints Synectic activities to develop analogies: what similar activities can be used to understand the context of the current design oWhat is wrong with it? What is similar? oWhy is it necessary? What can be eliminated? oAre there any other applications? What is it not? Can it be misused?

Creating tools to understand Persona oPrototypical user, described in detail (age, gender, background, family association, hobbies, professional life; may include picture) Scenarios o“before and after” stories of your persona using your product Focus on the user’s need and how their life might be improved oVideos?

Activity Get into groups of 2 oOne person is “designer” and the other is the “customer” oActivity: Designer will interview customer to get specifications for ATM

Activity Now, develop a scenario of a person withdrawing money from the ATM Share

Example scenario using ATM (Nielson 1993) 1.“The user approaches the machine and inserts a bank card. No matter what side is up, the machine reads the card correctly.” 2.“The machine asks the user to input a four- digit personal identification number, and the user does so using the numeric keypad.” 3.“The machine presents the user with a menu of four options, “withdraw $100,” “withdraw other amounts,” “make a deposit,” and “other transactions.” There is a button next to each of the menu options.”

Example scenario, cont. 4.“The user presses the button for “withdraw $100,” and the machine pays out that amount, deducting it from the user’s account. If the user had more than one account tied to the back card, the amount is deducted from the account with the largest balance.” 5.“The machine returns the bank card to the user.”

Discussion: What types of information did each of the activities elicit?

UCD: Process and Products 1. Plan UCD: Decisions about which methods to use 2. Specify context of use: Description of users, tasks, context, problems 3. Specify user/org rqmts: Statements about what the design should fulfill 4. Produce Design Solutions: System specifications 5. Evaluate against rqmts: Data on how well system meets expectations Slide by Dennis Wixon; adapted from Maguire 2001, p. 589 & ISO 13407

Methods for user-centered design 1. Planning2. Context of Use3. Requirements4. Design5. Evaluation Usability planning and scoping Usability cost- benefit analysis Identify stakeholders Context of use analysis Survey of existing users Field study / user observation Diary keeping Task analysis Stakeholder analysis User cost-benefit analysis User requirements interview Focus groups Scenarios of use Personas Existing system / competitor analysis Task/function mapping Allocation of function User, usability and organizational requirements Brainstorming Parallel design Design guidelines and standards Storyboarding Affinity diagrams Card sorting Paper prototyping Software prototyping Wizard-of-Oz prototyping Organizational prototyping Participatory evaluation Assisted evaluation Heuristic or expert evaluation Controlled user testing Satisfaction questionnaires Assessing cognitive workload Critical incidents Post-experience interviews Maguire 2001, p. 590

Inclusive Design Motivated by many factors, including business reasons Design should not be more exclusive than basic task requires Moving beyond accessibility for people with disabilities to designing products that are usable by people of all ages and abilities Source: Keates and Clarkson, 2003

Inclusive Design: Scales Motion Dexterity Reach and stretch Vision Hearing Communication Intellectual functioning Source: Keates and Clarkson, 2003

Locomotion capability scale Source: Keates and Clarkson, 2003 Consists of walking, stair climbing, bending and balance capabilities.

Dexterity capability scale Source: Keates and Clarkson, 2003 Considers picking up, carrying, holding and twisting capabilities.

ADA Accessibility Guidelines

Anthropometric Data: Variations in Size and Proportion (Voland 2004)

Universal Design: 7 Principles (Mace, in Inclusive Design) 1.Equitable use – the design is useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities. 2.Flexibility in use – the design accommodates a wide range of individual preferences and abilities 3.Simple and intuitive to use – use of the design is easy to understand, regardless of user’s experience, knowledge, language, skill or current concentration level.

Universal Design: 7 Principles, cont. 4.Perceptible information – the design communicates necessary information effectively to the user, regardless of ambient conditions or the user’s sensory abilities. 5.Tolerance for error – the design minimizes hazards and the adverse consequences of accidental or unintended actions.

Universal Design: 7 Principles, cont. 6.Low physical effort – the design can be used efficiently and effectively with a minimum of fatigue. 7.Size and space for approach and use – appropriate size and space is provided for approach, reach, manipulation, and use regardless of user’s body size, posture or mobility.

What is your definition of sustainability? “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Prof. Larry Nies oResources, energy, money oSocial

Strategies Eliminate or replace product Eliminate or minimize hazardous substance use Minimize energy and water use Dematerialization oMinimize weight and/or volume oCombine various functions into one product oMake few different styles oMinimize/take back packaging

Strategies Increase efficiency and economic life Do not exploit renewable resources faster than they can be regenerated Do not use non-renewables Do not discard wastes faster than they can be assimilated into the environment

What are ways in which sustainable design principles can be applied to your projects/potential projects? (If you don’t have a project in mind, consider an communication device.)