The User Experience Team of One
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Coursera content provider, 67
Crossing the Chasm (Moore), 112
crossovers, 20, 24, 30
D
DeBono, Edward (Six Thinking Hats), 197
degree programs, 70–72
design
challenges, 34
endurance of, 226–227
enlisting colleagues for ideas, 36
inspiration, 35–37
learning for other products, 36
responses to common objections, 52
sketches, 35
Design activities, 27
Design Brief method, 152–156, 234
design comps, 27
Design of Everyday Things, The (Norman), 13
design principles, 26
Design Principles method, 152, 157–161, 234
design research
responses to common objections, 52
ROI model of, 53
design triage period, 187
Designing for People (Dreyfuss), 12–13
Designing for the Web (Boulton), 153
detailed specifications, 27
Discovery activities, 25
discussion lists and online communities, 62
Dreyfuss, Henry (Designing for People), 12–13
Durst, Janice (Cost-Justifying Usability), 53
E
editing, 15
elevator pitch, 111–112
endurance of design, 226–227
engineering, 16
ergonomics, 11
Europe degree programs, 71
F
facilitation, 43
fee schedule, 78
final product, knowing when it’s good enough, 46
Fitts, Paul (Fitt’s Law), 11
Five-Second Test method, 192, 204–206, 235
Ford, Henry, 10
Forrester research firm, 53
framework, 20
freelancer versus consultant, 78–79
G
Gantt Chart, 93
General Assembly classes, 70
generalist versus specialist, 75
Gilmore, David (Interactions magazine), 54
Goldsworthy, James (designer), 51, 179
graphic design, 15
Guerilla User Research method, 34, 122, 126–132, 233
H
HCI (human-computer interaction), 13
heuristic evaluation, 136
Heuristic Markup method, 122, 136–139, 233
history
of ergonomics, 11
human-computer interaction, 13
user experience, 10–13
hourly rate calculation, 77
human interface research, 12
human-computer interaction (HCI), 13
hypothesis, 135
I
IA (Information Architecture), 61–62
Implementation activities, 28
implementation oversight, 28
inclusive and participatory practices, 82
independent practitioner
versus employed practitioner, 75
job growth, 76
payment rate calculation, 77
time management, 79–80
industrial efficiency, 11
informal UX network, 47
information architecture, 6
Information Architecture for the World Wide Web (Morville and Rosenfeld), 27
Information Architecture (IA), 61–62
information architecture/site map, 27
informed consent, 129
inspiration library, 37
interaction design, 6
Interaction Design Association (IXDA), 60, 62
interactive user experience, 5
interviews, stakeholder, 25, 96–100
IXDA (Interaction Design Association), 60, 62
J
job description, 38–39
job growth
business goal alignment, 73
continuing education, 66–73
going independent, 76
moving on, 74–75
payment rate, 77–78
positioning engagement for success, 78–79
professional communities, 60–65
progress measurement, 74
strategic planning, 74
time management, 79–80
jobs
anthropology, 16
business analysis, 16
content strategy, 7
copywriting, 7, 15
editing, 15
engineering, 16
information architecture, 6
interaction design, 6
journalism, 15
print design, 15
product management, 16
psychology, 16
research, 16
sociology, 16
software design and development, 15
user research, 7
visual design, 7
web design and development, 15
journalism, 15
K
Kano model, 115–118
Kelway, James (UX model), 22–23
L
Landauer, Tom (usability expert), 55
Learning Plan method, 122–126, 233
Lifehacker website, 113
LinkedIn, 62–63
listening skills, 45
Listening Tour method, 86, 96–100, 232
Løvlie, Lavrans (Service Design), 179
Lynda.com, 67
M
machine age technology enhancements, 10
magazines, 66
Making and Breaking the Grid (Samara), 186
market research, 52
markups, 122, 136–139, 233
meet-ups and local groups, 63–64
mental models, 26
Mental Models (Young), 26
mentors and buddies, 65
method cards, 31
methods
activities, 83
Bathroom UX, 212–216, 235
Black Hat Session, 192, 197–201, 235
characteristics of each, 82
Comparative Assessment, 122, 140–143, 233
Content Patterns, 122, 144–147, 233
Design Brief, 152–156, 234
Design Principles, 152, 157–161, 234
Five-Second Test, 192, 204–206, 235
format of, 82
Guerilla User Research, 122, 126–132, 233
Heuristic Markup, 122, 136–139, 233
Learning Plan, 122–126, 233
Listening Tour, 86, 96–100, 232
Mini Case Studies, 212, 216–218, 235
