Involving users - Why is it so hard to do the right thing?

Why is user involvement in projects the exception rather than the rule, despite the fact we know it is the ‘right’ thing to do? Taking a practical standpoint and without the boring and irrelevant theory, this presentation discusses the role of user involvement in web projects covering:

What types of projects need (and do not need) to involve users
Determine the value of involving users or the risks of not involving them
Methods and techniques appropriate for different situations
Low-contact, quick methods you can use to learn about users with little effort
Tips to help other people understand the value of user involvement

Transcript

1. Involving Users - Why Is It So Hard To Do The Right Thing? Donna Spencer Maadmob
2. About me • Freelance information architect/interaction designer  8 yrs  Complex websites, intranets, business applications  Design, strategy, mentoring, training • Conducted loads of user research • Writing a book about card sorting - due soon
3. Key points • Images – veggies, exercise, alcohol
4. But first, what is user research
5. What is user research
6. Why would we do it? • Your users may have different:  experience with computers  understanding of the domain  working patterns and working arrangements  ways of describing their tasks  contexts in which they will use the product  goals for using the product • You will learn interesting things!
7. How we do it
8. Why don’t we do it? No money We are the users Too hard The outcome really doesn’t matter The client actually doesn’t care We already know what users need Someone already ‘gathered requirements’ Don’t know who our users are No time
9. What helps us do it Included it in proposal budget Team have the skills to Client cared about doing well Acknowledged that we don’t know the users Explained that requirements weren’t enough Have easy access to users Made it fast
10. How to decide...
11. How to decide • How important is it to the organisation • Risk if we get it wrong  Impact on the users  Money spent  Profile • Need to convince others • Existing knowledge of users • Ability to iterate • Ability to collect feedback
12. How to decide
13. Personal blog
14. Conference website
15. E-commerce system
16. Big internal business app
17. Making it easier…
18. Making it easier • Start with existing materials  Staff who have contact with users  Website analytics  Search terms • Small research, not huge • Focus your research – don’t try to learn everything
19. Share it! • Personas/scenarios
20. Personas
21. Share it! • Personas/scenarios • Analytics reports • Analysis of feedback
22. Questions & thanks • http://maadmob.com.au/ • 0409-778-693 • donna@maadmob.net • Twitter etc: maadonna