making happy users: the science behind great user experiences

MAKING HAPPY USERSThe science behind good user experiences

Hilary Little, Senior Usability Architect, CBSA @HiLittleFriday, 9 August, 13

97% of websites fail at UX

Friday, 9 August, 13

“It really just means making sure that something works well: that a person of average ability and experience can use the thing – whether it’s a web site, remote control, or revolving door – for its intended purpose without getting hopelessly frustrated.”

– Steve Krug

Friday, 9 August, 13

There’s a process for that.

Friday, 9 August, 13

User Centred Design

DesignResearch Test

Friday, 9 August, 13

functional

reliable

usable

pleasurable

Hierarchy of UX needs

Available and accurate

Easy to use

Enjoyable to use

Works as coded

Friday, 9 August, 13

functional

reliable

usable

pleasurable

Works as coded

Available and accurate

Easy to use

{Test the code

Enjoyable to use

Measuring success

Friday, 9 August, 13

functional

reliable

usable

pleasurable

Works as coded

Available and accurate

Easy to use

{Test the code

{Test the design

Enjoyable to use

Measuring success

Friday, 9 August, 13

Observe them in theirnatural habitat

Friday, 9 August, 13

“Ford’s quality ratings plunged and a

feature meant to increase loyalty

instead damaged perceptions of the

company.”Nick Bunkley, NYT

Ask Ford.

Friday, 9 August, 13

Do not ask users what they want

"If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses."

Henry Ford

Friday, 9 August, 13

Observe them

What users say and what they do are different.

Friday, 9 August, 13

Friday, 9 August, 13

Outdated design process

Design decision

Revise

DoneClient likes it?

YesNo

Friday, 9 August, 13

“One of usability’s most hard-earned lessons is that ‘you are not the user.’ If you work on a development project, you’re atypical by definition.” -Jakob Nielsen

Friday, 9 August, 13

Outdated design process

Design decision

Revise

DoneClient likes it?

YesNo

Friday, 9 August, 13

Evidence-based design process

Design decision

Iterate

Keep itUsers successful?

YesNo

Test with users

Friday, 9 August, 13

Total cost of one design decision

Time

10,800 additional person days

Money

$3 million dollars in additional operating

costs

Risk

At least 60 additional targeters

Friday, 9 August, 13

But I hate users and I want them to suffer.

Friday, 9 August, 13

More time for developmentLess time doing maintenance

Dodge design torpedoes Users will love you

Friday, 9 August, 13

Based on R. Pressman (2000), Software Engineering: A Practitioner's Approach and Ehrlich and Rohn, Cost-Justification of Usability Engineering: A Vendor’s Perspective, In Bias & Mayhew (1994) Cost-Justifying Usability.

$1000

$10,000

THE COST OF FIXING BAD DESIGN

Design Develop Deploy

$100

Friday, 9 August, 13

“Provide a simple and convenient payment option”

- PRESTO

“PRESTO – It’s that easy”

“Life is easier with PRESTO”

Friday, 9 August, 13

“Maddening, cumbersome, punitive.”

“I call it ‘PAINSTO’.”

“There are so many terms and conditions on the website. It scares

the crap out of you.”

- CUSTOMERS

Friday, 9 August, 13

“I want convenient, easy and fast fare payment.”

Friday, 9 August, 13

Friday, 9 August, 13

“Uptime of the website meets or exceeds PRESTO standards. Customer convenience features are functional and available.”

functional

reliable

usable

pleasurable

Available and accurate

Easy to use

Enjoyable to use

Works as coded

x

x

Friday, 9 August, 13

Really?

Friday, 9 August, 13

Friday, 9 August, 13

“I am no longer a Presto user.”

Friday, 9 August, 13

You don’t know it’s usable until you test it with users.

Friday, 9 August, 13

Ninja UX: Prototype designs.Test them with users.See where they run into problems.Fix them.

Friday, 9 August, 13

Sweet spot: 5 users

Friday, 9 August, 13

•4-6 tasks

•Create a prototype

•Ask users to “think aloud”

•No coaching!

Friday, 9 August, 13

Bad task:Search for Line 367 - Amount for children born in 1995 or later.

Good task:You are ready to start your tax return. This year, you had your first child. Find information on what deductions you are now entitled to.

Friday, 9 August, 13

“You’re traveling abroad in two weeks and your passport is about to expire. How might you renew it before you go so you don’t need to cancel your vacation?”

“Fill out the Simplified Adult Passport Application Form.”

Friday, 9 August, 13

Recruiting users

Friday, 9 August, 13

Metrics

•Task completion rates

•Errors

•Time on task

•Satisfaction

Friday, 9 August, 13

Designing for pleasure:

It’s all in the details.

http://nothingbutbonfires.com/photos/1838342742/set/72157603044198558

Friday, 9 August, 13

Answer questions before they’re

asked.

List of ways to design for pleasure from: : http://boxesandarrows.com/from-satisfaction-to-delight/

Friday, 9 August, 13

Communicate using a heightened degree of respect, tolerance and

empathy.

Friday, 9 August, 13

Maximize user capacity for insight, curiosity and perception; create the desire to engage.

Friday, 9 August, 13

Intelligently personalize experiences based on past needs, behaviors or purchases.

Friday, 9 August, 13

Recognize connections or relationships of value to the user.

Friday, 9 August, 13

Demonstrate that you know and understand the user.

Friday, 9 August, 13

Provide pleasant surprises.

Friday, 9 August, 13

UX

functional

reliable

usable

pleasurable

Works as coded

Available and accurate

Easy to use

{Test the code

{Test the design

Enjoyable to use

Design decision

Iterate

Keep itUsers successful?

YesNo

Test with users

Friday, 9 August, 13

Ninja UX Code of Honor

• Know your user, and you are not your user.

• Don’t ask users what they want.

• Make design decisions based on data, not opinion.

• Treat design as a hypothesis to test.

• Fail early and fail often.

• Go the extra mile.UX

Friday, 9 August, 13

Go make happy users!

UX

Friday, 9 August, 13