2008-11-24 User Experience. Some Thoughts On How To Improve It - Simo Säde - Etnoteam

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User Experience Some thoughts on how to improve it 24.11.2008 Mobile Monday Milano

Simo Säde, CEO, Etnoteam Finland Oy

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Etnoteam Finland Oy The leading usability and user experience consulting company in Finland. • Established in 2001 • Employs over 25 people, revenue € 1.5 million (2007) and some € 2.0 (est. 2008) • Belongs to Value Partners Group, which is based in Italy and has offices in 12 countries • Value Partners Group employs ~ 3000 people worldwide, with a turnover of € 290 million • Etnoteam works in several countries and has an international partner network.

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What is User Experience? •

There is not yet any widely shared definition for user experience. Current draft for the ISO definition is A person's perceptions and responses that result from the use or anticipated use of a product, system or service. ISO DIS 9241-210 (ex-13407)

•

The overall experience of using or consuming a product or service that covers its user interface and usability as well as other experiences and emotions that might emerge also in the long run. - Wikipedia

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What is User Experience? • Concept • Functionalities

• Content • User interface • Usability • Service chain • (Exceed) expectations • Brand • Novelties • Coolness, etc. etc… • -> The wholeness affects user’s personal  experience

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What is User Experience? • •

Situated, context dependent Dynamic

•

UX is seen as subjective, dealing with psychological issues like affects, emotions, cognition, values, and attitudes

•

User experience happens before, during, and after using the product • Expectation • Experience • Judgement

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How to create products with great UX? • User-Centered Design (UCD) is the product development approach which ensures the product suits to its users’ needs • Not based on technology, but on users’   needs, capabilities, and desires. UCD has three main requirements 

Involve users in product development



Visualize the ideas



Iterate

• Simplified process: 

First interview the users to get requirements



Design



Usability test the prototype with users



Fix the design

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Measuring the quality of UX • Why measure? For setting and reaching targets 

User research for requirements



Measuring against reqs to guide design

• Must be measured also in early phases

• The existing process of usability testing can be used for UX evaluation • How to measure? 

For instance interviews, focus groups, thinkaloud in usability tests



It is easiest to evaluate user experience with a real product, on the market



However, it would be most important to measure the UX in the early phases of product development - in order to be able to influence the final outcome



At that point, the various product elements are separate or not there yet

• The proper toolkit for UX evaluation has not yet been developed. In order to evaluate user experience, one has to 

Understand what UX is



Define metrics or key aspects of UX that can be measured



Develop methods for gathering data for the measuring

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Case example – Measuring UX of a mobile device • Simultaneously with usability testing • Different test scopes and phases • Early concept feedback



(First time usage) usability tests

• Various product ideas were validated with users

• Concentrated on usability of the product

• Presented with low-fidelity mock-ups, scenarios, etc.

• With PC and embedded prototypes 

• Out-of-box test

Long-term usage study • The product was given to the users to try for a longer period of time

• The appearance of the product, box, manual etc. was tested

• Several interview rounds

• Concentrated on Wow effect and takein-use

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Thank you for your attention

• Thanks to Virpi Roto/Nokia Research Center for valuable insights • Thanks to my colleagues Marju Kettunen and Sanna Lagerström at Etnoteam

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