🖥️Human-Computer Interaction Unit 5 – User Research & Requirements Gathering

Key Concepts and Definitions

• User research involves systematically studying target users to gather insights that inform design decisions
• Requirements gathering is the process of determining the needs, wants, and limitations that must be addressed in a design
• User analysis examines the characteristics, behaviors, and goals of potential users to create user-centered designs
• Personas are fictional characters representing different user types within a targeted demographic, attitude, or behavior set
• Task analysis breaks down the steps and processes a user must go through to accomplish a specific goal
• Scenarios are stories describing a specific user's interaction with a product or service in a particular context
• Qualitative data provides insights into user behaviors, preferences, and experiences through open-ended responses (interviews, observations)
  • Focuses on the "why" behind user actions and decisions
• Quantitative data involves numerical, measurable information that can be statistically analyzed (surveys, analytics)
  • Focuses on the "what" and "how much" of user behaviors and patterns

User Research Methods

• Interviews involve directly asking users questions to gather in-depth insights into their experiences, behaviors, and preferences
  • Can be structured (predetermined questions), semi-structured (mix of predetermined and spontaneous questions), or unstructured (open conversation)
• Surveys are questionnaires distributed to a large sample of users to collect quantitative data on specific topics
• Focus groups bring together a small group of users to discuss their experiences, opinions, and attitudes about a product or service
• Observational studies involve watching users interact with a product or service in a natural setting to gather insights into real-world behaviors
  • Can be conducted in-person or remotely using screen-sharing or video recording tools
• Usability testing evaluates how well users can complete specific tasks with a product or service, identifying pain points and areas for improvement
• Diary studies ask users to keep a record of their experiences with a product or service over an extended period, providing longitudinal insights
• Card sorting is a technique where users organize topics into categories, helping to inform information architecture and navigation design

Requirements Gathering Techniques

• Stakeholder interviews involve discussing project goals, constraints, and success criteria with key decision-makers and influencers
• Document analysis reviews existing materials (business plans, market research, customer feedback) to identify stated and implied requirements
• Brainstorming sessions bring together project team members to generate and explore ideas for potential features and functionality
• Use cases describe a sequence of interactions between a user and a system to accomplish a specific goal, helping to identify functional requirements
• User stories are short, simple descriptions of a feature from the end-user's perspective, often following the format "As a [type of user], I want [goal], so that [reason]"
  • Helps prioritize features based on user value and keep the team focused on user needs
• Prototyping involves creating low-fidelity (sketches, wireframes) or high-fidelity (interactive mockups) models of a design to gather early feedback and validate requirements
  • Allows for iterative refinement before investing significant development resources
• Requirements prioritization techniques (MoSCoW, Kano model) help determine which requirements are essential, important, or desirable based on user value and feasibility

User Analysis and Personas

• Demographic information (age, gender, location, education, occupation) helps identify patterns and trends among user groups
• Psychographic information (personality, values, opinions, interests, lifestyle) provides a deeper understanding of users' motivations and preferences
• Behavioral information (usage patterns, frequency, loyalty) offers insights into how users interact with a product or service over time
• Empathy mapping is a technique for visualizing user attitudes and behaviors, categorized by what they think, feel, say, and do
• Personas should be based on real user data gathered through research, not assumptions or stereotypes
  • Typically include a name, photo, description, goals, frustrations, and other relevant characteristics
• Personas can be prioritized based on their importance to the business or frequency within the user base (primary, secondary, tertiary)
  • Should be shared and referred to throughout the design process to maintain a user-centered focus
• Anti-personas represent user types that are explicitly not being designed for, helping to clarify the target audience and avoid scope creep

Task Analysis and Scenarios

• Hierarchical task analysis breaks down a high-level task into subtasks and actions, organized in a tree-like structure
• Cognitive task analysis examines the mental processes (decision-making, problem-solving) involved in completing a task
• Use case diagrams visually represent the interactions between users and a system, showing the steps involved in accomplishing a goal
• User journey maps illustrate the path a user takes through a product or service, highlighting touchpoints, emotions, and opportunities for improvement
• Scenarios should be specific, realistic, and focused on the user's perspective
  • Often include a persona, context, goal, steps taken, and outcome (successful or unsuccessful)
• Scenarios can be used to identify edge cases and anticipate potential issues or frustrations
  • Help to uncover implicit requirements and inform design decisions
• Storyboards are visual representations of a scenario, showing key moments in the user's journey through a sequence of images and captions

Data Collection and Analysis

• Sampling methods (random, stratified, convenience) determine how participants are selected for research studies
  • Sample size and composition should be representative of the target user population
• Informed consent ensures that participants understand the purpose, procedures, risks, and benefits of a study before agreeing to take part
• Data collection instruments (questionnaires, interview guides, observation protocols) should be carefully designed to elicit relevant and unbiased responses
• Qualitative data analysis involves identifying themes, patterns, and insights from open-ended responses
  • Techniques include coding (categorizing responses), affinity mapping (grouping similar ideas), and sentiment analysis (identifying positive, negative, or neutral opinions)
• Quantitative data analysis involves using statistical methods to identify trends, correlations, and significant differences within numerical data
  • Techniques include descriptive statistics (mean, median, mode), inferential statistics (t-tests, ANOVA), and data visualization (charts, graphs)
• Triangulation involves using multiple methods or sources to corroborate findings and increase confidence in the results
• Reporting should present findings in a clear, concise, and visually engaging manner, tailored to the needs and preferences of the intended audience

Ethical Considerations

• Respect for persons involves treating participants as autonomous agents and protecting those with diminished autonomy (children, individuals with cognitive impairments)
• Beneficence requires maximizing benefits and minimizing risks to participants and society as a whole
• Justice ensures that the benefits and burdens of research are distributed fairly and equitably
• Privacy and confidentiality involve protecting participants' personal information and ensuring that data is securely stored and accessed only by authorized individuals
• Informed consent must be obtained from participants before collecting any data, and they should be free to withdraw at any time without penalty
• Debriefing involves providing participants with information about the study's purpose, results, and implications after their participation has ended
• Researchers should be aware of their own biases and take steps to minimize their impact on the study design, data collection, and analysis
  • Reflexivity involves critically examining one's own assumptions, values, and experiences and how they may influence the research process

Practical Applications and Case Studies

• User research and requirements gathering are essential for designing effective and user-friendly products and services across various industries (healthcare, education, finance, entertainment)
• Case study: Airbnb conducted extensive user research to understand the needs and preferences of hosts and guests, leading to the development of features such as instant booking and host guarantees
• Case study: The UK Government Digital Service (GDS) used a combination of interviews, surveys, and usability testing to redesign the gov.uk website, resulting in improved user satisfaction and cost savings
• Case study: Toyota employed ethnographic research methods to observe how drivers interact with their vehicles in real-world settings, informing the design of new features and interfaces
• Agile development methodologies (Scrum, Kanban) often incorporate user research and requirements gathering throughout the project lifecycle, allowing for iterative refinement based on user feedback
• Remote user research methods (online surveys, virtual interviews, remote usability testing) have become increasingly important in the context of distributed teams and global user bases
• Accessible design principles ensure that products and services are usable by people with a wide range of abilities and disabilities, informed by research on specific user needs and challenges
• Emerging technologies (voice interfaces, virtual reality, artificial intelligence) present new opportunities and challenges for user research and requirements gathering, requiring innovative methods and approaches.