Putting the "User" back in User Experience

back in User ExperiencePutting the User

@jeremyjohnson

(yes, we’re hiring)

http://www.slideshare.net/jeremy/presentations

WORKED FOR

WORKED WITH

Contextual InquiriesObserve & document user in context/environment

Participatory DesignCo-creation explorations with users.

User Journals / DiariesUsers document their experiences over time.

Card SortExplore users’ mental models for content and labeling.

Discovery Ideation

Revealing Reality Focused Innovation

Only a subset of these activities will be appropriate for any given project.

Engagement Readiness Analysis Foundational Analysis

Stakeholder InterviewsUnderstand staheholders’ business goals & strategy.

Scenario-based System WalkthroughsDemo of existing solution.

Application / IA MapDocument the structure of the existing solution.

Strategic Ideation

Concepts Validation with UsersValidate design prototypes through user feedback.

KANO Feature PrioritizationPrioritize features with users through KANO analysis.

Qualitative & Quantitative Data SynthesisAnalyze validation data..

Design Research

Qualitative Observation

Affinity DiagrammingConstruct themes from qualitative data.

Persona DevelopmentCreate customer types based on behaviors and values.

Current Journey MapVisualize the user’s perspective of the current experience.

Research PlanDesign activities to meet research goals.

Technical Organization Capability AnalysisExisting skills and toolsets.

Solution Architecture AssessmentExisting application architecture.

Enterprise Architecture Capability AssessmentExisting enterprise infrastructure.

Content InventoryCatalog the content of the website.

Heuristic EvaluationIdentify initial breakdowns and opportunities.

Competitive AnalysisEvaluate competitors and comparables on specific axes.

Client Data AnalysisMarket research, website feedback, corporate strategy, etc.

Brand AnalysisEvaluate the state of the brand.

Metrics EvaluationEstablish quantitative baseline of engagement & conversion data.

Technology Digital Marketing

User Workflow ModelingVisually document workflows & work systems.

SurveysSolicit structured feedback from users.

Quantitative

Quantitative Data VisualizationPresent data visually.

Conceptual User Scenari-osExplanation TBD.

Conceptual User ScenariosWrite high level narratives of an ideal future flow.

StoryboardsIllustrate graphical representa-tions of scenarios.

Concepts: Paper / Interactive / VideoDevelop concepts for testing.with users.

Experience Strategy

Opportunities Prioritization MatrixPrioritize in three dimensions, including user experience impact.

Consolidated User States DiagramAbstracted from individual user workflows.

Future Journey MapVisualize the user’s future, improved experience.

Design PrinciplesSummarize the vision for the product/service in statements to guide the design.

Product / Experience RoadmapPlan how great UX can be achieved through the design.

Experience Success MetricsAgree on business metrics for a successful user experience.

Elaboration

Refined, Validated ConceptsRefine the validated prototype based on findings.

Analysis & Synthesis

Deep Dive WorkshopsImmerse stakeholders in data and brainstorm opportunities.

Opportunities Generation & EvaluationOpportunities & prototype choice.

Marketing OpportunitiesStrategic planning of owned, earned, & paid online tactics.

Beyond Conversion Optimization

Consolidated Workflow DiagramAggregate individual user workflows into one diagram.

Content Creation Process FlowDesign the content creation processes for the organization.

Content ArchitectureVisualize all the content created, including creators and locations.

Digital Marketing CreativeConcepts to support search, display, social media, landing.

Content Governance PlanCollaborative design how created content will be governed.

Uncover user needs, Design great solutions,

and build out solutions to launch.

http://weandthecolor.com/back-to-the-future-poster-trilogy-by-phantom-city-creative/11727

The Elements of User ExperienceA basic duality: The Web was originally conceived as a hypertextual information space;but the development of increasingly sophisticated front- and back-end technologies hasfostered its use as a remote software interface. This dual nature has led to much confusion,as user experience practitioners have attempted to adapt their terminology to cases beyondthe scope of its original application. The goal of this document is to define some of theseterms within their appropriate contexts, and to clarify the underlying relationships amongthese various elements.