Opportunity Workshop, 101–104, 232
Paper and Interactive Prototypes, 192–196, 235
Peer-to-Peer Learning
Communities, 212, 218–221, 235
Project Brief, 86, 104–107, 232
Proto-Personas, 122, 132–135, 233
Pyramid Evangelism, 212, 221–223, 235
Quick-and-Dirty Usability Test, 192, 202–203, 235
Sketchboards, 153, 170–176, 234
Sketching, 152, 162–169, 234
Strategy Workshop, 86, 108–119, 232
Task Flows, 153, 176–180, 234
UX Health Check, 192, 206–209, 235
UX Project Plan, 86, 90–95, 232
UX Questionnaire, 86–89, 232
Wireframes, 153, 181–187, 234
metrics/analytics tracking, 28
mind map, 127–128
Mini Case Studies method, 212, 216–218, 235
modular practices, 82
mood boards, 114–115
Moore, Geoffrey (Crossing the Chasm), 112
Morville, Peter (Information Architecture for the World Wide Web), 27
N
Namahn Design (UX model), 22
needs assessment, 55
negotiation, payment rate, 78
.Net Magazine, 66
New Riders, 67
Newman, Damien (“the squiggle”), 152
Nielsen, Jakob (usability expert), 55, 139<
br />
Nielsen Norman Group classes, 70
Non-Designer’s Design Book (Williams), 153
Norman, Donald
Design of Everyday Things, The, 13
human interface research, 12
User Experience Architect title, 12
North America degree programs, 70–71
O
objections
bypassing, 31
responses to, 52–56
offering card, 28–29
open-ended questions, 129
Opportunity Workshop method, 101–104, 232
O’Reilly Media, 68
organizational issues, 48–50
P
Paper and Interactive Prototypes method, 192–196, 235
PARC research center, 12
participation, 47–48
patterns, content inventory, 144–147
PayByPhone service, 14
payment rate, 77–78
Peer-to-Peer Learning Communities method, 212, 218–221, 235
people issues, 47–48
perfectionism, 79–80
personas, 26, 132–135
plan
establishing point of view, 30
Learning Plan method, 122–126, 233
UX Project Plan method, 86, 90–95, 232
point of view, 30
Polaine, Andy (Service Design), 179
practices, 82–83
pre-meeting, 48
Pressman, Roger (Software Engineering, A Practitioner’s Approach), 54
primary user research, 26
Principles of Beautiful Web Design, The (Beaird), 153
principles over process
facilitation, 43
inviting people in, 43
knowing when it’s good enough, 46
listening skills, 45
making things together, 44
mindset, 42
print design, 15
prioritization, 82
process
principles over, 42–45
and task diagrams, 27
procrastination, 80
product management
job roles and responsibilities, 16
responses to common objections, 56
professional communities
associations, 60–62
discussion lists and online communities, 62–63
meet-ups and local groups, 63–64
mentors and buddies, 64
progress measurement, 74
project brief, 78
Project Brief method, 86, 104–107, 232
project scope, 94
Proto-Personas method, 33, 122, 132–135, 233
prototypes, 27, 192–196
psychology, 16
Pyramid Evangelism method, 212, 221–223, 235
Q
quality assurance, 56
questionnaire, 87–89
Quick-and-Dirty Usability Test method, 192, 202–203, 235
R
Reason, Ben (Service Design), 179
relationships
lunch with others to build, 50
organizational issues, 48–50
people issues, 47–48
requirements gathering, 25
research
human interface, 12
job roles and responsibilities, 16
market, 52
user-centered, 52, 54
roadmaps, 26
Rosenfeld, Lou (Information Architecture for the World Wide Web), 27
Rosenfeld Media publisher, 67
Rosenfeld Media Virtual Seminars, 67
Rosenfeld Media Workshops, 70
Rule of Threes, 65
S
salary, 77–78
Samara, Timothy (Making and Breaking the Grid), 186
Schauer, Brandon (service blueprint), 180
screen recorder, 137
screenshot, 137, 142
search analytics, 125
secondary user research, 26
self-documenting practices, 82
seminars, 67
Service Design (Polaine, Løvlie, and Reason), 179
SIGCHI (Special Interest Group of Computer-Human Interaction), 60, 62
Six Thinking Hats (DeBono), 197
sketchboard, 36
Sketchboards method, 153, 170–176, 234
sketching
aesthetics, 168
alternative approaches, 166–167
bringing people together through, 44
as design technique, 35
inspiration techniques, 35–36
kit, 163–164, 168–169
remote, 169
template, 165–166
tools, 168
uses of, 162
in words, 168
Sketching method, 152, 162–169, 234
Slideshare content provider, 67
Smashing Magazine, 66
social networks, 62, 65
Society for Technical Communication (STC), 62
sociology, 16
software design and development, 15
