This document discusses customer-centered design practices at HP. It provides an overview of HP's Customer-Centered Design Services group, which conducts user research and designs user interfaces. The document includes two case studies, one on designing a complex application suite which involved iterative prototyping and testing. The other case study discusses merging the HP and Compaq support websites to provide a unified customer experience. Both cases highlight the value of customer-focused research and design.

1. Customer-Centered
Design at HP
Nancy L. Clark & Craig B. Neely
© 2 0 0 3 H e w le tt -P a c k a r d D e v e lo p m e n t C o m p a n y , L .P .
T h e in f o r m a tio n c o n t a in e d h e r e in is s u b je c t to c h a n g e w it h o u t

2. O v e r v ie w
• W h y is C u s to m e r -C e n te r e d D e s ig n im p o r ta n t?
• H P C u s to m e r -C e n te r e d D e s ig n S e r v ic e s (C C D S ): W h o
a re w e ?
• O v e r v ie w : W h e r e w e fit in th e P r o d u c t D e v e lo p m e n t
P ro c e s s
• C a s e S tu d y : D e s ig n in g a c o m p le x a p p lic a tio n s u ite
• C a s e S tu d y : M e r g e r o f C o m p a q a n d H P s u p p o r t w e b
s ite s
F e b ru a ry 2 6 , 2 00 9 page 2

3. W h y is C u s to m e r -C e n te r e d D e s ig n
Im p o r ta n t?
F e b ru a ry 2 6 , 2 00 9 page 3

4. H P C u s to m e r -C e n te r e d D e s ig n S e r v ic e s (C C D S ):
W h o w e a re
• C e n t e r o f c o m p e te n c y in c u s to m e r r e s e a r c h a n d d e s ig n in g
u s e r in t e r fa c e s , w ith fa c ilitie s a r o u n d th e c o u n tr y
– S ta ff e d u c a te d a n d e x p e r ie n c e d in c o g n itiv e &
p h y s io lo g ic a l d is c ip lin e s
– C e n tr a liz e d r e s o u r c e fo r H P d e s ig n te a m s w h o d o n o t
h a v e r e s e a r c h , d e s ig n , & te s tin g s k ills
• P r im a r y v a lu e a d d to H P d e s ig n te a m s :
– Im p r o v e d e v e lo p m e n t p r o c e s s b y b r in g in g H P d e s ig n
te a m s to g e th e r , c r e a tin g a c o m m o n p r o d u c t v is io n
– B r in g t a r g e t u s e r s o f p r o d u c ts to g e th e r w ith d e s ig n te a m s
to d e fin e , d e s ig n , d e v e lo p c u s to m e r -c e n te r e d p r o d u c ts
F e b ru a ry 2 6 , 2 00 9 page 4

5. P r o d u c t D e v e lo p m e n t P r o c e s s : O v e r v ie w
O ur Focus:
• U s e r a n a ly s is , r e q u ir e m e n ts
• P r o d u c t d e fin itio n , d e s ig n , &
d e v e lo p m e n t fo r e a s e o f u s e
a n d u s e fu ln e s s
O th e r E le m e n ts o f th e
C u s to m e r E x p e r ie n c e :
• O r d e r in g , d e liv e r y
• D o c u m e n ta tio n
• In s ta lla tio n
• In te g r a tio n w ith 3 r d p a r ty
p r o d u c ts
• C u s to m e r S u p p o r t
F e b ru a ry 2 6 , 2 00 9 page 5

6. C a s e S tu d y : D e s ig n in g a C o m p le x A p p lic a tio n S u ite
S to r a g e N e tw o r k
M a n a g e m e n t C h a lle n g e s
• V e r y la r g e s c a le , d is tr ib u te d
n e tw o r k s – th o u s a n d s o f
d e v ic e s , h u g e a m o u n ts o f
d a ta
• V e r y c o m p le x to m a n a g e
• N e e d c o n tin u o u s , r e lia b le
a c c e s s to c r itic a l b u s in e s s
d a ta
• Im a g in e a h a r d d r iv e c r a s h !
• R e a l-tim e m o n ito r in g
F e b ru a ry 2 6 , 2 00 9
• F a s t tr o u b le s h o o tin g page 6

7. C a s e S tu d y : D e s ig n in g a C o m p le x A p p lic a tio n S u ite
Planning
Challenges:
• Vague product concept
• Customers’ priorities?
• Developing a shared vision
Solutions:
• Customer focus groups
• Designed sketchy prototypes,
customers filled in blanks
Value:
• Requirements, shared vision
• Not just a launch point for
management applications!
• Network representation
• View of business apps, data
F e b ru a ry 2 6 , 2 00 9 page 7

8. C a s e S tu d y : D e s ig n in g a C o m p le x A p p lic a tio n S u ite
Requirements
Challenges
• What details do users need and
expect?
• Requirements risks: incomplete,
failure to confirm
Solutions:
• Refined prototypes with more
details
• I terative research to define next
level of detail
Value:
• Details for info & task flow (e.g.
status, clicking behavior)
• Avoided costly re-design
F e b ru a ry 2 6 , 2 00 9 page 8

9. C a s e S tu d y : D e s ig n in g a C o m p le x A p p lic a tio n S u ite
Design
Challenges:
• Complex: hundreds of details
• Tradeoffs: ease of use versus
development cost
Solutions:
• I terative user interface design,
prototyping, testing
• UI specification, evaluation
• Cross-suite style guide
Value:
• Continuous user focus keeps
design usable and aligned with
requirements
• Cross-team coordination to ensure
unified design
F e b ru a ry 2 6 , 2 00 9 page 9

