Communication is the key to effective user experience

Have the impact you deserve

Some ground rules• Discussions are more

fun than talks• Ask questions• Volunteer information

A little bit about me

USER EXPERIENCE

A definition"User experience" encompasses all aspects of the end-user's interaction with the company, its services, and its products.

The creation of the architecture and interaction models that impact a user's perception of a device or system. The scope of the field is directed at affecting "all aspects of the user’s interaction with the product: how it is perceived, learned, and used."

The design of an experience a person has when interacting with a specific design. This can range from a specific artefact, such as a cup, toy or website, up to larger, integrated experiences such as a museum or an airport.

User experience (UX) represents the perception left in someone’s mind following a series of interactions between people, devices, and events – or any combination thereof.

The design of the whole experience a person feels when using a Web site, both online and offline. Includes such online factors as ease of use and content, as well as such offline factors as fulfilment and customer service.

My definition of User Experience

the creation of a digital design that is:

usable

useful

and engaging

HOW DO WE DO THAT?

A variety of skill sets / techniques / tools

• User research• Ethnographic research• Field research• Directed interviews• User Requirements Gathering• Business requirements Gathering• Stakeholder management• Personas• User Journeys• Site maps• Process flows• Wireframes (Lo & Hi-fidelity)• Specifications• Prototypes

• Content Strategy• Voice & tone guidelines• Content Management principles• Taxonomies• Content Matrices• Journey mapping • Free play user testing• Card sorting• Feature prioritisation activities• Guerrilla / informal user testing• Formal testing• Search log analysis• Web analytics analysis• ….

UX makes the nebulous concreteWhat’s missing?

BUT FIRST A FEW QUESTIONS

A few questions

Why did you chooseUser Experience?

A few questions

How do you define success?

A few questions

What are your frustrations?

A few questions

Who decides?and why?

What’s missing?

THE MISSING ELEMENT

Communication skills

“it is useless to be a creative, original thinker unless you can also sell what you create”

-- David Ogilvy

Excellent technical skills

Poor communication

skills

Thoughts from a veteran

Poor technical skills

Excellent communication

skills

Thoughts from a veteran

Excellent technical skills

Excellent communication

skills

Thoughts from a veteran

An effective user experience

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT VALUE

Your work is valuable

To the user

To the client / project owner

To your company

To yourself

Value to user

Have an experience that is

useful,

usableand

engaging

Value to the client / project owner

Ensure they hit their targets

Accomplish their goals

Get their bonus

Get promoted

Value to your companyAgency

• Revenue• Keep customers happy• Awards / Case studies• Bring clarity / Reduce risk

Client-side

• Increase revenue / Reduce costs

• Keep stakeholders happy• Pay for your FTE• Bring clarity / Reduce risk

Your work = revenueSome assumptions

• Average length of UX engagement

• 1 person = 4 weeks

• Average day rates for UX

• Freelance -- £250 - £600

• Company -- £500 - £1500

Your work = revenueFreelance• £5,000 - 12,000

Agency / Client-side• £10,000 - £30,000

Why is the range so broad?Hard measures

• Industry standard rates• Experience• Portfolio / Case studies• etc.

Soft measures

• Brand

Value to yourself

Pride

Portfolio

Your reputation and brand

Brand: A definition“A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories and

relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another.

If the consumer (whether it’s a business, a buyer, a voter or a donor) doesn’t pay a premium, make a selection or spread the

word, then no brand value exists for that consumer.”

-- Seth Godin

A little bit about brand• The communication of the work IS your

brand

• The quality of the finish is representative of the quality of the thinking

OUR WORK IS OUR BRAND

So...

Why do we destroy the value of the work with poorly communicated deliverables?

Physician heal thyself

Improve the value of your workKnow your user

Make it Useful

Make it Usable

Make it Engaging

Thank youSome facts about Robert• Work history

– 6 ½ years in the US high-tech industry client-side• US West, Intel, Trilogy, Convio

– 9 ½ years in the UK • Sapient, FullSix, DNA, LBI, Seren, Electronic Ink,

GrandUnion

– On a wide variety of use domains• Web(B2C, B2B, B2E), Device, Mobile, Consumer

software, Enterprise software, client-server, IVR

– On a wide variety of industries• Retail, Grocery, Consumer Electronics, Government,

Energy, Telecom, Leisure, Construction, Financial services, Non-profit

• Educational History– He studied for a PhD in Cognitive Psychology but got

bored at the final hurdle and decided work was better – one of the best decisions of his life

• He is a proud father to Georgina

Robert M. FeinDirector of User Experience grandunion

m: +44 (0)7803 605 666t: +44 (0)20 7908 0708f: +44 (0)20 7908 0701

Moray House23-31 Great Titchfield StreetLondon, W1W 7PAwww.thegrandunion.com

Note: He is looking to hire a Mid-weight and a Junior UX