User-Centered Design Process Flashcards
User-centered design (UCD)
User-centered design (UCD) is a framework that places the user at the center of the design and development process. 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).
Human-Centered Design Process
human-centered design (HCD) used interchangeably. They are, indeed, very similar, but human-centered design broadens the focus to consider the impact on all stakeholders who might be affected by the design of a system or product beyond just the end user’s direct interaction with the system or product itself.
Another important field of research and practice that’s often associated with UCD is human-computer interaction (HCI). HCI aims to understand how people interact with computer systems and to what degree computer systems are designed to facilitate successful interactions with humans. HCI, therefore, is a broader and separate field from UCD, though both practices share some similarities in their aim to design for human/user needs and capabilities.
Phases of UCD
phases of UCD:
Discovery: The goal of this phase is to identify those who’ll be using your product, the conditions they’ll use it under, any business requirements you might have, and finally, the user needs of your product. To put it simply, this is where you determine what it is you’re building. This phase typically consists of competitive analyses, audience definition, user scenarios, and surveys.
Concepting: This phase is all about creating design solutions that address your business and user requirements. You’ll be crafting wireframes, user flows, mockups, and finalized interface designs.
Prototyping and User Testing: During this phase, you’ll determine if your design solution is effective via user testing (ideally with actual users). We’ll discuss specific methods of testing later on in the course.
Discovery
Discovery: The goal of this phase is to identify those who’ll be using your product, the conditions they’ll use it under, any business requirements you might have, and finally, the user needs of your product. To put it simply, this is where you determine what it is you’re building. This phase typically consists of competitive analyses, audience definition, user scenarios, and surveys.
Concepting
Concepting: This phase is all about creating design solutions that address your business and user requirements. You’ll be crafting wireframes, user flows, mockups, and finalized interface designs.
Prototyping and User Testing
Prototyping and User Testing: During this phase, you’ll determine if your design solution is effective via user testing (ideally with actual users). We’ll discuss specific methods of testing later on in the course.
Iterative process
Iteration is an important part of the design process as it allows you to constantly change and update your software to more fully meet the needs of your users.
Audience Definition
Audience Definition: Making informed design decisions is impossible without first identifying the recipients of your design. We’ll dig deeper into this process in a later Exercise.
User Scenarios
User Scenarios: By creating scenarios in which your potential users will need your software to accomplish a goal, you can identify features and functions crucial to the success of your app.
Process Flows
Process Flows: This is where you get into the specific paths a user can take within your software, typically via user stories and flow charts (more on these in a later Exercise).
Sitemap
Sitemap: This is a diagram that shows the navigation layout of a particular website or app. A sitemap details all of the pages contained within a website or app, showing how they’re connected together and their corresponding hierarchy.
Wireframes
Wireframes: Wireframes help you quickly lay out your designs before you begin pushing pixels around in Sketch. Balsamiq is a great tool for quickly drafting wireframes.
Prototyping
Prototyping: Prototypes allow you to test the functionality of your design against actual users. They can be as simple or as complicated as necessary. Later down the road, we’ll introduce you to programs you can use to put together quick prototypes—no coding required!
Websites
Website
A website typically provides static information with minimal interaction from users. The main goal of a website is to provide users with informational content they can read, watch, or listen to. News websites such as BBC News or CNN are good examples, as are online magazines such as Smashing Magazine. Websites don’t usually require users to log in or register, and the information provided tends to be generic (i.e., the same for everyone who visits that website). There may be small elements of interactivity such as entering your email address to sign up for a newsletter or changing the language in which you view the website, but, otherwise, websites provide a one-way stream of information to the user.
Web Application
A web application, or web app, unlike a website, is characterized by the ability to interact with and manipulate information and data. An example of a web app is an online banking portal, which enables customers to view and filter their personal information as well as carry out financial transactions. Other examples include ecommerce sites such as Amazon, where customers can search, filter, create wish lists, purchase products, and view personalized recommendations. A web application will also require users to register and log in to use the application and, as such, will provide users with personalized data based on the information provided. Both web applications and websites run in the browser (e.g., Firefox or Chrome) and will usually work with multiple operating systems such as Windows or MacOS.
Some other examples of web applications you might have used include YouTube, Google Docs, and Dropbox.
