How User Centered Design processes meets business

User Centered Design (UCD)

UCD is an people-centric design and development approach with its own tools and techniques

It (arguably and non-exclusively) draws on aspects of:

• Business and customer goal elicitation
  
• Human behavior, research, ergonomics, psychology
• Process and task analysis
  
• Market research, branding, satisfaction metrics and activities

It's aimed to create a better user experience ( I like this definition too), as the process and outcome leverages off as much information about people, their goals and needs and behaviors. It also aims to increase traceability regarding how each aspect of a website (IA, page design, graphical treatment, branding etc) or product works towards meeting the need of the client (and in turn supporting the mission of the company behind it).

UCD discovery provides insights into which cues to use when designing a task paths in website or product. that people can detect more easily to carry out that task. We eliminate any barriers towards outcomes, in the design and meets required outcomes e.g. encourage longer not shorter stays. It also allows us create inexpensive prototypes to validate information paths and interface design quickly and easily before investing more money and time in development and design.

What User Centered Design (UCD) does for projects

There is increased competition and demands to deliver 'less with more'. User Centered Design' (UCD) is an approach proven to:

• Cut development time and design iterations,
  
• Save and make money in terms of:
  
  • Mitigating risk
  • Reducing design and development time and iterations
    
  • Increasing site traffic
  • Reducing shopping cart/transaction abandonment
    
  • Increase sales and inquiry conversions

UCD has been successfully integrated into development lifecycles such as Agile and RUP. It is widely used in companies such as Hewlett Packard, ANZ Bank, Google, Apple and even Microsofts X-Box Game Halo.

UCD myths

Contrary to popular or misinformed belief, User Centered Design does not:

• Reduce you to catering for users that may not be able to deal with feature, design and interactive rich websites e.g. designing for an 80 year old on a dial up internet connection (though hopefully they will have an appropriate alternative version to use)
  
• Subordinate designers to the whimsy of business analysts or other team members
• Mean you have to get users in and out of a site with their business done as fast as possible every time
• Increase project costs - whilst there are costs to UCD activities they can be justified in cost savings as discussed above
  

How UCD is profitable, project and business focused

Running a business its about:

• Making money
  
• producing the best possible outcomes for a business and its customers which makes money
• Keeping the company running, staff paid and investors happy

Implementing User Centered Design in your business or enterprise gives you:

• A collaborative, flexible approach to web and solution design. This does not stifle the creative process or creative people
• Design, aesthetic and creative vision informed by strategic and business goals, key tasks and site audience capability throughout the design project
• A participatory and multidisciplinary approach to projects eliminating technical and design 'gotchas' later in a project. e.g. 'I can't/won't do that it will wreck the design vision/aesthetic', 'We cant do that its not possible' during the build. Everyone participants and levereages off each others knowledge and skills
  
• All team members , the overall project and design are firmly aligned with your or your clients business goals
• Requirements communicated through to design
  

We're not designing a 'Monet' for the wall to merely look at. A design should alive, touchable, pleasing, attractive and on brand . It's a website or product for your customer that also has to meet its goals, support tasks and support the company mission.

And there is no reason we can't enjoy the process along the way...