Concepts Flashcards
Who is in the product team?
- Project manager - Development of the product, ensures a product is competitive and solves a problem in the market
- Developer - Develops code and implements the design into a functional product
- Designer - Functionality and the design of a product (UX,UI, visual and graphic designers)
- Researcher - Uncovering data about target users and testing the usability (designers)
- Scrum master - Helps a team stay productive by creating processes everyone can adhere to
MVP ( minimal viable product)
Product with enough features to attract early-adopter customers and validate a product idea early in product development cycle.
Queue psychology
Focuses on improving the experience of waiting
Agile product team
A team that is co-located and dedicated to one and only agile project across the projects lifetime
GUI (graphical user experience)
Interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices through graphical icons and audio
HCI (Human-computer interaction)
The study of how people interact with computers, and to what degree computer systems are designed to facilitate successful interaction with humans. User-centred design, UI, and UX are combined with HCI to provide intuitive technology and products. HCI specialists consider how to develop and deploy computer systems that satisfy human users.
On what user-centred design (UCD) focuses?
It focuses on who’ll be using a product, the tasks they need to complete while using the product, and the environment in which they’ll use the product (i.e., a product’s context of use)
What are the benefits of UCD?
- It makes computer systems less complex and easier to understand for the everyday user.
- It reduces the need for support and help desks as users can understand software without having to consult guides.
- It ultimately reduces costs and increases revenue for companies by producing more effective software with a higher chance of turning a profit.
What are 6 UCD principles?
- Visibility
Users should know, just by looking at an interface, what their options are and how to access them. This is particularly important in mobile applications because it is a challenge to make everything visible within the limited screen space; hence, it is essential to include only the options that are needed. For example, a log-in screen only needs information about logging in or signing up, so cluttering it with other information would go against the visibility principle. - Feedback
The user must receive feedback after every action they perform to let them know whether or not their action was successful. For example, changing the icon on the tab to a spinner to indicate that a webpage is loading. - Affordance
Affordance is the link between how things look and how they’re used. For example, a coffee mug has high affordance because you instantly know how to hold it just by looking at it. The same is true for digital applications; the design should be intuitive enough that the users know how to access their desired information just by looking at the interface. - Mapping
Mapping is the idea that, in a good design, the controls for something will closely resemble their effect. This is best understood with the vertical scroll bar; it tells you where you currently are, and the page moves down at the same pace and sensitivity as the vertical bar. A non-digital example is of a modern stovetop whose control knobs are arranged in the same order as the burners. This way, you will know exactly which knob operates which burner. - Constraints
Constraints restrict a particular form of user interaction with an interface. This is essential because the user could become overwhelmed with the range of possibilities available through an interface. An example of a constraint is an online form that does not allow users to enter letters into a phone number field. - Consistency
People learn new things and manage better when they recognize patterns. Consistency is key for these patterns to be recognized and learned by users. If similar-looking things do not produce a similar output, the user is bound to become frustrated. For example, if a website’s buttons are protruding boxes with labels on them, then all of the website’s buttons should look like that. Similarly, if a backward arrow denotes the back button, then it should not be changed to something else because that would be inconsistent with what the user has learned.
Product evolution?
A product evolution is a cycle where the products evolves in terms of features, functionalities, quality, offerings, technology etc. over time to better serve its purpose and customer needs. This may be due to several reason and the new technology developments are prime reason for this.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
- Physiological Needs: Basic human needs such as air, food, and water.
- Safety and Security: Needs such as personal security, financial security, and health. A home, steady job, and secure income can go a long way towards fulfilling these needs.
- Social Belonging: Needs related to the feelings of love and belonging. Human beings have a need to belong to groups. These groups can be big, like a workplace or sports team, or small, like a family or significant other.
- Self-Esteem: Needs related to how we feel about ourselves. Human beings have a need to be respected and valued, both by others and themselves.
- Self-Actualization: Once all the previous needs have been fulfilled, humans reach what Maslow calls self-actualization. Only then can we attempt to realize our full potential and be all that we can be.
Design Hierarchy of Needs
- Functionality: If basic functionality needs are not met, users will abandon the product. Eventually, the product will cease to exist.
- Reliability: The product must function consistently, and the user’s documents and data must be safe.
- Usability: The design of the product must be intuitive and easy to use, reducing the likelihood of user errors.
- Proficiency: This level speaks to product maturity. The product not only meets base-level functionality but also goes above and beyond by helping the user meet goals they may not have otherwise anticipated.
- Creativity: This is where form, function, and usability come in. A product that achieves this level moves beyond having “users” and, instead, “fans.” These fans evangelize and promote the product. Think about the major competitors in various industries. Some users live by Apple products while others wouldn’t be caught dead using Apple products. A similar phenomenon exists in the game industry, with some gamers preferring Sony, some Microsoft, and others Nintendo.
Fogg Behavior Model
Three components must occur simultaneously to have a tangible effect on behaviour: motivation, ability, and prompt.
Behaviour = Motivation x Ability x Prompt
Internal Promts
Loneliness, boredom, hunger—feelings that are universal to the human condition.
External prompts
Ease of using a mobile app or finding a local restaurant.
Text message
Push notification
Sales call
Advertisement
In-application or on-site notifications (i.e., red Facebook notification)
Event scheduled in calendar
Alarm or alert
Contextual notifications based on time or location
