UCDUser Centred Design

By Mathew Devey

• Putting the user at the heart of the design process

• Combining user research and design methodologies to make informed decisions

• An iterative process that requires users to have input (directly and indirectly) early on and throughout the design process

What is UCD?

• Making informed decisions that reduce the business risks associated with high levels of assumption

• Leads to products users will actively want, use and recommend.

• Has been shown reduced development costs and time

Benefits of UCD

• Highly formal, drawn out research processes that blow project timelines out

• “I want it to do this”, “I always think of it like...” are phrases that should never be used in a UCD project. The user doesn’t care what you want!

• Restricted to interfaces or technologies

• A new idea

UCD Is Not…

UCD Design Process

Concept

Use research to develop a concept Initial design, prototype

evaluation and iteration

An iteration that learns from usability testing will result in a product we know users will use.

Research

Finds out what the business and user's needs actually are

Post-launchUsers needs and behaviour change over time so we need to keep track of it

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2

3, 4 & 5

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ImplementationOnce the design has been validated this is when recoding may be required

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6

UCD Case Study

The Fender Telecaster

• One of the most successful examples of industrial design

• Unchanged, yet still a market leader, 60 years later

• Iterated / evolved into the most popular guitar ever!

• A true David and Goliath battle

The Fender Telecaster

Then (1952)

The Fender Telecaster

Now

Designed in 1952 by

Clarence Leonidas "Leo" Fender

Leo…

• Didn’t play the guitar

• Owned a radio repair shop

• Studied accounting

• Wasn’t cool!

Played By

Competing Against

Gibson Guitar Corporation

• Experienced Instrument Manufacturers (since 1894)

• Established Market Leaders

The Fender Telecaster

“Leo got it right the first time”

– Keith Richards

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The UCD Advantage

The Design Process

Problem statement

• Design a guitar that can be heard in busy / noisy venues

Proposed solution

• A solid body (rather than traditional hollow body) guitar with electronic pickups

The Design Process

Current state of the market

Traditional hollow body ‘Spanish’ style guitars

The Design Process

A new idea? Yes and no…

• Electronic pickups had recently been invented fed back at high volumes (on hollow body guitars)

• Solid body designs had briefly been considered (by a couple of manufacturers) but being such a strange concept (at the time) were quickly dismissed; based on the assumption consumers wouldn’t like/want them

The Design Process

Rickenbacker’s “Frying Pan”

The Design Process

Les Paul’s “The Log”

1. Research

Leo spoke to customers and discovered…

• Most professional musician don’t earn a lot of money!

Many wanted a ‘work horse’ instrument that’s reliable, tough enough to survive touring and easy to maintain and repair

Not the expensive, ornate, hand crafted instruments offered by Gibson

1. Research

Leo involved users in the design process

• He drew two lines on a piece of paper (representing the ‘bridge’ and ‘nut’ that all guitars must have) and asked musicians to sketch different designs.

2. Concept

Initial prototype

2. Concept

Very different from

2. Concept

Key Features

• Simple design that’s easy/cheap to mass produceBand sawn body rather than hand carved

• One piece, replaceable, bolt on neckEasier to build, service and replace than a traditional glued on neck

• Easy to setup / adjustCan be done by the musicians themselves

• Indestructible. Built like a tank!Roadworthy

3, 4, 5. Evaluate and Iterate

Leo tested his prototype with users

• By inviting local hillbilliesmusicians over to play prototypes

3, 4, 5. Evaluate and Iterate

Then incorporated their feedback into his design

6. Implementation

Finally releasing his product into the market (once the necessary QA was conducted)

And changing the sound of popular music forever!

7. Post LaunchLeo canvased feedback from his customers

They told him…

• The square edges of the guitar dug into their ribs and forearm (by the end of a long gig)

• They wanted a wider tonal palette

• They wanted more control over micro adjustments

• They wanted a whammy bar!

7. Post Launch

Leo incorporated this feedback and designed the most popular guitar ever!

• By designing ingenious solutions

• And copying the solutions others came up with*

…innovation and plagiarism collaboration* One musician cut contours into the body of his telecaster (to make it more comfortable). Leo incorporating these exact contours into this new guitar.

Subsequent iteration… The Stratocaster

The most popular guitar ever!

Designed by

A non musicianWho didn’t have a lot in common with his customers!

Used by

The worlds most successful musicians

…and me!

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Conclusion

Lessons

User input is important

Although Leo conceived the initial idea…

• The success of both the telecaster and Stratocaster was due to the involvement of real users at every step of the process. They essentially co-designed the instruments (so it’s no surprise they appealed to other musicians too)!

• Leo’s ability to canvas user feedback, facilitate (and listen) was just as important as his ability to ideate.

• Without speaking to users Leo would never have known there was a gap in the market for affordable ‘work horse’ guitars

LessonsAssumptions are risky

Although Gibson were the market leader…

• They assumed their customers were only interested in what they currently bought. In reality many musicians wanted something different but there was no viable alternative

• They assumed what had previously made them successful would continue to do so

• They placed too much confidence in their collective experience and failed to engage their customers (to fully understand the nuances of their needs and expectations)

• They were too close to the problem!