User-centred design
As experts in the user-centred design process we can work with your design teams to transfer skills and provide support at several points in the process. We can also provide customised design courses.
We follow a user-centred design process (based on ISO 13407 which we helped develop) to integrate usability into your design process in order to improve customer satisfaction, increase your sales and reduce your development times and costs. The principles of user-centred design include ensuring the active involvement of users and the iteration of design solutions through user testing. Following a user-centred design process involves four key user-centred design activities
- Understanding and specifying the context of use (creating user, task and environment profiles)
- Specifying user and organisational requirements and setting effectiveness, efficiency and user satisfaction targets
- Producing design solutions based on current best practice
- Evaluating designs against requirements and targets.
In order to claim conformance, the standard requires that the procedures used, the information collected and the use made of results are specified. We have developed practical checklists and tools to support this process.
Benefits
- Improves the acceptability and usability of systems and products and reduces cost and effort of fixing usability problems
- Provides clear user and organisational targets for new systems and products against which design solutions can be tested
- Ensures effectiveness, efficiency and user satisfaction are built into the overall design process
- Improves buy-in of users and other key stakeholders.
Our approach
- Structured process which can be incorporated in current design methodologies without major changes to process
- Based on industry best practice and international standards - which we helped develop
- Experienced analysts work closely with your design team.
Typical projects
System Concepts provided a full time team of usability and HCI (Human Computer Interaction) specialists on site as sub-contractors to the Affinity consortium who were implementing a new IT system for the Child Support Agency.
The usability projects included:
- Development of a usability strategy with consortium and department representatives
- Development of a user interface style guide
- Ongoing design reviews of the system
- Usability testing in conjunction with the CSA's Model Office team
- Providing usability assurance for the delivered system.
For more information on any of our services, please contact us