Introduction to Matter Matter? Does it Matter? What’s the Matter?
What is user experience and why does it matter
41
What Is User Experience and Why Does It Matter? Sarah Horton Director of Accessible User Experience and Design The Paciello Group
-
Upload
sarah-horton -
Category
Design
-
view
147 -
download
1
description
Many factors influence decision-making when producing websites, applications, and apps. In many cases, decision-making is focused on addressing the values of the producer, and the most important factor is overlooked: the consumer. People are loyal to products and services that satisfy their needs and provide content and features that they value. Providing a good user experience benefits both consumer and producer. In this session we will look at user experience broadly, and then through the lens of accessibility, as a way of bringing into focus the value of providing accessible and enjoyable user experiences. Presented as part of Harvard's Digital Content Connect, June 12, 2014: http://hwpi.harvard.edu/digital-content-connect
Transcript of What is user experience and why does it matter
What Is User Experience and Why Does It Matter?
Sarah HortonDirector of Accessible User Experience and DesignThe Paciello Group
Topics
• A Basis for User Experience
• Introduction to Accessible User Experience
• Methods for User-Centered Design
A Basis for User Experience
Harvard Web Publishing and concern for users
To create a robust and effective web publishing framework, composed of a software platform, user experience design and content strategy, service delivery, and governance, that will support FAS and CA department needs and build toward a more unified and usable experience of Harvard online.
To create a robust and effective web publishing framework, composed of a software platform, user experience design and content strategy, service delivery, and governance, that will support FAS and CA department needs and build toward a more unified and usable experience of Harvard online.
IA and UX Tasks
• Define common wayfinding
• Define common information architecture
• Design a global header and footer
• Design site and section navigation
To create a robust and effective web publishing framework, composed of a software platform, user experience design and content strategy, service delivery, and governance, that will support FAS and CA department needs and build toward a more unified and usable experience of Harvard online.
To create a robust and effective web publishing framework, composed of a software platform, user experience design and content strategy, service delivery, and governance, that will support FAS and CA department needs and build toward a more unified and usable experience of Harvard online.
Drivers for decision making
• Lack of time and resources to change
• Familiarity with the current approach
• Affinity for a certain aesthetic
• Desire to look different and stand out
But...…
What about
users?
Introduction to Accessible UX
Accessible user experience demo and discussion
By concentrating solely on the bulge at the center of the bell curve we are more likely to confirm what we already know than learn something new and surprising.
Tim Brown, Change By Design
Demo
Where am I and what can I do here?
Equitable Use
Provide the same means of use for all users: identical whenever possible;
equivalent when not
From Principles of Universal Design, http://www.ncsu.edu/ncsu/design/cud/about_ud/udprinciplestext.htm
Methods for User-Centered Design
Personas, Scenarios, and Inquiry
The easiest thing about the search for insight… is that it’s everywhere and it’s free.
Tim Brown, Change By Design
Personas
Thinking about users
Trevor
Ability: Autism Spectrum Disorder. Uses larger text and a program that hides everything but the text, so he doesn’t get distracted
Aptitude: Uses the computer well for games, but doesn’t learn new sites easily
Attitude: Prefers familiar sites in an established routine
When I can learn the pattern, I can find my way.
Scenarios
Understanding user journeys
Trevor is glad his family lives in Boston where he can get around on his own. He uses the bus and subway extensively. He likes the mobile apps because he knows how to use them, and they don’t have a lot of distracting clutter. Catch the T and Catch the Bus are the best. He hardly ever uses the MBTA website—he doesn’t like it. Once he tried to use it to plan a trip on the commuter rail. He barely got past the first screen because of all the animations. When he did find the right section there were so many options and they were all so
detailed. He tried the Trip Planner but ended up getting sidetracked by the map. In the end, he didn’t go.
Inquiry
Asking questions, listening, observing
Logistics
• 9 people over 2 days
• Sessions lasting ½ to 1 hour
• Boston Center for Independent Living (BCIL) and the MBTA Office for System-Wide Accessibility
Perspectives• Low vision
• Large monitor, ZoomText, large type, high-contrast mode
• Blind• JAWS, VoiceOver
• Deaf• Captions
• Limited mobility and dexterity• Dragon
Topics
• Issues people encounter when working with the MBTA website
• Suggested areas of focus for improving accessibility
Several people commented that there is a lot going on with the site, which can make it difficult to use for everyone, but especially for people with vision impairments. One participant does not use the site because it’s too busy, and “things jump around.” Another can’t use her preferred mode of large text because the site is not designed to be flexible, and adapt to large fonts—when she enlarges the font, things get “jumbled.” Another prefers to look at the print preview of the itinerary
page because it is less cluttered than the main page.
Discussion
What can you do right away to bring users into decision-making?
