BEYOND USABILITY

A bunch of stuff
2
 to.

To a sense of order
3
 to.

To User Experience
4
UX aims are:
▹ To study user behaviour
▹ To understand user motivation
▹ To design better product
interaction

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 Confusing Intimidating User
systems systems frustration

It is not user flaws but flawed design

that needs fixing

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USER EXPERIENCE IS A
COLLABORATIVE ROLE
Designers . Developers . Project Managers . Business Analyst . Marketers .
Users

• Everyone capitalizes on their skillsets collaboratively

• Turn something that is complex to something that is simple and empathic

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USER EXPERIENCE IS A
COLLABORATIVE ROLE
Designers . Developers . Project Managers . Business Analyst . Marketers .
Users

• UX is more than just UI

• UX is a mindset that needs to be shared by the whole team
• The team must empathise with users
• Do users need the product you are making?
• Do they want it enough that they will pay for it, learn to
use it or look for it to own it?
• Does it have all the key features user needs?
• Does it have a feature that user will never use?
• How should the content be organized so user can find what
they need?
• Is your system easy to use, simple, engaging?
• Is the product visually appealing, usable and accessible?

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USER EXPERIENCE IS A
COLLABORATIVE ROLE
Designers . Developers . Project Managers . Business Analyst . Marketers .
Users

• Achieved by User Centered Design.

• Balancing the needs of humans to technology feasibility and business viability
• A business cannot succeed without a happy customer
• How can the technology be made available and affordable
for users?

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USER EXPERIENCE IS A
COLLABORATIVE ROLE
Designers . Developers . Project Managers . Business Analyst . Marketers .
Users

• Most importantly acknowledge that humans have a voice

• Emphasize on context of use – how best can you deliver the solution
• The more we know, the faster we can get to work and iterate to achieve solution

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PROCESS OF UX Design

▹ Faster way to better solution

▹ Effective work process
▹ Greater productivity
▹ Push forward towards novelty or innovation

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PROCESS OF UX Design

▹ Faster way to better solution

▹ Effective work process
▹ Greater productivity
▹ Push forward towards novelty or innovation

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PROCESS OF UX Design

▹ Faster way to better solution

▹ Effective work process
▹ Greater productivity
▹ Push forward towards novelty or innovation

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PROCESS OF UX Design

▹ The UX Pyramid helps in categorising UX effort and

tracking progress
▹ It is based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
▹ When met can harness customer engagement, customer
loyalty, customer advocacy, customer spend

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 PROCESS OF UX Design

▹ Faster way to better solution

▹ Effective work process
▹ Greater productivity
▹ Push forward towards novelty or innovation Focus on user’s
experience while
using the product

Focus on user’s
ability to complete
task

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 PROCESS OF UX Design
UX Pyramid Level Characteristics

Level 1: Functional • No bugs, errors and outages

- Does it work? • It has some purpose; someone has a need for it
• Includes all key features
• Passes basic accessibility

Level 2: Reliable • Loads in reasonable time, even in peak periods

- Is it available • Content is current and accurate
and accurate? • Data is clean and reliable
• It can be used effectively on mobile devices and standard device types

Level 3: Usable • Users don’t get lost or confused

- Can it be used • Users can easily find the content or products they are interested in
without • It has a short learning curve
difficulty? • Meets basic UX heuristics and best practice

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 PROCESS OF UX Design
UX Pyramid Level Characteristics
Level 4: • Users want to use it
Convenient • Users actively find situations and reasons to use it more
- Does it fit in my • Users recommended, up-vote and rate it
behavior/work?
- Does it work the
way I expected?

Level 5: • Users invest themselves into it

Pleasurable • Users promote, share and evangelise it
- Do I enjoy using • It becomes part of the user’s regular routine
it?
- Would I share
my experience
with others?

Level 6: • Users love it

Meaningful • User feels product brings meaning to their lives
- Does the product
have personal or
social
significance? 17
PROCESS OF user experience

▹ Time and budget should be allocated for testing

▹ Should be done formatively
▹ On sketches
▹ On design concept
▹ On wireframes
▹ On final designs
▹ On beta releases
▹ Testing is very essential for large and long lasting
projects
▹ Testing prior to release has limitations
▸ It is not possible to cover all kinds of scenarios or all user types
▸ Must be ready to refine even after release

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BENEFITS OF user experience

▹ Faster way to better solution

▹ Effective work process
▹ Greater productivity
▹ Push forward towards novelty or innovation

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Ethical considerations

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WORKING WITH users

▹ Do you get representatives from specific population?