Jesse James Garrettjjg@jjg.net

Visual Design: graphic treatment of interfaceelements (the "look" in "look-and-feel")

Information Architecture: structural designof the information space to facilitateintuitive access to content

Interaction Design: development ofapplication flows to facilitate user tasks,defining how the user interacts withsite functionality

Navigation Design: design of interfaceelements to facilitate the user's movementthrough the information architectureInformation Design: in the Tuftean sense:designing the presentation of informationto facilitate understanding

Functional Specifications: "feature set":detailed descriptions of functionality the sitemust include in order to meet user needs

User Needs: externally derived goalsfor the site; identified through user research,ethno/techno/psychographics, etc.Site Objectives: business, creative, or otherinternally derived goals for the site

Content Requirements: definition ofcontent elements required in the sitein order to meet user needs

Interface Design: as in traditional HCI:design of interface elements to facilitateuser interaction with functionalityInformation Design: in the Tuftean sense:designing the presentation of informationto facilitate understanding

Web as software interface Web as hypertext system

Visual Design: visual treatment of text,graphic page elements and navigationalcomponents

Concrete

Abstract

Conception

Completion

FunctionalSpecifications

ContentRequirements

InteractionDesign

InformationArchitecture

Visual Design

Information DesignInterface Design Navigation Design

Site ObjectivesUser Needs

This picture is incomplete: The model outlined here does not account for secondary considerations (such as those arising during technical or content development)that may influence decisions during user experience development. Also, this model does not describe a development process, nor does it define roles within auser experience development team. Rather, it seeks to define the key considerations that go into the development of user experience on the Web today.

task-oriented information-oriented

30 March 2000

http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2014/09/01/think-your-app-is-beautiful-not-without-user-experience-design/

“Beauty is wasted when our products don’t address real user

needs in a usable manner”http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2014/09/01/think-your-app-is-beautiful-not-without-user-experience-design/

http://t.co/vzaW4WSJil

We’re not just painters!

SO MUCH MORE

COMPLEX.

User Experience

Concrete

Abstract

Conception

Completion

ContentRequirements

InteractionDesign

Visual Design

30 March 2000

We own so much more than the website!

SERVICE DESIGN

“SEAT AT THE

TABLE”

http://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonykosner/2013/11/23/how-design-and-user-experience-translates-to-the-bottom-line/

We’ve #WON

http://blogs.hbr.org/2014/04/design-can-drive-exceptional-returns-for-shareholders/

It’s not that easy.

There are still 100s of companies that make

revenue off software in the $100s of millions that don’t

have a user experience team.

“The problem from a user experience perspective is that enterprise systems are generally procured and

implemented with the focus purely on solving problems for the business with little attention paid to who the

users are and how they want to work.”

http://www.foolproof.co.uk/thinking/the-user-experience-of-enterprise-technology/

Solving Problems by Automating Solutions

Is it harder than doing it manually?

(I didn’t say “is it easy?”)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/33989236@N00/4214027902/

software users have raised the

their expectations have changed.

Sunday. Monday.

“We’re focusing on User Experience”

I hired a UX guy! (or gal)

“We’re focusing on User Experience”

# of developers

# of UX designers

# of developers

# of UX designers

UX Magic

UX is complex. UX is everywhere.

UX is business.

forgetting…

UX is complex. UX is everywhere.

UX is business. UX is for people.

“users”

“users”“people”

Concrete

Abstract

Conception

Completion

ContentRequirements

InteractionDesign

Visual Design

30 March 2000

“user needs”

Concrete

Abstract

Conception

Completion

ContentRequirements

InteractionDesign

Visual Design

30 March 2000

What UX isn’thttps://medium.com/@jamieskella/what-ux-isnt-dee0436a194d

Designing for yourself is an easy trap to fall into. Even when wielding taste and best practice acknowledgement, doing so is a sure fire way to get it wrong for your target demographic.

… good UX is the result of understanding the customer, seizing technological opportunity, and pursuing simplicity.

Making informed and intelligent design decisions means the inclusion of user research and usability testing.

Good design requires a deep understanding of your target demographic, only attained through quality data, being a result of unbiased research and testing.

UX is the consideration of the many aspects of a user’s interactions with a product or service. It’s concern for the relationship between those interactions, which ultimately define a user’s perception of a brand as a whole.

…acutely empathize with the audience they’re designing for.

http://www.nngroup.com/articles/ux-without-user-research/

User experience cannot exist without users. Creating user interfaces involves intricate and complex decisions. User research is a tool that can help you achieve your goals. !Even the most well thought out designs are assumptions until they are tested by real users. Different types of research can answer different types of questions. Know the tools and apply them accordingly. Leaving the user out is not an option.

UX - U = X

http://blogs.wsj.com/accelerators/2014/02/19/braden-kowitz-why-you-should-listen-to-the-customer/

Investing in user research is just about the only way to consistently generate a rich stream of data about customer needs and behaviors. As a designer, I can’t live without it. And as data about customers flows through your team, it informs product managers, engineers, and just about everyone else. It forms the foundation of intuitive designs, indispensable products, and successful companies. So what are you waiting for? Go listen to your customers!

Let’s talk about Listening to customers

“Hey, I want you to go and understand our

user’s needs.”

