INTRODUCTION 2. User-centred interface design
User-Centred Design ISO 9241-210 : Human-centred design for interactive systems Meets requirements Plan the user centred process 4. Evaluation against requirements 1. Specify the context of use 3. Produce design solutions 2. Specify user requirements
ISO 13407 ISO 9241-210 NOTE! ISO 9241-210 is a new standard which replaced ISO 13407. Older literature therefore refers to ISO 13407. Whilst there have been some updates, the overall content and process is the same in the new standard.
Principles of user-centred design a) The design is based on an explicit understanding of users, tasks and environments b) Users are involved throughout design and development c) The design is driven and refined by user-centred evaluation d) The process is iterative e) The design addresses the whole user experience f) The design team includes multidisciplinary skills and perspectives
Levels of usability maturity Level 0 A good user is a dead user!
Levels of usability maturity 1. Ignorance: We don t have problems with usability 2. Uncertainty: We don't know why we have problems with usability 3. Awakening: Is it always necessary to have problems with usability? 4. Enlightenment: Through management commitment and improvement of human-centred processes we are identifying and resolving our problems 5. Wisdom: Usability defect prevention is a routine part of our operation
Usability maturity What is the situation in your organisation?
Should your organisation be more human-centred? ISO 27500 is a new international standard released in 2016 which sets out: Values and beliefs of a human-centred organisation The business case for the organisation s impact on people (employees, customers, society, ) The principles of a human centred organisation, including Usability as a business objective!
User-Centred Design ISO 9241-210 : Human-centred design for interactive systems Meets requirements Plan the user centred process 4. Evaluation against requirements 1. Specify the context of use 3. Produce design solutions 2. Specify user requirements
Planning user-centred design Plan the different user-centred activities What sort of activities/input are needed to support analysis and design work? How will users be involved? Identify individuals responsible for user-centred activities. Identify procedures for establishing feedback and communication on user-centred design activities. Set key milestones for user-centred activities, and timescales that allow for results to be integrated into designs.
Group exercise Think of five ways of involving users during development.
Planning user involvement Launch! Planning Context Evaluation Requirements Design Important to start on a small scale Follow-up and demonstrate what the results of a small activity can give
The importance of involving the right users in the right way We involved users throughout our development process - they were involved in requirements definition through to testing of prototypes. Sounds good? Not necessarily Two areas of concern: The users The involvement
The importance of involving the right users in the right way Key decision makers from our big client organisations participated in requirements workshops. Not the end users Only one user segment Lots of wants, but little understanding of how A reference group of users were regularly involved in design meetings. Still not the end users The users became very familiar with the technology and the designer s ideas We evaluated the designs with users. Focus groups are NOT a method for evaluating the usability of a product!
What about Agile processes? (incremental iterative processes) Typical challenges: Being customer-centred but not user-centred Not allowing sufficient time for up-front user requirements gathering Focus on iterative incremental UI design at the expense of holistic design Usability testing too late (or not at all) as there isn t time within an iteration
To consider in Agile projects Up-front user research it may cost a few weeks but it s a crucial basis for all later design decisions Connect usability goals and actual usage scenarios with user stories Have an overall UI concept in place before the rapid development cycles start simple / low fidelity prototyping (also developed iteratively!) Consider a parallel UX track Extreme usability testing (rapid iterative user testing)
From: Bringing User Centered Design to the Agile Environment, A.Colfelt http://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/bringing-user
Standards and guidelines Wouldn t it be easier to follow some guidelines in order to create the design? Yes, the most important guideline is to follow a usercentred process! However, along the way, you should be aware of: Other ISO standards Design guidelines & style guides Legal obligations
The European Directive The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations of 1992 Software must be suitable for the task Software must be easy to use Systems must display information in a format and at a pace which are adapted to users The principles of software ergonomics must be applied
Standards and Guidelines Other ISO standards ISO 9241 a large multi-part standard covering hardware and software ergonomics Now being completely revised ISO 14915 Multimedia user interface design ISO 11581 Icon symbols and functions ISO 25010 System and software quality models amongst many others. For accessibility - W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Guidelines produced by specific countries e.g. Vägledning 24-timmarswebben (Verva) ISO 9241 has become the central standard for usability selected parts that have already been published follow
ISO 9241 - Ergonomics of human-system interaction Parts 11-17 : Software ergonomics (existing standards, under revision) 11 - Guidance on usability (specification & measurement) 12 - Presentation of information 13 - User guidance 14 - Menu dialogues 15 - Command dialogues 16 - Direct manipulation dialogues 17 - Form filling dialogues (Revised Part 143) Part 110 Dialogue principles Part 151 Guidance on World Wide Web user interfaces Part 161 Guidance on visual user-interface elements
ISO 9241-151 See separate overview document!
There are various sets of practical guidelines on the web Usability.gov has a useful set:
Standards and guidelines However, none of these design guidelines will help you much until later in the process