Introduction to User-Centred Design

Question 1

based on ISO 9241… “Systems designed using human-centred methods improve quality, for example, by:

Answer 1

• increasing the productivity of users and the operational efficiency of organizations;
• being easier to understand and use
• increasing usability for people with a wider range of capabilitites(broader spectrum of people, including those with varying skills, abilities, and requirements.)
• improving user experience
• reducing discomfort or stress
• providing a competitive advantage
• contributing towards sustainability abjectives

Question 2

what is the diference betwenn user-centred vs human-centred?

Answer 2

human-centred focuses on the person as a whole, while user-centred only as ‘functional’ user

Question 3

what are the 6 principles for human-centred desgin acconding to the ISO standard?

Answer 3

• understanding of users, tasks and enviroments
• users are involved
• driven and refined by user-centred evaluation
• iterative
• whole user experience
• multidisciplinary skills

Question 4

explain the concept ‘the design is driven and refined by user-centred evaluation’

Answer 4

Put people’s needs before technology. Design should start by understanding people’s problems and needs, and then create solutions that genuinely help them accomplish their tasks, rather than forcing the adoption of technological solutions.

Question 5

What are the 4 activities of User-Centred Design based on the ISO standard

Answer 5

1. Understanding and specifying the context of use
2. Specifying the user requirements
3. Producing design solutions (eg. Prototyping)
4. Evaluating the design

Question 6

describe the start, the iterative cicle and the end point of the iterative process model for user-centred design

Answer 6

start: plan the hcd process
iterative cicle:
* understand and specify the context of use.
* specify the user and organizational requirements.
* design solutions to meet the user requirements
* evaluate designs against requirements
end point: design solutions meets the user requirements

Question 7

Double Diamond Model

Answer 7

• Problem Phase: Discover & Define (e.g. Interviews, Questionnaires)
  target: Problem defined (e.g. requirement, use cases)
• Solution Phase: Develop & Deliver(e.g. Prototyping, UI Design)
  target: Solution delivered (than evaluation, analyses)
• range of alternatives inflates and desinflates between the phases.

Question 8

explain the concept: “Understanding Beyond Existing processes.”

Answer 8

instead of imitating processes with digital tools good designers re-examine needs and goals behind the processes to design solutions that take advantage of the unique characteristics of digital technology

Question 9

place 3 challanges on hcd?

Answer 9

1. people involved on creation process have different backgrounds
2. Could exist tensions between user goals and business expectations(budget)
3. Users may expect disadvantages (e.g. being replaced by software)

Question 10

List the layers of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. What changes from lower to upper layer?

Answer 10

physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, self-actualization.
Lower levels are more basic , survival related and need to be satisfied before progressing to higher levels that are more complex and tied to personal growth.

Question 11

Explain the concept of Task-Artifact and ilustrate it with one example.

Answer 11

• humans have needs and preferences (e.g. mobile comunication)
• Artifacts are designed in response (e.g. smartphones)
• Through adoption, new designs provide new possibilities for interactions, which articulate further human needs. (train with charging
  example: trains with charging cells)