10. C a s e S tu d y : D e s ig n in g a C o m p le x A p p lic a tio n S u ite
I terative Development
Challenges:
• M eeting users’ requirements?
• Unanticipated design issues
Solutions:
• User interviews: key features
• Numerous usability tests
• Structured expert review
• Ongoing design consulting
Value:
• Customer-centered answers to
design questions
• Usability evaluation of actual
product
F e b ru a ry 2 6 , 2 00 9 page 1 0

11. C a s e S tu d y : D e s ig n in g a C o m p le x A p p lic a tio n S u ite
Post-Release
Challenges:
• I s the product easy to install and
use?
• Does it meet customers’ real world
needs?
Solutions:
• I nterviews with HP specialists in
the field
• Customer visits, interviews
Value of Usability Data:
• I dentify gaps between user needs
and actual product
• Focuses next version require-
ments on customer needs
F e b ru a ry 2 6 , 2 00 9 page 1 1

12. C a s e S tu d y : H P .c o m S u p p o r t
The Challenges:
• Provide continuous, reliable, unified web access to
tech support from HP and Compaq
• Combine two approaches to online support delivery
via the web while meeting expectations of both
groups of customers
• Combine independent HP and Compaq
Usability Groups as part of overall
merger of eS upport program
• Focus on customer needs, not political
and technical challenges
F e b ru a ry 2 6 , 2 00 9 page 1 2

13. C a s e S tu d y : H P .c o m S u p p o r t
Design
Challenges:
• Requirements handed down by
merger planners
• 2 distinct interaction models
Solutions:
• Validate requirements via fast
prototyping, early testing
• I terative design & testing
• Combined team, web repository for
shared work
Value:
• Retain customer loyalty by working
toward a single, unified support site
as an indication of HP’s focus on
the customer
F e b ru a ry 2 6 , 2 00 9 page 1 3

14. C a s e S tu d y : H P .c o m S u p p o r t
Development
Challenges:
• M eeting requirements?
• I ntegration of new design with
other sites on HP.com
• Will new design support the
functionality?
Solutions:
• Relationships across HP.com
• Ongoing design updates based on
customer feedback
• I terative development, test
Value:
• K ept design aligned with both sets
of customer needs and expectations
• I ntegration with HP.com
F e b ru a ry 2 6 , 2 00 9 page 1 4

15. C a s e S tu d y : H P .c o m S u p p o r t
Product Release
Challenges:
• Does this site meet the customers’
real world needs?
• Constant or improved customer
satisfaction, usage?
Solutions:
• Large customer survey
• Remote web-based usability
testing, large number of users
• Usability testing in lab
Value:
• Customer-focused approach to
evaluating support site
• Validates if the content is useful,
meets customer needs
F e b ru a ry 2 6 , 2 00 9 page 1 5

16. H P .c o m s u m m a r y
h ttp ://h 2 0 0 0 0 .w w w 2 .h p .c o m /b iz s u p p o r t/T e c h S u p p o r t/H o m e .js p
• Fully integrated site released in
August, 2003
• I nitial usability data show this
performs as well if not better than the
previous sites across user types
• The designers formerly from HP and
Compaq now work together as one
group
• Continue to update and improve the
support content to our customers
F e b ru a ry 2 6 , 2 00 9 page 1 6

17. S u m m a ry
• C u s to m e r -c e n te r e d fo c u s c a n u n ify d iv e r s e
s ta k e h o ld e r s a n d b e th e b a s is fo r c o m m o n p r o c e s s
d e fin itio n
• C u s to m e r -c e n te r e d d e s ig n a c tiv itie s c a n a n d s h o u ld b e
in c o r p o r a te d in to e v e r y p h a s e o f p r o d u c t d e s ig n a n d
d e v e lo p m e n t
• C C D S a c tiv itie s a r e ta ilo r e d to th e n e e d s o f e a c h
p r o je c t
• C C D S a c tiv itie s :
– D e c r e a s e d e v e lo p m e n t tim e a n d c o s t b y “g e ttin g it r ig h t
th e fir s t t im e ”
– In c r e a s e c u s to m e r s a tis fa c tio n b y m e e tin g th e ir n e e d s a n d
F e b ru a ry 2 6 , 2 00 9 page 1 7

18. R e s o u rc e s
• w w w .h fe s .o r g - H u m a n F a c to r s & E r g o n o m ic s S o c ie ty
– M is s io n : to p r o m o te th e d is c o v e r y a n d e x c h a n g e o f k n o w le d g e
c o n c e r n in g th e c h a r a c te r is tic s o f h u m a n b e in g s th a t a r e a p p lic a b le to
th e d e s ig n o f s y s te m s a n d d e v ic e s o f a ll k in d s .
• w w w .u p a s s o c .o r g - U s a b ility P r o fe s s io n a ls A s s o c ia tio n
– S u p p o r ts th o s e w h o p r o m o te a n d a d v a n c e th e d e v e lo p m e n t o f u s a b le
p r o d u c ts , r e a c h in g o u t to p e o p le w h o a c t a s a d v o c a te s fo r u s a b ility a n d
th e u s e r e x p e r ie n c e .
• w w w .a c m .o r g /s ig s /s ig c h i - A C M S p e c ia l In te r e s t G r o u p in
C o m p u te r -H u m a n I n te r a c tio n
– B r in g s to g e th e r p e o p le w o r k in g o n th e d e s ig n , e v a lu a tio n ,
im p le m e n ta tio n , s tu d y o f in te r a c tiv e c o m p u tin g s y s te m s fo r h u m a n u s e .
• w w w .b a d d e s ig n s .c o m - E x a m p le s o f th in g s th a t a r e h a r d to
u s e b e c a u s e th e y d o n o t fo llo w h u m a n fa c to r s p r in c ip le s
F e b ru a ry 2 6 , 2 00 9 page 1 8

19. H P lo g o