Introduction to UX for Developers

Introduction to UX for Developers
Jacques Woodcock

@jacques_thekit
@kitportal

- Degree in Design

I started by getting my degree in design...

- Degree in Design
- Multimedia Designer

...then started doing multimedia design...

- Degree in Design
- Multimedia Programmer

...then multimedia programming...

- Degree in Design
- Coldfusion, Javascript, PHP

...then started learning most web technologies....

- Degree in Design
- Project Managment

...then on to project management...

- Degree in Design
- Project Managment
- Business Dev, Ops Managment

...business development and operations management...

- Degree in Design
- Project Managment
- Business Dev, Ops Managment
- Strategy

... and am now focusing on strategy.

View = UI
(UI = User Interface)

Model + View + Controller + So Much More

“UX is the technical study of how users
interact with your product.”

If I were to order web disciplines into a diagram,
it might look like this...

User Interface

Technical Scope

UX

Business Strategy

Business Strategy is your base then you build on that with your UX which deﬁnes your
Technical Scope and is presented with your User Interface.

User Interface

Technical Scope

UX

Business Strategy

UX is crucial to deﬁning your technical scope and thus your project.

Human interaction with technical
systems started being studied post WWII

They found that even operators who’s live depended on using a technical system, still ran
into human limitations.

The 80’s & 90’s

When the computer started dominating the workplace, user-centered design took on a bigger
importance.

Today

Today, as the discipline has evolved, we look more at the psychological aspects of human
interaction as opposed to just the usability of an interface.

Whitney Hess

5 Principles of UX

Whitney Hess

1. Understand the problem

Whitney Hess

2. Don't hurt anyone

Whitney Hess

3. Make things simple and intuitive

Whitney Hess

4. Acknowledge the user is not like you.

Whitney Hess

4. Acknowledge the user is not like you
5. Have empathy

Whitney Hess

4. Acknowledge the user is not like you
5. Have empathy

1, 3, 5... these are similar to principles of development.

Whitney Hess
Expanded to 20

My Favorites?

Here are some of my favorites.

My Favorite Principles Present few choices

We all know Apple is the king of fewer choices, yet they have the best user experience on the
market.

My Favorite Principles Present few choices

The more choices a person is presented with, the harder it is for them to choose. This is what
Barry Schwartz calls The Paradox of Choice. Remove the "nice to haves" and focus instead of
the necessary alternatives a person needs to make in order to greatly impact the outcome.

My Favorite Principles Create a visual hierarchy
that matches the user's needs

"Visual hierarchy" is a combination of several dimensions to aid in the processing of
information, such as color, size, position, contrast, shape, proximity to like items, etc.

My Favorite Principles Provide context

If what users ﬁnd when they get to your site/product isn't close to what they predicted,
chances are they're going to give up and go elsewhere

My Favorite Principles Use appropriate defaults

Providing preselected or predetermined options is one of the ways to minimize decisions and
increase efficiency. But choose wisely: if you assign the defaults to the wrong options
(meaning that the majority of people are forced to change the selection), you'll end up
creating more stress and processing time.

My Favorite Principles Make actions reversible

There is no such thing as a perfect design. No one and nothing can prevent all errors, so
you're going to need a contingency plan.

My Favorite Principles Provide feedback

tell them why they're waiting. Tell them that you're working. Tell them you heard them and
offer the next step along their path. Design is not a monologue, it's a conversation.

My Favorite Principles Be consistent

When things don't match up between multiple areas, the experience can feel disjointed,
confusing and uncomfortable. People will start to question whether they're misunderstanding
the intended meaning or if they missed a key cue.

My Favorite Principles Don’t be lazy

In the battle to “just get it launched” you need to place followthrough at the top of the list.
These might be your principles, but that don’t mean squat if you don’t apply them.

UX defines your features, user flow
and product personality.

UX: - checking in
- sending messages
- tweeting, liking, +1ing
- the process to do these tasks

UI defines the screen style and
layout of those features.

UI: - button styles
- colors
- content size

UI == Aesthetic Design
UX == Features and interacting with those features.

UX will define what the UI must create
through wireframes.