− Findings may not be generalizable
− Different audience respond to tasks differently – age,
background, education levels, skills
− Easier with individual participants but how about group
dynamics?
▹ Narrow down to demographic requirements and study
goals

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WORKING WITH users

▹ The participants should have some difference in

abilities, (or gender or age, etc.) allowing comparisons
to a certain degree
▹ The number of users
− Trade-offs between information that can be gained and the
cost of conducting them
− Is it possible to conduct one user study?
− Dependent on context of study and environment of problem
domain
− Getting participants
− Where do you find them?
− How do you motivate their interest

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WORKING WITH users

▹ Respect thy user

▸ Do not assume participants have the HCI knowledge/understanding
as you do
▸ Do not assume they have the same mental model of the artefact as
you do
▹ Get their informed consent
▸ Asking permission for participation either as user or guardian
▸ Describe who you are, what the study is about and how they would
benefit
▸ Explain the risks involved (if any)
▸ Allowing the options to remove themselves from study
▸ Affirm confidentiality
▸ Providing source for further information A form of agreement
▸ Requires approval of a review board
context is about
protecting their rights,
health and safety
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WORKING WITH users

▹ Your Don’t Own Users

▸ Do not abuse consent given by participants
− Removal from study means you cannot report their performance
− Not all users are aware of their rights – educate them (!)
− Do not over-exert them, emotionally and physically
▸ Deception
− Some research may have legitimate reasons to be less forthcoming about
study goals
− To create realism in study setting
− Enabling participants to act more genuine
▹ User is not perfect
▸ As humans are involved, conflicts are expected. We settle with
design trade-offs.
- Accept better solutions, do away with optimal solutions
- The choice is based on informed decisions
- Examples: QWERTY vs DVORAK, usability vs security, innovation vs
sustainability

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Future Trends

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 1 employee to 6
83% companies
devices in
globally adopt
accessing
mobile work
company
styles
network

1/3 work from

Better
home, field sites
collaborative
or
technology now
customer/partner
available
locations Ergonomics
and Digital
Workspace
 Trend now is to work
For people who work
from home at coffee Make a few simple
on the move, a car is
shop. Most coffee adjustments for a
a common work
shops were designed more ergonomic and
environment resulting
to lounge around with truly mobile work
in all kinds of
coffee and friends – environment.
awkward postures.
not work
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SOCIAL computing

▹ An area of computer science that is concerned with intersection of

social behavior and computational systems
▹ Its presence creates or recreates social conventions and social
context with the use of software and technology
▹ Contain components that support and represent social constructs
▸ Identity – who you are on the digital space
▸ Reputation, presence – why are you significant in the digital space
▸ Trust & accountability – why should people trust what you
say/share? Why should people trust interacting with you?
▸ Social roles – depending on who you interact with, the roles may
change (i.e. friends, mentor, tutor/educator, marketing)
▸ Ownership – who owns the data in the digital space?

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SOCIAL computing

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 SOCIAL computing

CREATORS CRITICS COLLECTORS JOINERS SPECTATORS INACTIVES

• Write • Comment • Subscribe • Maintain • Read

• Publish • Contribute • Tag/ favourites/ profiles • Watch/ listen
• Upload vote • Network sites • Browse/ visit
• Collaborate
• share

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 SOCIAL computing

▹ Why?

INTERACT
MAKE DECISIONS SHAPED HUMANS ARE SOCIAL
BY SOCIAL CONTEXT BEING

• Expressions • To eat • Just because…

• Gestures • To buy
• Spoken word • To join programmes
• Written word • To watch movies/listen to
songs

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SOCIAL computing

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SOCIAL computing

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SOCIAL computing

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SOCIAL computing

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SOCIAL computing

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SOCIAL computing

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 THE future

• The 21st century will confront us with completely new generations of

technologies, services, and products based on computer technologies.
• New generations of interfaces have to master fundamental societal and
technological challenges:

COMPLEXITY
A GREYING RAPID INVISIBLE
OF
SOCIETY DEVELOPMENT TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGIES
• an increasingly • short • Lack of skilled • Ubiquitous
aged work force technological life workers to embedded
cycles handle it system
• Fast changing • Fast changing technologies
technological technical
systems environments
• fast changing
mental models of
technology
• Demands of
competition
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 HOW HCI grew

