The main purpose is to improve user experience in the execution of specific tasks, getting the user to complete them with the minimum possible effort.
What is User Centered Design (UCD)
The User-centered design is a design philosophy that aims to create products that meet the needs and solve the problems of the users for whom the product is intended.
User Centered Design has its origin in Software Engineering, industrial and military design.
Don Norman, co-founder of the Nielsen Norman Group, was the first person to start using the term User-centered design. The term DCU is used as a method for the design of user interfaces.
When designed following the DCU philosophy, the user must be at the center of everything. It is not possible to conceive of the product in isolation from its use, the context or the needs of the end user.
It is important to understand that although the user is at the center of the entire process, business, commercial, or company needs must not be neglected.
User-Centered Design (UCD) process or guidelines
At first, we must understand and investigate the end users of the product, understand and know what tasks they will execute and in what environment they will use it.
If a product is not based on the real needs of end users, it is likely to fail when launched. The needs detected will be those that determine the design of the product.
To detect the needs of the product, the following will be used, for example: , , , , , Eye-Tracking, , , , , etc.
- Specify the context of use: It consists of identifying the people to whom the product is directed, knowing what and why they are going to use it and in what circumstances.
- Definition of the requirements: It is about identifying the expectations of end users and the company (Stakeholders) that will own the product.
- Develop design solutions: In this phase, everything from the first sketches on paper to the final prototype with interactions included can be included.
- Evaluation or testing of the design: It is mandatory to carry out tests with users before launching the product to check its viability. It will also help us to check possible errors in the interface or and to solve them at an early stage of the development of the project.
On numerous occasions, products show a fairly high complexity by asking users what they want and we make the mistake of giving them that, what they want. Thanks to the observation work, we focus on what the user does and at what precise moment they find difficulties in the execution of specific tasks.
The goal of any observation is to understand people and how they will use the product in specific contexts.
Keys to User Centered Design
Due to the definition and the objectives, the terms are sometimes confused. usability and User Centered Design. Usability is a key and central part of the DCU. Usability is a quality design property, while User Centered Design is the way to improve the usability of the product we are developing.
1. Control of the situation must be in the hands of the user
- The user must initiate the actions and have control over the tasks.
- The user must check how their actions affect the system.
- The information must be accessible without cognitively overloading the user.
- The interface must be intuitive.
2. The system must have consistency
- The system must be consistent to provide ease of use.
- The possible tasks to be executed by the user must be able to be learned quickly.
- The design must minimize the risks and consequences derived from involuntary actions that users may execute.
- It is necessary to keep in mind, at all times, the important errors that the objective users of the product can make.
3. Feedback
- The system must have excellent feedback.
- The system’s response regarding the action executed by a user must be immediate.
- The status of the system must be communicated to the user at all times, such as messages such as: Loading, Updating, uploading files, etc.
4. Take care of the product interface
- It is important to work on the design by defining a design system and style guide that provides cohesion and coherence to the entire interface.
- The visual styles of each component must help the user to concentrate on the specific task that he is executing.
- The interface should be simple, easy to learn and use.
- The interface must be accessible, regardless of the abilities or the concentration of the users to execute the tasks.
- It should not be overloaded with too much information.
5. Put the user at the center
- Define and carry out the necessary tests for the development of the digital product.
- Correctly select each type of research technique in each phase of the development of the digital product.
- Use test participants who represent the intended user of the product.
- Do not forget the needs of the company, do not superimpose them on the needs of the users. It is convenient to find the balance to satisfy needs and meet expectations.
- The user does not decide. We must not give what they ask or request, rather, through observation, find the needs, critical points and satisfy them.
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