User-centered Design

User-Centred Design

User-centred design (UCD) is a design methodology that places the needs, wants, and limitations of the end-user at the core of each stage of the design and development process.
It promotes creating products that are highly usable and accessible.
Important to recognise that UCD doesn’t mean designing to the average user. Instead, it considers diversity among users and aims to excel in user accessibility and inclusion wherever possible.
UCD is iterative. It uses a continual cycle of listening, testing, changing, and improving to create products that serve users in the best way possible.

Identify the users, their objectives and context of use.
Develop understanding of user needs by conducting user research. This can include: interviews, observation, questionnaires, and analysing data from existing users.
Create user personas to represent key user groups and their characteristics, goals, pains, behaviour etc.

Use the findings from user research to inform the design.
Prioritise the simplicity and clarity of user interfaces.
Create prototypes and draft solutions that respond to the research findings. This could be sketches, wireframes, mockups or digital prototypes depending on the project.

Obtain feedback from users regarding the efficiency, effectiveness, and satisfaction of the product design.
Implement usability testing methods such as think aloud protocols, heuristic evaluations, A/B testing etc.
This feedback is used to refine and enhance the design.

Seek a thorough understanding of users, their situations and what they require.
Involve users throughout design and development.
Design from the user’s perspective.
Consider the whole user experience not just isolated features of the product.
Early and continuous testing and refinement.

Leads to products that are more likely to be successful and satisfactory for users.
Can lead to increased customer loyalty.
Minimises expensive redesign or fixes further down the line.
Improves accessibility, making products available to a wider range of users.

User-centred design is not limited to any particular kind of product or problem.
It’s applicable to digital creations like websites and apps, tangible products like furniture or consumer electronics and services or environments.
The principle of placing the user’s needs and wants at the heart of the design process remains central, whatever the design challenge.