UCD: Understanding users.

Why evaluating users is important. The one line answer is "Users are not you". So far we have looked at the two approaches to the development of the design process e.g. involving users and experts. But now the important thing is to understand users. What they really are and why to understand them? so that we could better get them involved in the whole process.

Understanding the user needs can be achieved via cognitive walkthrough (user characteristics) or via the user research. It involves the research how humans attend to any thing whats the limitation of human perception and Memory. The important questions are what users can do and what they cannot. The Eye Tracking study have mentioned the F pattern visualization of humans. In previous section I have talked about it.

The above image is the curtsy of http://www.enquiroresearch.com/eyetracking-report.aspx equiro research group.

Along with that one should be very selective in choosing the visual affect of the systems. It should be easily perceivable. One more limitation of the humans is that they cant remember more than 7/+-2. This scenario was even demonstrated in our multimedia class when the students were asked to try to memorize the digits. The system design should be such that no more than 5-7 things a users should be memorizing in their short term memory.

Now that we have recognized the limitations of the humans now how can we extract information from the users?

• Observations
  
• Interviews
  
• Quaternaries
  

Interacting with the users is the only way to interact and encounter the real time requirements.

``Ethnography is a culture-studying culture.'' (Spradley, 1979)

Observing users in their real perspective helps better understanding them.

Interviews can be structured or unstructured. In the first kind only a predefined set of questions are asked. And in unstructured a general discussion is held. But semi structured interviews are the most successful ones in order to better understand the users. Interviewing a focus group is another way of interviewing in this way we can involve users in a debate where they can negate each other views and you can get a better idea of the things going on. As compared to Observations interviews can take lesser time. Questionnaires or surveys are another way of involving users. But problem with the surveys is that you should know in advance what exactly to know. Surveys narrow down the domain by your own knowledge because your are the one who are arranging the questions.