Class 7: Understanding is

always good

Instructor: Abby Covert

Last Class we...

2

Last Class we...

• Developed elevator pitches to further refine our ideas

2

Last Class we...

• Developed elevator pitches to further refine our ideas• Learned how hard consensus can be to reach

2

Last Class we...

• Developed elevator pitches to further refine our ideas• Learned how hard consensus can be to reach• Got homework, due today!

2

Last Class we...

• Developed elevator pitches to further refine our ideas• Learned how hard consensus can be to reach• Got homework, due today!– Elevator pitches

2

Last Class we...

• Developed elevator pitches to further refine our ideas• Learned how hard consensus can be to reach• Got homework, due today!– Elevator pitches– Finished goals (continuums and measurable goals)

2

Last Class we...

• Developed elevator pitches to further refine our ideas• Learned how hard consensus can be to reach• Got homework, due today!– Elevator pitches– Finished goals (continuums and measurable goals)– A refined requirements and feature list

2

Last Class we...

• Developed elevator pitches to further refine our ideas• Learned how hard consensus can be to reach• Got homework, due today!– Elevator pitches– Finished goals (continuums and measurable goals)– A refined requirements and feature list– A research plan

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everything is complex

I intend to because I believe

facilitate understanding organize meaning, create clarity and establish truth

put the what before the how

make the unclear clear

information architect

understanding is always good but it is equally important to not understand

clarity is a prerequisite of truth

I am an

by: Abby Covert & Dan Klyn

architecture frames problems, design solves them

support goals, makers and users

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everything is complex

I intend to because I believe

facilitate understanding organize meaning, create clarity and establish truth

put the what before the how

make the unclear clear

information architect

understanding is always good but it is equally important to not understand

clarity is a prerequisite of truth

I am an

by: Abby Covert & Dan Klyn

architecture frames problems, design solves them

support goals, makers and users

What do we want in critique?

What do we want in critique?

<Type> Designers: You want to spark new insights when reviewing your work alone or with others.

You are trying to avoid: Blank stares, not knowing where to start, taking coffee breaks to avoid critiquing

What do we want in critique?

Non Designers: You want a healthy and non opinion-driven conversation with designers.

You are trying to avoid: Your opinions being seen as rulings, having a lack of direction on what feedback to give on the work in process

<Type> Designers: You want to spark new insights when reviewing your work alone or with others.

You are trying to avoid: Blank stares, not knowing where to start, taking coffee breaks to avoid critiquing

But when critiquing work: What we ALL really want to know is

“Does it have legs?”

But when critiquing work: What we ALL really want to know is

“Does it have legs?” • Is it stable enough to support the weight of use?

But when critiquing work: What we ALL really want to know is

“Does it have legs?” • Is it stable enough to support the weight of use?• Will it be effective in execution?

But when critiquing work: What we ALL really want to know is

“Does it have legs?” • Is it stable enough to support the weight of use?• Will it be effective in execution?• Will it stand on it’s own?

But when critiquing work: What we ALL really want to know is

“Does it have legs?” • Is it stable enough to support the weight of use?• Will it be effective in execution?• Will it stand on it’s own?

But when critiquing work: What we ALL really want to know is

“Does it have legs?” • Is it stable enough to support the weight of use?• Will it be effective in execution?• Will it stand on it’s own?

A good place to start when answering these questions is Evaluating it against heuristic principles.

What is a heuristic?

“best practices”

“rules of thumb”

“common sense”“intuitive judgments”

What is NOT a heuristic?

Patterns & Anti-Patterns

Case Studies

TemplatesStencils

We use heuristics to…

• Evaluate the strength and quality of what is currently offered to users

• Facilitate critique during planning, design and development

• Predict the effectiveness of a potential solution

Existing Sources for Heuristics

Existing Sources for Heuristics

Existing Sources for Heuristics

Existing Sources for Heuristics

Existing Sources for Heuristics

• Five sources• Over Fifty principles• Lots of overlap

• Five sources• Over Fifty principles• Lots of overlap

• Five sources• Over Fifty principles• Lots of overlap

• Easy to learn• Easy to Teach• Easy to Implement

across contexts, teams and Channels

Result: My Proposed 9 Principles from 50

?1 wildcard

#1 Findable

Able to be located.

#1 Is it Findable?

q Can users easily locate that which they are seeking?

q How is findability affected across channels and devices?

q Are there multiple ways available to access things?

q How do external and internal search engines “see” what is provided?

q Is information formatted with results in mind?

q What is provided to make the delivered results more useful?

#2 Accessible

Easily approached and/or entered

#2 Is it Accessible?

q Can it be used via all expected channels and devices?

q How resilient and consistent is it when used via “other” channels?

q Does it meet the levels of accessibility compliance to be considerate of those users with disabilities*

Be aware that upwards of 20% or more of the world’s population has a disability.

The internet is a public place. It’s like building a ramp to your building, or refusing to.

