User Centred Design, for the long haul.
During a 9 month project with IDEO, Air New Zealand took a user centred approach to improve seating design for their long haul services. They built full scale prototypes of cabin interiors to carry out design research, evaluating seating and service concepts with real passengers.
The project began in 2007 with a goal of understanding passenger [...]
When less is less and more is too much.
This Honda trunk-lid has been simplified and streamlined so much that the owner has crudely screwed on a ‘hardware store’ handle to make it easier to use.
This Mazda door entry has gone the other way by adding complexity; a key-code entry, which looked to me like it had never been touched, whereas the standard key-hole [...]
Picture, or thousand words?
Outcomes of UX research projects can be difficult to put in a nutshell, and a bullet pointed list sometimes just does not cut it.
As well as the usual deliverables emerging from a brief, I sometimes add a rich picture as a visual summary. These often originate from doodles generated while I’m trying to figure out [...]
Prototype, Test, Rinse & repeat
The value of iteration.
Switched-on digital agencies understand the value of user testing with early stage website mockups; ironing out sticking points and identifying opportunities to improve interaction design early, before committing to code.
During a day of back-to-back user interviews, ‘quick wins’, like changing a navigation item can be made in seconds and validated (or not) [...]
UX in the physical world
My latest project allows me to work on some interactions with a different kind of digital – gripping fingers and thumbs, … it’s taking me back to my surfboard building days.
It’s with a kiwi company developing a new type of mouse. I’m using UX methods to help refine the design, starting off with some user [...]
Running. A user centred business.
Where can I go for a run around here?
Concierge at my hotel in Singapore only needed to be asked this a few times before they found themselves offering directions.
…But all too often they’d spot their guests returning by taxi after getting lost in the suburbs.
This jogger’s map started out when a staff member sketched a [...]
Making the most of Optimal Treejack
If you want to find out how well your website navigation structure works for your customers, Treejack is a great tool for the job.
If you want to know why certain parts performed poorly, and what to do about it, you’ll need to get inside the head of your customer. The tools for this are your [...]
An augmented reality-check
Classic lack of end user understanding here from Weet Bix.
A marketing campaign using augmented reality aimed at early teenagers fell at the first hurdle owing to the myopic vision of those who designed the campaign.
Young All Black fans were supposed to hold a card from their cereal packet up to their webcam to experience their [...]
Equal opportunities in User Centred Design?
IDEO, The worlds greatest proponent of User Centered Design have released a ‘toolkit’ to promote a human centred approach to social development projects.
It’s full of top tips… one of which seems worryingly chauvinistic…
If you can’t read the image, it kindly reminds us; “To ensure there is a balanced gender perspective involve female staff in all [...]
Back in Black
Since being back in New Zealand I’ve heard people reckoning we are a few years behind Europe and the States in terms of the acceptance of UX.
I’m back in London for a few weeks, consulting for Flow Interactive, … so if it’s true we kiwis are behind, I’m in an industry crystal ball here.
It’s great [...]