Divers • Ergonomics, Human factors

e • Usability, usability engineering
Resear • User-centered design covering input and output mechanisms
ch
Paradi
gms

Quanti • Psychological Processes

tative • Cognitive Functioning
Model • Theoretical Approaches
ling of • Signal-detection theory, working memory, Fitts Law, Information Theory
Huma
n
Behavi
our
Standa
rdizati • Legalizations and certifications on global ground
on and • Health and safety a major component
Qualit
y
Manag
ement
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 HOW HCI grew – the impact

Marketable and
More Sophisticated
Productivity Improves Commercialized
Interfaces
Products
• Higher execution • Ergonomic to • Inventions from
speed cognitive to affective university picked by
• Fewer errors + hedonic designs industry
• Decrement of costs • Command-based to • Industry also conducts
• Increased user direct manipulation of research
satisfaction graphical objects
• New forms of
information
management – blogs,
chats, social media

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HOW HCI grew – the blindspots

• blind spots and unfavourable developments have occurred

• should be carefully analysed and translated into time-critical sensitive measures
• within education, research and industrial practice
• As consequence, we are missing the comprehensive HCI professionals of
tomorrow
• the lack of appropriate academic HCI education
• leads to “small-minded” HCI knowledge in industrial production
• “monoculturally” educated engineers.
• Modern and highly competitive industrial practise would significantly
profit from transdisciplinary educated HCI professionals,
• Resulting into new and innovative human-centred products

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 HOW HCI grew – the blindspots

Separation of Usability and Single Shortcomings

“Discipline” of HCI
Acceptance Causes Domino Effect

No meta-concept that looks at

HCI topics are treated within combining theories, disciplinary
different disciplines. perspectives, methods, and tools.
a product/service can be usable,
but also completely rejected.
Need a comprehensive framework
that pursues societal developments
and human needs
Theories, models, and methods are
not communicated across
disciplinary borders.
Need to adaptively react to
changing technological
environments, user profiles and
motives.
The focus on merely asking users
how efficient or useful an interface
Disciplines tend to compete or might be.
ignore each other. Universal framework looking at
time, technology and context

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FUTURE HCI - rethinking paradigms
▹ HCI has always focused on functional perspective.
▸ According to ISO 9241 usability is measured by effectiveness (how successful
is the interaction), efficiency (how fast is the interaction), and satisfaction
(how satisfied are users when interacting with the interface).
▹ Now there is an increased diversity of users, contexts, and technology
types
▸ Traditional approaches and human factors practises usually do not reflect the
importance of (positive) emotions.
▹ The technology advancements have called for inclusion of emotional or
affective designs.
▸ Technology is one of the sensitive part in HCI
▸ The concern on individuals’ well-being, pleasure and fun when interacting
with technology
▸ studies show that users desire more than the mere functioning of technology,
but prefer interfaces with a high social value.

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FUTURE HCI - rethinking paradigms
▹ Communicative usability
▸ Looks at the communicative quality of the human-computer interface
and quality of user support tools (e.g. training, manual, tutorials).
▸ Users can easily get frustrated
■ unreasonably structured information, vague instructions
■ inappropriate naming conventions, inscrutable dialogues
■ missing feedback
▸ Consider human-human communication on information transfer
▸ The use of language by humans to describe their view on the world,
to interact with each other and dealing with social and technological
environments in order to solve problems and to learn.

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FUTURE HCI - rethinking methods
▹ The cross-disciplinary of HCI causes some challenges
■ use different terms for the same thing (e.g. ergonomics and
human factors)
■ use the same or similar terms for different things (e.g. HCI for
Human Computer Interaction vs. Human Computer Interface).
▸ Different disciplinary languages, value systems, and scientific
approaches build up barriers for understanding
▸ An expert in one subfield of a discipline is unlikely to be an
expert in the other.

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 FUTURE HCI - rethinking designs

HCI interfaces should be designed in

HCI designs should focus on the
order to meet requirements and needs of
“diversity” of users, using contexts,
all users, providing universal access.
technology types and domains.
Focus on basic senses, cognitions,
Determinants include social, cultural
psychomotor functions and basic
context and individual needs
emotions.

