User Centered Approaches to Design Ed Leong Jody

User Centered Approaches to Design Ed Leong & Jody Shpur

A good scientist is a person with original ideas. A good engineer is a person who makes a design that works with as few original ideas as possible. There are no prima donnas in engineering. Dyson Freeman Physicist, 1979

How can designers enhance the probability of a product being successfully adopted by users?

What is Good Design What is not Good Design l. Does what it is supposed to do l. Easy to use l. Solves a problem / need not meet the need of the audience l. High cost; not feasible to produce l. Difficult to use; not intuitive to use What is Product Success What is not Product Success l. Does l. Pretty, profitable, preferred, proud of product (designer & consumer) l. Lack of financial success l. Usability problems (e. g. , discontinued product) l. Sales due to good advertising, not design

An Example Near and Dear…

Product Categories l l Learning Environments Automotives Restaurants Computer Operating Systems

Learning Environments Successful “Flawed” Collaborative Learning Uni-directional l. Positive environment l. Safe and accepting l. Have a voice l. Ownership l. Non-threatening l. Interactive l. Connectivity b/w users Other Examples l. Lack of interaction l. No connection to the work l. Lack of voice Learner Centered / Inquiry Based / independent

Automotives Successful Flawed Volvo Pinto l. Lasts forever l. High safety rating l. Simple l. Reliable l. Cost was “upper-middle” l. Value for the money spent l. Connotation / Image of user Other Examples l. Lethal design (that says it all) l. Not very attractive Ferrari, Beetle, Japanese Models, Mini-Cooper, Caravan

Restaurants Successful Flawed Starbucks Second Cup l. Employee treatment / Benefits leads to “better service” l. Successful financially l. Perceived product superiority l. Customization (half fat, decaf, soy vanilla mocha frap……) l. Image of customers Other Examples l. Product is similar, but not the same level of success as Starbucks l. Not selling image as well… of themselves or their users Subjective by the user of the restaurant

Computer Operating Systems Successful Flawed i. Mac Microsoft l. GUI interface l. Hidden operating systems l. Simplicity Other Examples Depends upon the audience

Congruency with Generalizations l l l Intuitive, easy to use Does what it is supposed to do; Meets the needs of user Product is attractive / appealing Product satisfaction by user Sense of accomplishment of the user; too easy may not satisfy user Brand name loyalty / recognition

Connection to Literature Usability Engineering (Nielsen, J. ) l The difference between accomplishment and success l l Success in form and function l l l Form (usability and appeal) Function (performance and efficacy) Paradoxical nature of usability guidelines l l User-centered research and design Designer to User Products will face usability research l Better earlier than later

Affective Domain & Instructional Design l Miller (2005) suggested that both student motivation and attitudes are affected when educators consider the affective domain while they are designing their courses l Attitudes are composed of four interlinked qualities l l Affective responses Cognitions Behavioral intentions Behaviors

Affective Cognitive Consistency l Some theorists (Simonson & Maushak, 2001) believe that a relationship exists between attitudes and beliefs and that when a person’s attitudes towards a topic is inconsistent with their knowledge about the topic, the person is in an unstable condition (similar to cognitive dissonance) l New Information can alter the attitudes a person has towards a topic and can help reduce this unstable condition and result in the person’s knowledge and attitude towards topic into harmony

Instructional Design for Attitude Change l Guidelines (Simonson & Maushak, 2001) for Effective Design of Attitude Instruction Include: l l l Make the instruction realistic, relevant and technically stimulating Present new information Present persuasive messages in a credible manner Elicit purposeful emotional involvement Involve the learner in planning, production or delivery of the message Provide post-instruction discussion or critique opportunities

Emotion & Design l Norman (2004) suggested that individuals process information about a given product in three different ways l l Visceral, Behavioral and Reflective The emotional response to a product will affect how the individual interacts / uses the product l How will preconceptions affect emotional response?

What is Beauty? l l Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder… Is there a mathematical model for beauty? l Beautycheck l l Research project at the University of Regensburg and Rostock in Germany Common facial features in attractive people § l Computerized template developed Things that are attractive / beautiful more likely to produce positive affects in people? ?

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