</soapbox>

#3 Clear

Easily perceptible

#3 Is it Clear?

q Is it easy to understand?q Is the target demographics’ grade

and reading level being considered?q Is the path to task completion

obvious and free of distraction?q Would a user find it easy to describe?

TOP 3 Clarity Offenses

TOP 3 Clarity Offenses

• Corporate underpants: When you are obviously making a navigational decision based on your organizational structure, not user decision paths.

TOP 3 Clarity Offenses

• Corporate underpants: When you are obviously making a navigational decision based on your organizational structure, not user decision paths.

• Inside Baseball: When you are calling something a term that is unclear to anyone that doesn’t work for your company.

TOP 3 Clarity Offenses

• Corporate underpants: When you are obviously making a navigational decision based on your organizational structure, not user decision paths.

• Inside Baseball: When you are calling something a term that is unclear to anyone that doesn’t work for your company.

• Weasel Words: When you are being purposefully unclear in language to avoid making a promise or decision about process or commitment to a user.

#4 communicative

Talkative, informing, timely

#4 Is it communicative?

q Is the status, location and permissions of the user obvious?

q How is messaging used throughout? Is messaging effective for the tasks and contexts being supported?

q Does the navigation and messaging help establish a sense of place that is consistent and orienting across channels, contexts and tasks?

#5 Useful

Capable of producing the desired or intended result

#5 Is it Useful?

q Is it usable? Are users able to complete the tasks that they set out to without massive frustration or abandon?

q Does it serve new users as well as loyal users in ways that satisfy their needs uniquely?

q Are there a few navigation options that lead where users may want to go next? Are they clearly labeled?

#6 Credible

Worthy of confidence, reliable

#6 Is it Credible?

q Is the design appropriate to the context of use and audience?

q Is your content updated in a timely manner?

q Do you use restraint with promotional content?

q Is it easy to contact a real person?q Is it easy to verify your credentials?q Do you have help/support content

where it is needed? Especially important when asking for sensitive personal data.

#7 Controllable

Able to adjust to a requirement

#7 Is it Controllable?

q Are tasks and information a user would reasonably want to accomplish available?

q How well are errors anticipated and eliminated?

q When errors do occur, how easily can a user recover?

q Are features offered to allow the user to tailor information or functionality to their context?

q Are exits and other important controls clearly marked?

#8 Valuable

Of great use, service and importance

#8 Is it Valuable?

q Is it desirable to the target user? q Does it maintain conformity with

expectations throughout the interaction across channels?

q Can a user easily describe the value?q How is success being measured? Does

it contribute to the bottom line?q Does it improve customer satisfaction?

#9 Learnable

To fix in the mind, in the memory

#9 Is it Learnable?

q Can it be grasped quickly?q What is offered to ease the more

complicated processes?q Is it memorable?q Is it easy to recount?q Does it behave consistently enough to be

predictable?

#10 Delightful

Greatly pleasing

#10 Is it Delightful?

q What are your differentiators from other similar experiences or competitors?

q What cross channel ties can be explored that delight?

q How are user expectations not just met but exceeded?

q What are you providing that is unexpected?

q What can you take that is now ordinary and make extraordinary?

10 Heuristic IA Principles

What time is it?

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What time is it?

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Workshop

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Conduct a heuristic review

• Think about the existing systems that you have to interact with to get your project done

• Run this heuristic process on that system and document your finding

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Activity Instructions

Task Channel  (Context)

List 3 core tasks you expect your audience to value over others

List the channels that their path will put them into contact with and in what context.

Step  1:  iden6fy  Tasks  and  Channels  for  evalua6on

Step  2:  Split  up  the  principles  amongst  the  team  to  gather  findings

<Principle>

Finding Severity Impact if Fixed

List each major finding in as much detail as you feel you need to tell the story and capture the severity.

Note:  there  will  be  overlap,  so  condense  a5er  your  analysis  where  needed.

Cri6cal:  Affecting the ability to complete a task

Medium:  Affecting brand reputation or perception of experience

Low:  Non-impacting issues that would be nice to fix

Describe what would be improved if this was fixed. Think not just about users, but also about organizational efficiency

Example:

Task Channel  (Context)

Buying a pair of shoes and feeling comfortable about her purchase.

• Website (browsing)• eCommerce (purchase)• Email (confirmation)• Mobile (checking email)• Social (bragging)

Accessibility

Finding Severity Impact if Fixed

Email template is not mobile friendly and had several instances of broken links when interacted on mobile devices

Medium:  Affecting brand reputation or perception of experience

Users are not using email to its full advantage today because of the lack of mobile friendly style sheet. We expect a uptick in email click through rate if mobile optimized.

Homework

• Come together as a team to document your heuristic review. Submit via email by 6 PM Monday 10/29

• Each of you should additionally tackle an interview based research activity from your plan. We will be talking about user research in the next class and I want you each to have some trial and error before then. Send me an email before 6 PM Monday 10/29 about your experience.

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Questions?

CovertA@newschool.edu@ Abby_The_IA

www.Abbytheia.com