Nobody ever set out to build a Web site that’s difficult to use. Even so, many sites prove to be frustrating for the very people they’re built to serve. When we design without a clear and proven understanding of the site’s audience–or with our own preferences and biases unchecked–we put the overall usability and effectiveness of the site at jeopardy. In this presentation, Will Sansbury overviews user-centered design, a process that infuses concern for the audience into every step of creating a site or software product. He shares practical tools for learning about your audience initially, checking your decisions against your understanding of the audience throughout the design process, and gauging the effectiveness of your final design using qualitative usability testing. As an information architect on the WhatsUp Gold team at Ipswitch, Will has experimented with integrating user experience design into the Scrum software development process. Because he’s a practitioner first, he has a pragmatic, from-the-trenches view that makes user experience and user-centered design approachable to designers and developers of all skill levels. This presentation was delivered at RefreshAugusta on July 22, 2009.

1. Usability is like world peace.
We all want it.
But how do we get there?

2. User-centered design
A road map to usability
RefreshAugusta
July 22, 2009

3. What is User-centered design (UCD)
is an approach to design
user- that grounds the process
in information about
centered the people who will use
design? the product.
UCD focuses on users through
the planning, design and
development of a product.
What is User-Centered Design? UPA, accessed from
http://www.upassoc.org/usability_resources/
about_usability/what_is_ucd.html

4. User-centered design
goes a little something like this…
Phase 1
Analysis
Phase 2
Design
Phase 3
Evaluation
Phase 4
Deployment

5. User-centered design
is common sense.
Image by malias (flickr)

6. User-centered design
is common sense.
Phase 1: Analysis
How would you like your hair cut?
Phase 2: Design
Snip, snip.
Phase 3: Evaluation
Here’s a mirror. What do you think?
Phase 4: Deployment
Have a great day!
Image by malias (flickr)

7. Phase 1: Analysis
Understand
the people
who will use
the design.
Image by huangjiahui (flickr)

8. Listen to people who might use
your design. Use any means necessary.
Hint:
They’re probably not the
people who are paying you.
Image by victoriapeckham (flickr)

9. Create personas to embody
groups of users who are similar.
Ethel LeDuc
82 years old
Ethel spent her adult life as a stay-
at-home mother and wife. Now, she
is proud of being a “grr-grandma.”
Having come of age during the
Great Depression, Ethel is
resourceful and spunky. She doesn’t
shy away from any challenges, and
Primary reason for getting a cell phone: she’s not afraid to try to learn new
Safety while traveling things—though she’s not as quick a
Primary use of cell phone: study as she once was.
Calling a select set of contacts
(friends and family)

10. Create personas to embody
groups of users who are similar.
Ethel LeDuc
82 years old
Personas are about spent her adult life as a stay-
Ethel
Personality at-home mother and wife. Now, she
is proud of being a “grr-grandma.”
Behavior Having grown up through the Great
Habits Depression, Ethel is resourceful and
spunky. She doesn’t shy away from
Motivationstry to learn new things—though
Primary reason for getting a cell phone:
any challenges, and she’s not afraid
to
safety while traveling
Primary use of cell phone:
Fears she’s was.as quick a study as she
once
not
Calling a select set of contacts (friends
and family)

11. Every decision should directly benefit
one of your personas.
Can it make
phone calls?

12. Every decision should directly benefit
one of your personas.
Can Ethel make a
phone call
with it?

13. How many targets can you hit?
Hint:
It’s probably about three.
Image by TheMarque (flickr)

14. Phase 2: Design
Solve their
problems.
Image by stuartpilbrow (flickr)

15. Look at the big picture first.
People see the forest before the trees.
Image by meaduva (flickr)

16. Sketch a lot of different ideas, fast.
Then throw most of them away.
Hint:
It’s easier to get attached to
ideas that end in .PSD.
Image by Myrone (flickr)

17. Close Photoshop.
(Relax. It’s just for a little bit.)
Image by Mike Rohde (flickr)

18. Soapbox: Banish lipsum!
Content is design; design is content.

19. Soapbox: Banish lipsum!
Content is design; design is content.
Designing for a template-
based system?
Anticipate the types of
content and design for them.

20. Don’t forget Ethel.

21. A couple of ideas seem to work?
Clean them up and test them.
Hint:
You don’t yet know
if you have a gem or a turd.
Don’t polish too much.
Image by irrezolut (flickr)

22. Phase 3: Evaluation
Make sure
the design
works.
Early.
And often.
Image by l-i-n-k (flickr)

23. Know your limitations.
You won’t catch everything.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47LCLoidJh4

24. Be a voyeur. Use any means necessary.

25. Phase 4: Deployment
When you’ve
gotten it
right…
Launch.

26. Getting started
How can
you tip-toe
into user-
centered
design?
Image by Zunami (flickr)

27. If you want to win the race,
you have to run the entire course.
Image by Philo Nordlund (flickr)

28. Each phase builds on the previous.
Phase 1
Analysis
Phase 2
Design
Phase 3
Evaluation
Phase 4
Deployment
Image by Philo Nordlund (flickr)

29. Design without analysis
won’t solve the right problems.
You need to know
why they want to
fire a gun.

30. Evaluation without design
will find obvious flaws.
Testing what’s
obviously wrong
is a waste of
effort.

31. Deployment without evaluation
will disappoint your customers.
It’s not nice to
make Ethel cry.
Not good
business, either.
Image by Philo Nordlund (flickr)

32. So start at the very beginning.
Listen to people.
Empathize. The rest will follow.

33. Thank you!
Will Sansbury
www.willsansbury.com
willsansbury@gmail.com
@willsansbury