▹ The two positions above may seem contradictory but should be

applied
▸ Interface design that meets universal demands looks into information
processing and fit between technical interfaces to the users
▹ Usage context are now broader
▸ fun, aesthetics, experience, gender, cultural diversity, trustworthiness,
security, safety, intimacy, individual abilities
▸ The consideration of the above ensures users’ satisfaction and
acceptance
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FUTURE HCI - rethinking users

▹ The development of present technology seems to be limited to

dominantly young, technology experienced, Western, middle- and
upper class males.
▹ Design approaches must undergo a radical change
▸ Consider current societal trends
▸ inclusion of a diverse user group and how technology might impact
them

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FUTURE HCI - rethinking users

in 2050, > 30% of

the population will
be 65 years and
older.

Aging
Older users are
Older adults will
keen on new
be confronted with
technology but
various
have higher
technologies and
demands on usable
urged to use it
interface

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 FUTURE HCI - rethinking users

Accessibility issues
Experience with between “computer
Technology literate” and those
who are not

The ongoing
diffusion of technical
devices in all parts of
daily life.
older users have
The need for age- different needs,
sensitive interface abilities and
designs competencies
compared to other
user group

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 FUTURE HCI - rethinking users

Mental
model of
technology:

Technology is
rapidly
changing and
innovation
cycles is faster.

Mobile devices
are often
miniaturized but Users especially
offers wide elderlies find it
range of hard to keep up
functionality Mental model
has changed
(desktop ->
ubiquitous ->
embedded)
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 FUTURE HCI - rethinking users

Limited screen
Small screens space is
and mobile use problematic in
Altering from one contexts has providing
interface design higher usability optimized
to another demand information
requires mental access.
effort and User deals with
cognitive load many amounts
of technology
thanks to
ubiquitous
computing

Different
Cognitive technology
complexity different
interface design.

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FUTURE HCI - rethinking context

▹ Human beings do not use a single technology in isolation; they use

technical artifacts as part of a complex situation.
▹ Contextual factors are influencing how humans act with
technology
▹ The term ‘context’ covers a broad range of factors as they form a
rich contextual framework including the professional or personal
workplace

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 FUTURE HCI - rethinking context

• Liking and evaluating a design may be influenced by cultural upbringing

Culture & • Most icon designs rely on metaphors and may have different meaning to
Society others

• the way humans use technological artifacts is affected by domain (e.g.,

industry, military, home, etc.).
Domain • Affects human expectations and behaviour

• consider how new technologies and services influence the environment

Organization/ and vice versa.
Workplace • Consider human values and product usability

• Consider ethical, personal and wider societal concerns into the design
• Design trade-offs need to consider various parties affected by the proposed
User/ Designer technology
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FUTURE HCI - rethinking tasks

▹ The use of a technology is part of a complex situation and

overarching interests.
▹ Tasks are the result of former decisions, directed by individual
tasks needs and institutional goals
▸ Which don’t necessarily complement each other
▹ Technologies should be seen as artifacts reaching fundamental
goals as to feel good and enjoy your life
▸ Technologies are very integral part of behaviour and living spaces.
▹ A deeper insight in fundamental human goals is needed, but also—
context-related—culturally ethically and socially adapted goal
hierarchies as well as societal ways of interacting, thinking,
working and living.

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FUTURE HCI - rethinking technology

▹ HCI and usability research has shown little attention for the
interrelation of technology type and user interface design.
▸ Different technologies, tasks and purposes may require different
interface solution
▹ The increasing diversity of technologies have profound effects on
the design of human computer interfaces.
▸ The design of wearables and hidden technology.
▸ The use of technology to augment human senses, mind and body
▹ This brings the issues of ethics
▸ trade-off between technical feasibility and usefulness
▸ protection of intimacy and privacies

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 FUTURE HCI - demands

Quality
HCI Education HCI Research Industrial Practice
Management
• Integrate HCI in • Interdisciplinary • users as a valuable • The changing
academia and and source for new technologies,
trainings. transdisciplinary ideas and societal, economic
• The complexity of research innovations and legal demands
HCI challenges • The use of • The integration of require new ways
requires inter-, comprehensive user perspectives of quality
trans- and toolkit of models enables the management
multidisciplinary and methods. profiting from user • Create an
approaches • Research insights and integrative HCI
• comprehensive frameworks that customer “seal” similar to
understanding of integrates different experience. ISO seal
different types of methods, • helps to find new • The use of seal
disciplinary tools, and data ideas for products ensures that human
framework, types. in an early stage of needs are taken into
paradigms and the innovation consideration
methods cycle and optimize within well thought
product out design
generations.

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