The ultimate goal of innovation is user adoption: we want people to actually use the things we create in a way that impacts their lives. But building the better mouse trap guarantees nothing. In fact, history shows it's not the whiz-bang of technology but rather human factors that matter in the end. This is where UX designers come in. Through empathy and understanding of people's needs and perceptions, we can increase the rate of adoption and reduce the risk of non-adoption. This is good for business.

1. Human Factors in Innovation:
Designing for Adoption
UX Brighton 2012
Jim Kalbach

2. Jim Kalbach
@jameskalbach
Principal UX Designer Citrix
LIS Degree Rutgers University

3. “I've come to a disconcerting conclusion:
design research is …essentially useless
when it comes to new, innovative
breakthroughs…[which] are
invariably driven by the
development of new
technologies.”
DON NORMAN (2009) “Technology First, Needs Last”
http://jnd.org/dn.mss/technology_first_needs_last.html

4. “Edison realized that by understanding customer
needs first, he could invent useful products
more efficiently than he could otherwise.
….Edison’s trained teams visited
people in their homes and watched
how they used their
current lighting products.”
SARAH MILLER CALDICOTT, (2009)
“Ideas first or needs-first: What would Edison THOMAS EDISON

5. Where does innovation start?

6. #1
The impetus for innovation
has no start point: it’s an
iteration between technology
and needs.

7. Better mouse trap

8. Idea Invention Innovation

9. #2
The end point of innovation
always lies with users: the
ultimate goal is adoption.

10. Communication Channels
COST User
Attitudes
Adoption of
Innovation
Technology
PR
Perceived Attributes
Attributes

11. 1. Perceived
Attributes

12. Perceived Attributes
1. Relative Advantage
Is it better?
2. Compatibility
Does it fit in?
3. Complexity
Is it understandable?
4. Trialability
Can it be tested?
5. Observability
What does it look like?

14. Perceived Attributes Segway
1. Relative Advantage
Is it better?
2. Compatibility
Does it fit in?
3. Complexity
Is it understandable?
4. Trialability
Can it be tested?
5. Observability
What does it look like?

16. Perceived Attributes Twine
1. Relative Advantage
Not clear that it’s better than
Is it better?
Google.
2. Compatibility
Maybe some privacy issues but
Does it fit in?
otherwise compatible.
3. Complexity
Is it understandable? What the heck is a “Twine“?
4. Trialability
Can it be tested? No problem here
5. Observability
What’s going on? What just
What does it look like?
happened?

17. Perceived Attributes UX Techniques
1. Relative Advantage UX Strategy, Concept Maps
2. Compatibility Ethnography, Mental Models, Scenarios
3. Complexity Usability, Interaction Design
4. Trialability Affordances, Persuasive Design
5. Observability Visual Design, Information Scent

18. 2. User Attitudes

19. Pragmatists
‘Stick with
Conservatives
the crowd‘
‘Prove it‘
Visionaries
‘Be first‘
Sceptics
Techies ‘I doubt it‘
‘Let‘s
try it out‘
Uncertainty drives attitude toward adoption

20. It turns out our attitude toward
technology adoption becomes
significant…any time we are
introduced to products that
require us to change our
current mode of behaviour.

21. #3
UX reduces the risk of non-
adoption and accelerates the
rate of adoption.

22. “Innovations failing to provide good user
experiences find difficulty succeeding,
no matter what their price…
The better the customer
experience, the better the
odds for innovation success.”
MICHAEL SCHRAGE (2012)
Who Do You Want Your Customers To Become?

23. “Reducing your adoption risk,
it turns out, comes back to
understanding the underlying
motivations of the people you serve.”

24. #4
Good UX is good business:
it is essential for innovation
and for growth.

26. #1 The impetus for innovation has no start point:
it’s an iteration between technology and needs.
#2 The end point of innovation always lies with
users: the ultimate goal is adoption.
#3 UX reduces the risk of non-adoption and
accelerates the rate of adoption.
#4 Good UX is good business: it is essential for
innovation and for growth.

27. Thank You
Jim.Kalbach@gmail.com
@jameskalbach
www.experiencinginformation.com
Visit my workshop at UX London, 10-12 April 2013
http://www.uxlondon.com/