Analysis for User Centered Design

Analysis activities include the following stages listed in the text:

• Needs Analysis. Here the root concept of the project is determined. It provides a general direction for starting the user-centered design project.
• User and Task Analysis.This stage involves learning about users and the tasks they do within the domain of the root concept.
• Functional Analysis. In this step, the functions of the interactive system are formalized.
• Setting Usability Requirements. Here the design team formalizes specific usability outcomes that the interactive system should meet. These outcomes need to be measurable.

Frequently, these analysis activities are combined into one phase.

User and Task Analysis

This activity is frequently called user research. One of the goals is to ensure that the interactive system provides the functions users need (utility). Also, knowledge of users are helpful for making good design decisions in later phases.

Methods for learning about users and tasks

Common approaches include:

• Interviews (includes contextual inquiry)
• Questionnaires
• Focus groups
• Naturalistic observation (alt term: Field observation)
• Studying documentation (e.g. policies, procedures)

Additional related approaches:

• Technical support logs
• Participatory analysis (alt term: collaborative analysis)
• Competitive analysis

Finally, it is always a good idea to look at similar, existing products and see what functions they provide their users.

Describing users

The following characteristics are probably the most important for describing users (adapted from Usability Engineering by Jacob Nielsen, p. 44):

• Experience with previous or similar products
• General computer experience
• Knowledge of domain

Describing tasks

• Artifact analysis
• Task decomposition (with hierarchies)
• Listing pros and cons of performing each task

Combining users and tasks

• Personas and Scenarios
• User/task matrices

Personas and scenarios are not covered in the text, but they are increasingly being used to present information on users (personas) and tasks (scenarios). Here are some good online resources:

• Creating personas
• Persona examples
• What to include in personas
• One page examples combining personas and scenarios

Discussion:

• Assume that you are interested in developing a Web site to support people in finding an apartment. What activities could you plan for learning about potential users and their problems and needs?
• What are the challenges of eliciting useful information in an interview? What methods address those challenges?
• What are some considerations for choosing the user research methods?