Introduction to UX

CMPT 363

“When creating great experiences, it’s not so much about doing what users expect. Instead, it’s about creating a design that clearly meets their needs at the instant they need it.”
– Jared Spool

Topics

  • User interfaces (UI) 
  • Interaction design (IxD)
  • User experience (UX)
  • Usability   
  • Measuring usability
  • User-centered design (UCD) 
  • UCD and “Mobile”

What is a User Interface (UI)?

A common boundary or surface between
the interactive system and the user

What is a User Interface?

All elements which provide communication between the interactive system and the user

Universal Model of a
User Interface

Copyright by respective copyright owners. Used without permission under the Fair Use Doctrine. Source:  http://www.baxleydesign.com/pdfs/dux03_baxleyUIModel.pdf

What is User Interface Design?

User interface design is the process of supporting the goals of the user, ideally in a friendly and articulate manner 

Activity: User Interface Design Case Study

HipMunk.com

Next Up,
What is Interaction Design (IxD)?

The structure and behaviours of an interactive product,
service, or system

Interaction Design Association:
2015 Interaction Design Awards

Founded by the Interaction Design Association (IxDA) in 2010 and first presented in 2012, the annual Interaction Awards celebrate design thought leadership and innovation around the globe. Each year, award recipients comprise a showcase demonstrating how interaction design impacts and improves human lives.

How Can We Define
User Experience?

“A person’s perceptions and responses that result from the use or anticipated use of a product, interactive system, or service.”
– ISO 9241-210

The User Experience Honeycomb

Copyright by respective copyright owners. Used without permission under the Fair Use Doctrine. Source:  http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6947/8/34/figure/F1

Copyright by respective copyright owners. Used without permission under the Fair Use Doctrine. Source:  http://www.jjg.net/elements/pdf/elements.pdf

Elements of the User Experience

Activity: User Experience

THINK-PAIR-SHARE
What are some examples of good or bad user experiences?

The Disciplines of User Experience

Copyright by respective copyright owners. Used without permission under the Fair Use Doctrine. Source:  http://www.kickerstudio.com

Time for Questions & Discussion

  • What we’ve covered so far 
    • What is a user interface?
    • What is user interface design?
    • What is interaction design? 
    • What is user experience design?                 
  • Coming up
    • What is usability?

What is Usability?

Usability Means...

Usability means that a person using a system finds it easy to understand and use

 

Usability Means...

A usable system allows a person to focus on their tasks,
and not on the system itself 

 

Usability Means...

A usable system most often does what a person expects

 

Ease-of-Use Pyramid 

Copyright by respective copyright owners. Used without permission under the Fair Use Doctrine. Source: Hanson and Castleman

What is Usability?

More specifically, usability can be defined as:

  • A measurement
  • A design approach

Usability as a Measurement
(as defined by Jakob Nielsen)

  • Learnability
  • Efficiency
  • Memorability
  • Error Rate
  • Satisfaction

Learnability

Learnability – how easy is it for novice users to work with the system?

Efficiency

Efficiency – how efficient is it for experienced users to work with the system?

Memorability

Memorability – how easy is it for less frequent users to remember how to use the system?

Error Rate

Error Rate – how many errors (on average) do users make when working with the system?

Satisfaction

Satisfaction – how pleasant do users find the system to work with?

Usability as a Measurement

Tradeoffs exist (i.e. learnability vs. efficiency)

Activity: Usability Assessment

Let's do a brief usability assessment for a local university website...

Usability Iceberg

Copyright by respective copyright owners. Used without permission under the Fair Use Doctrine. Source:  http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/library/w-berry/

Time for More Questions
and Discussion

  • What we’ve covered in this section 
    • What is usability?
    • Ease-of-use pyramid
    • Usability as a measurement
    • Usability iceberg
  • Coming up 
    • Usability as a design approach

Usability as a Design Approach

  • User-centered design (UCD)
  • Both a methodology and philosophy 

Goals of
User Centered/UX Design

Designing a Useful Product

  1. Internal combustion engine
  2. Four wheels with rubber tires 
  3. A transmission connecting the engine to the drive wheels 
  4. Engine and transmission mounted on a metal chassis 
  5. A steering wheel 
  6. To cut grass quickly and easily 
  7. To be comfortable to sit on 

Source: Scott McGregor

Aspects of an Enjoyable Product

  • Aesthetics
  • Appeal
  • Delight
  • Fun
  • Engagement
  • Emotions

Case Study:
Making an Enjoyable Product

User-Centered Design

Copyright by respective copyright owners. Used without permission under the Fair Use Doctrine. Source:  http://www.wqusability.com/articles/

“Requirements” Gathering

Copyright by respective copyright owners. Used without permission under the Fair Use Doctrine. Source:  http://usabilitygeek.com

Common UCD Activities

Copyright by respective copyright owners. Used without permission under the Fair Use Doctrine. Source:  http://www.indiana.edu/~usable/tools_templates.html

What About UCD and “Mobile”?

Responsive Web Design (RWD)

Copyright by respective copyright owners. Used without permission under the Fair Use Doctrine. Source:  http://www.paulolyslager.com/responsive-design-hype-solution/

Responsive Web Design

  • Content/interface universal for all devices 
  • One source of content, presented differently 
  • Key elements 
    • CSS media queries
    • Fluid grid layouts
    • Flexible images and media

RWD Also Changes the
Design Process

Copyright by respective copyright owners. Used without permission under the Fair Use Doctrine. Source:  http://viljamis.com/blog/2012/responsive-workflow/

Summary

  • User interfaces (UI) 
  • Interaction design (IxD)
  • User experience (UX)
  • Usability   
  • Measuring usability
  • User-centered design (UCD) 
  • UCD and “Mobile”
  • Responsive Web Design (RWD)

Reference and Suggested Books

  • A Project Guide to UX Design: For user experience designers in the field or in the making by Russ Unger and Carolyn Chandler
  • Don’t Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability, 2nd Edition by Steve Krug
  • The Design of Everyday Things by Donald A. Norman
  • Universal Principles of Design by William Lidwell, Kritina Holden, and Jill Butler
  • Usability Engineering by Jacob Nielsen
  • Useful Usability: Simple Steps For Making Stuff Better by Eric Reiss

CMPT-363-153 Introduction to UX Design

By Paul Hibbitts

CMPT-363-153 Introduction to UX Design

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