“I’ve read stories about our users online”

Marketing Data / Segmentation / Surveys

“I’ve watched some videos about our users”

Focus Groups / Past Usability Studies / Marketing Research

“I’ve seen our users in the lab”

Usability Testing / Concept Testing / Customer Councils

“I went to our users and observed them”

Contextual Inquires / Field Studies / Interviews

“I understand best practices, and I’m a

student of psychology"I have experience / I’m great at what I do

aka Shut up, I’m a design genius.

Q. Which one accurately answers the question:

“Hey, I want you to go and understand our

user’s needs.”

“I want to know them so well, the system we

design “just works” for them.”

User Experience

Web Design vs. User Experience

User Experience

http://money.cnn.com/pf/best-jobs/2012/snapshots/43.html

“Top Job”

http://money.cnn.com/pf/best-jobs/2012/snapshots/43.html

“Top Job”

http://www.uxutd.com/

“Give me three skills a ux designer needs today and

for the future”

PHOTOSHOPILLUSTRATOR

empathy

http://poetpainter.com/

“EASY”

http://poetpainter.com/

“personal significance” “works like I think”

“Hey, I want you to go and understand our user’s needs, wants,

and desires.”

You get there by understanding

your users.

5 WAYS Getting to know your

users helps YOU.

Learn the unexpected

https://twitter.com/jmspool/statuses/421414065496289280

Business needs data to backup decisions.

Mind-blowing, astonishing, insights.

Something in-between…

Observations will speak volumes for

your users.

User Quotes

“I like the idea, but I’d never use this.”

“What I really need is a way to save this for later.”

“I have no idea how to use this, so I just skip

that whole step”

“I usually just print it out and file it away.”

“I use this because it makes me feel like I’m mastering something”

Affinity Diagramming

Solving the right problems

“I know”

Product Owner

Designer

Developer

Institutional Knowledge

The 8 Monkeys

http://speakingofresearch.com/category/news/campus-activism/

http://www.nbcnews.com/feature/making-a-difference/striking-out-als-ice-bucket-challenge-brings-flood-donations-n177896

The 8 Monkeys

http://speakingofresearch.com/category/news/campus-activism/

Institutional Knowledge

Go observe, talk to, and interact with your users!

Get first hand experience of your user’s problems!

Show you care

#1 reaction when observing users of

business-to-business software?

“Wow, you care about us? I thought we were

abandoned to the depths of bad software!”

+ Signed longer contracts + Bought new software + Excited user base

#1 reaction when observing users.

You’re the expert

“Hey, who do I go to, I have a question about what we

should do here?”

Number of questions you’ll get about the direction of your product

“SEAT AT THE

TABLE”

+ You know what will set you apart + Quotes are Business Ammo + You understand the problems + You’re users love you + You’re now the expert

Design Research (or User Research)

https://twitter.com/jmspool/statuses/409433591643246592

Usability Testing vs. User Research

Discovery Ideation Go to MarketReleaseDesign & DevelopmentPre-Discovery

Revealing Reality Building & EvolvingFocused Innovation

Innovation Training

Design Thinking WorkshopTeach the design thinking framework.

Strategic Ideation

Align & Assess Workshop Assess readiness across 7 capabilites.

Design Research

Research UX Design Technology Digital Marketing

Quantitative

Experience Strategy

Elaboration

Detailed User ScenariosWrite detailed narratives for user experience flows.

Workflow ConceptsDraw high-level wireframes for key workflows.

Application / Navigation Framework ConceptsCreate models for the framework of the application.

Digital Marketing Go LiveCampaign launch.

Ongoing User ResearchTargeted analysis of subsequent releases.

Periodic Strategy and Execution Review Assess progress towards goals.

Skills TransferEducate client development team.

Ideation / ValidationCreate testable concepts and validate them with users.

Qualitative ResearchInvestigate ongoing opportunities and concepts with users.

Unit TestingTest system units in isolation.

DevelopmentWrite code and tests to complete sprint tasks.

Requirements / User Stories DefinitionWrite user stories based on detailed user scenarios.

Look & Feel StudiesExplore different visual treatments and styles.

Application Map / Information Architecture Map the product from the users’ point of view.

Zero Feature ReleaseDemonstrate CI, automated testing, core solution setup.

High Level Technical ArchitectureDescribe high level architecture, including packaged components.

PrototypesBuild paper or coded prototypes to validate interactions.

DeployRelease to production.

Sprint PlanningCommit to stories, break down tasks.

RetrospectiveRefine approach based on what was effective.

Sprint DemoDemo completed work to stakeholders.

Backlog GroomingReprioritize backlog, add new stories.

Identify new & emerging opportunitiesAnalyze research / validation results to yield new stories.

Launch

Campaign OptimizationTesting of creative, media, bids & landing experiences.

Campaign MeasurementIn-depth analysis of campaign results and trends.

