User research for interaction design Introduction

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User research for interaction design
Introduction

• Victor Kaptelinin
• vklinin_at_informatik.umu.se090-786 5927
• Feb 16, 2006

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Outline

• Introductions
• Why UR for ID?
• Digital transformation
• User research
• Interaction design
• Objectives of the course
• Structure of the course
• Literature
• Group work, presentations, and exam
• Theoretical perspectives

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Why UR for ID?

• Digital transformation
• Technoromanticism is over
• Successes and failures
• Bokus.com vs boo.com
• Palm Pilot
• Ericsson vs. Nokia
• Context the whale of a problem
• From cognitivist to contextual HCI
• The need (and promise!) to bridge technology and
  people

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User research

• Jacob Nielsen on user research
• User research is a reality check. It tells you
  what really happens when people use computers.
  You can speculate on what customers want, or you
  can find out. The latter is the more fruitful
  approach. Research offers an understanding of how
  users behave online, and is a solid foundation on
  which to build a design.
• Job market http//www.peakusability.com.au/resour
  ces/usabilitysalarysurvey.htm

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Interaction design

• the process that is arranged within existing
  resource constraints to create, shape, and decide
  all use-oriented qualities (structural,
  functional, ethical, and aesthetic) of a digital
  artifact for one or many clients.
• Löwgren and Stolterman, 2004

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The expanding scope of interaction design
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UR focuses on understanding of

• Users goals
• What users actually do
• Personal, social, cultural characteristics the
  users bring to the tasks
• How users are influenced by physical environments
• How users previous knowledge and experience
  influence how they think about their work
• What users value most 

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Origins of UR

• Ethnography
• Cognitive psychology
• Technical documentation
• Instructional systems design
• Market research
• Scientific management
• Participatory design in the Scandinavian model

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Objectives of the course

• You are expected to learn a variety of
  approaches, methods, and techniques that help
  understand users and inform design of better
  interactive products

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Literature
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Lectures and seminars

• Schedule
• Assignment discussion are obligatory
• Most slides will be available on course web pages
  (subject to changes)
• Room for presentations and discussions pf
  assignments

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Assignments and presentations

• Application of concepts and methods studied
  within the course to real-life systems, devices,
  applications, and appliances
• Think about appropriate objects of study
• Formulate your ideas, criticisms, and design
  suggestions
• Reflect on the methods you use
• Written account (2-3 pages)

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Assignments and presentations The schedule

• Asssignment Deadline
• 1. Observation (ind) Feb 24
• 2. Scenarios (gr) Feb 28
• 3. Personas (gr) March 6
• 4. Contextual design (gr) March 9

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Exam

• Hemtenta 41

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Theoretical perspectives in UR
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What do people actually do when they use
computers?

• People solve problems using their knowledge and
  skills
• cognitive science
• Different people do different things, we need to
  go out there and take a close look
• ethnography
• People themselves know better what they do, so
  let's invite them to take part in the process of
  design
• participatory design
• People use computers as tools for achieving
  meaningful goals
• activity theory