Software Engineering, A Practitioner’s Approach (Pressman), 54
South America degree programs, 71
Special Interest Group of Computer-Human Interaction (SIGCHI), 60, 62
specialist versus generalist, 75
Spool, Jared (User Interface Engineering), 33
spreadsheet
Comparative Assessment method, 141
content inventory, 145
“squiggle, the” (Newman), 152
Stack Exchange, 62
stakeholder interviews, 25, 96–100
stakeholder workshop, 109
statistical significance, 54–55
STC (Society for Technical Communication), 62
storyboard, 113–114
strategic planning, 74
Strategy activities, 26
Strategy Workshop method, 86, 108–119, 232
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats (SWOT) Analysis, 25
style and pattern guides, 27
survey, 104
SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) Analysis, 25
T
Task Flows method, 153, 176–180, 234
Taylor, Frederick Winslow (Taylorism), 10–11
“the squiggle” (Newman), 152
time management
estimating time, 79
feedback loops, 80
timeboxes, 79–80
Tivo, 158
Toyota Production System, 11
trading cards, 31
TreeHouse content provider, 67
triads, 109–111
triage periods, 95
Twitter, 75–76
U
UI versus UX, 14
UIE Newsletter, 66
usability testing, 28, 202–203
User Experience Architect title (Norman), 12
user experience design, 5
user experience designer, 7
User Experience Professionals’ Association (UXPA), 61
user experience (UX)
candidates, 15–16
cumulative effect of factors, 8–9
definition, 4–5
evolution of, 226
example, 8
history, 10–13
integration, 8
interactive, 5
role of, 56
subdisciplines, 6–8
versus UI (user interface), 14
User Interface Engineering UX Immersion classes, 70
User Interface Engineering Virtual Seminars, 67
user research
definition, 5
job roles and responsibilities, 7
usability findings, 55
User Research activities, 26
user stories, 26
user-centered research
cost of not doing, 54
responses to common objections, 52
users, getting to know your, 32–34
UX Booth magazine, 66
UX Heal
th Check method, 192, 206–209, 235
UX Matters magazine, 66
UX model
Anderson, 22–23
Armano, 20–21
Kelway, 22–23
Namahn Design, 22
Warfel, 20–21
UX Project Plan method, 86, 90–95, 232
UX Questionnaire method, 86–89, 232
UX Toolkit
Design activities, 27
Discovery activities, 25
Implementation activities, 27
offering card, 28–29
Strategy activities, 26
User Research activities, 26
UX models, 20–23
UX (user experience)
candidates, 15–16
cumulative effect of factors, 8–9
definition, 4–5
evolution of, 226
example, 8
history, 10–13
integration, 8
interactive, 5
role of, 56
subdisciplines, 6–8
versus UI (user interface), 14
UXPA (User Experience Professionals’ Association), 61
V
vendors, 49–50
vision, 30
vision artifacts, 26
visual design, 7
W
Warfel, Todd Zaki (UX model), 20–21
web design and development, 15
webinar, 67
white board, 93
“Why Software Fails” article, 56
Williams, Robin (Non-Designer’s Design Book), 153
wireframes, 27
Wireframes method, 153, 181–187, 234
workshop
Opportunity Workshop method, 101–104, 232
Strategy Workshop method, 86, 108–118, 232, 1119
Y
Young, Indi (Mental Models), 26
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First, thank you to Lou Rosenfeld for seeing a book in this topic, and for his guidance and support on the long road to its completion. Further kudos to Lou for having the good sense to pair me with the wonderful editor Marta Justak. Without Marta’s patience, expertise, and tough love, this book simply would not exist. Thank you, Marta, for helping me to accomplish what I never thought possible. Thanks also to Stephen P. Anderson for writing a lovely foreword that perfectly captures the spirit of the book.
The smart people at Adaptive Path taught me everything I know about user experience. Several people from Adaptive Path deserve my special thanks. Brandon Schauer was a role model and mentor for me, probably without even realizing it. Dan Harrelson said the magic words that made me decide I could actually write this book. Peter Merholz challenged me to find my topic and my voice. Brian Cronin, Joanie McCollom, and Pam Daghlian provided the most critical component of all, friendship. Thanks to you all. Before Adaptive Path, there was Jeffrey Coleman, the perfect manager for a team of one. He provided the support and the freedom to help me find my way.