Campaign RefinementIterative enhancement of campaign tactics.

Digital Marketing SWOT AnalysisIdentify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities & threats.

Usability TestingEvaluate the product’s designs or code through user testing.

Continuous IntegrationContinuously build, test, deploy, and integration test the system.

Integration TestingTest subsystems and their integration.

Run Book CreationCreate & update artifacts for maintenance & monitoring.

Non-functional Requirements TestingTest performance & scalability.

QA TestingValidate completed stories against acceptance criteria.

Visual DesignApply visual designs to the wireframes and generate assets.

IXD / WireframingCreate high fidelity wireframes of the design.

Visual Design LibraryDetermine & document visual design patterns.

Interaction Design LibraryDetermine & document interaction patterns.

User Education & TrainingConduct training sessions, create help content.

Sprint Execution Campaign ExecutionDeploy

Continuous Refinement

Production-Ready Completed FeaturesBuilt and tested features.Consolidated Workflow

DiagramAggregate individual user workflows into one diagram.

Design ValidationFor example, a RITE study.

Development Infrastructure ConfigurationContinuous Integration setup.

Technical Package Identification / EvaluationPerform product evaluations for package solution components.

Architecture Spikes / Proofs of ConceptProve candidate architectures via top to bottom spikes.

“The perspective and processes ————— is focusing on and perfecting will, over time, become standard operating procedure for

any application development project.”

http://www.fastcodesign.com/3031942/google-ventures-on-8-shortcuts-for-better-faster-design-research

http://www.slideshare.net/jeremy/failing-fast-learning-along-the-way-big-design-2013

6 months

3 years

8 Design Research practices to kick start your

user knowledge!

Understand Design Refine

Contextual Inquiries

Persona Development

Concept Validation

Workflow Modeling

KANO Feature Prioritization

Participatory Design

Card Sorting

404 testing

User Journals / Diaries

Contextual Inquiries

A contextual inquiry interview is usually structured as an approximately two-hour,

one-on-one interaction in which the researcher watches the user do their normal activities and discusses what they see with

the user.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contextual_inquiry

Observing Users.

Persona Development

DavidCorporate Employee, 40 yrs old

Primary Persona

Health Conscious

“I workout a couple times a week, and want to make sure I’m as

healthy as I can be”

Number of doctor visits a year:

Years without major health issue:

About David:

Health Motivators:

Experience:

Goals:

Ideal State:

Technology Adoption:

David’s Edge:

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55%90% 100%

http://blog.mailchimp.com/new-mailchimp-user-persona-research/

As a user…Jane needs to…

Concept Validation

User-centered design can be characterized as a multi-stage problem solving process that not only requires designers to analyze and foresee how users are likely to use a product, but also to test the validity of their assumptions with regard to user behavior in real world tests with actual users. Such testing is necessary as it is often very difficult for the designers of a product to understand intuitively what a first-time user of their design experiences, and what each user's learning curve may look like.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User-centered_design

Participatory Design

“Participatory design aims to bring users into the design process by facilitating conversations through the creation and completion of a wide

range of activities.”

http://designmind.frogdesign.com/blog/bringing-users-into-your-process-through-participatory-design.html

http://www.slideshare.net/frogdesign/bringing-users-into-your-process-through-participatory-design

Card Sorting

http://www.optimalworkshop.com/treejack.htm

404 testing

Comics, fast!

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www.ubercomics.com

User Journals / Diaries

“In interviews, it can be difficult to get a sense of behavior over time because you have to rely on the

participant’s memory of past activities or circumstances, and artifacts can only do so much to

prompt that.”

http://www.uxbooth.com/articles/jumpstart-design-research-with-a-diary-study/

http://www.slideshare.net/jaremfan/the-goodness-of-diary-studies

http://www.trackyourhappiness.org/

“46.9 percent of the time the responders said their minds were wandering when the iPhone

rang to query their thoughts.”

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2010/11/11/iphone-users-report-that-daydreams-make-them-sad/

8 Design Research practices to kick start your

user knowledge!

Rockstars!

Tomer Sharon https://plus.google.com/+TomerSharon/about

User Experience Researcher at Google Search

http://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/lean-user-research/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TJTbRw4ri8

Google I/O 2014 - Perfectly executing the wrong plan

Research +

Lean Startup

Leisa Reichelthttp://www.disambiguity.com/

Head of User Research at the Government Digital Service in the Cabinet Office

http://www.disambiguity.com/help-joy-help-you/

https://twitter.com/leisa

https://userresearch.blog.gov.uk/

Big Government +

Empathy

Peter EckertCo-Founder & CXOhttp://projekt202.com/

10+ Years

Enterprise / Complex Software

+ Design Research