User centred design (UCD) has become a key tool in the quest for the creation of optimum digital based user experiences and includes of a range of methodologies such as user interviews, user research and profiling, creation of user personas with identified goals, user journey planning, primary and secondary user requirements catalogue, usability testing and resulting design refinement.
There are differing opinions about what constitutes UCD best practice, however what is important is that UCD practitioners find an approach that works well for them, their clients, and most importantly, for the users of the web site or application being designed or refined.
My approach to UCD is based on key learnings from seasoned practitioners combined with continued enhancement following my own personal experiences, and of course plenty of background reading.
The following is a summary of my UCD skills and experience:
- Global user research based on interviews (face to face, telephone and remote screen sharing) with current users of an existing application in order to determine current usage patterns and task flows as well as user thoughts and opinions with regards to design enhancement opportunities.
- User research based on meetings with, and data provision from, relevant marketing departments
- User attitudes and opinions gained from the facilitation of focus groups
- User needs and problems ascertained following interviews carried out with customer facing call centre staff and management
- Persona workshops where the key characteristics of personas are discussed and agreed with stakeholders following all relevant client inputs
- International telephone interviews carried out to get user focused input from overseas representatives
- Creation of personas to cover key user types identified during user research phase
- Identification of core persona goals and objectives
- Translation of persona goals and objectives into logical steps and then on to task based user journeys
- Compilation of prioritised user requirements catalogue to including content, features, and functionality
- Creation of a site map(s) designed to support the user's journey through to task completion in the most user centric manner possible
- Creation of wirefame designs to allow optimum ease of comprehension, navigation and interaction
- Sharing of user focused approach and rationale with key members of the project team (e.g. visual designer) to help ensure that user focused aspects of the design are maintained
- Implementation and moderation of both lab based and onsite usability testing to inform the design refinement process and to help move the design phase through to successful completion
Please contact me if you'd like to know more about my user centred design skills and experience.
(available
to discuss new projects)