Project: The Kit CMS
Deliverable: Wireframes | Managers | Event Manager | Manage Attendee Records | View Attendees
Big Heart Design | August 24, 2008

WELCOME MARTHA TAYLOR!
The Kit Logo LOGOUT | MY ACCOUNT | CONTACT US | HELP

HOME PAGES RELATIONSHIPS MANAGERS NEW PAGE

QUICK PAGE EDIT MANAGE ATTENDEE RECORDS KIT NEWS
PAGE ORDER << Back | National Conference Attendee Report News headlines #1
SITE FILES News headlines #2
News headlines #3
ATTENDEE NAME: EVENT: National Conference GO News headlines #4
News headlines #5

Attendee Status Actions

Matt Carlisle Paid View | Mark as Unpaid | Delete

Jacques Woodcock Unpaid View | Mark as Paid | Delete

PRINT ATTENDEE RECORD

UX will direct with a wireframe. Here is an example of a wireframe for a user interface.

UI will convert the wireframe into an interface.

UI specialist will be a member on
a UX team.

Both break a system down to basic tasks.

Both describes how a function interfaces with the
overall system.

Both plan for input and output.

Developers think of what's best for the system

UX thinks of what's best for the user

Developer: “Is the process an efficient use of resources?”
UX: “Is the process efficient for the user?”

Example

Let’s look at the focus of those questions in an example.

Example: Remote

Let’s look at the remote.

Devs:

Want to make sure all functionality is assessable to the user, typically in one menu.

Devs:

Which leaves you with this.

UX:

UX designers understand the principles of user interaction.

UX:

UX will deliver a product like this.

Not the same level of functionality,
but a mountain of difference in usability.

Disciplines can be broken down to 3 areas.

1 Guiding principles 2 Processes

1 Guiding principles 2 Processes 3 Tools

UX
1 Guiding principles
Dev

UX and Dev share similar principles, as we discussed.

UX - Listen
- Ask questions
2 Processes - Define a goal
Dev - Define milestones

They even start with a similar process.

UX Processes


Dev Processes

It’s halfway through the process that they split.

UX Processes > User Flow


Dev Processes > Technical Scope

UX starts to focus on the user ﬂow while devs start to focus on the technical scope.

Project UX: User Flow

Dev: Technical Scope

Good projects have both



, and they communicate.


User flow should define
the technical scope.


Technical scope should not
influence the user flow...


...beyond technical
limitations.

We build for users.

Average users will trade functionality for usability.

Great UX specialist understand development.

Efficient UX specialist have coding knowledge.

UX specialist prototype. Papered process flows

Some present papered process ﬂows.

AJAX/JQuery

UX specialist prototype.

Some prototype in AJAX/JQuery

AJAX/JQuery

UX specialist prototype. HTML/CSS

HTML/CSS

AJAX/JQuery

UX specialist prototype. HTML/CSS

PHP

and even PHP

Great UX specialist write prototypes that can be
pushed to developers for final production.

AJAX/JQuery

HTML/CSS
Use prototypes to PHP
streamline
development.

Development
Environment

You can even use these prototypes to streamline the development process.

From
How can I organize these features
to create an efficient system?

To
How can I organize these features
for an efficient user experience?

Interact with REAL users

Take them out for coffee, lunch, or just chat on the phone.

Sketch

Build Adjust
Prototype
Sketch, build, test, adjust, repeat

Test

Prototype
Sketch - Paper

Here is a user ﬂow I did for a process for users to take content from the system, get a short
url and pass it to the social sphere. Bottom right is a rough UI and the bottom left is a rough
data scheme.

Prototype
Sketch - Paper

Here is an interface sketch, the ﬁrst is the overall interface, the top right is the interface when
interaction is initiated and the last is the new user interface that gets shown.

Prototype
Sketch - Wireframe

Next you wireframe. Here is the social process’s interface.

Prototype
Build

Here is the user sketch built out. The top is the default state, the next is the interface after
the new function has been initiated.

Prototype
Build

Here is the new screen they are presented with to complete their process.

Prototype
Testing

- Focus Groups
- Screen Capturing
- Eye Tracking
- Heat Mapping
- Analytics

Testing can be done with any of the above.

Prototype
Testing: Focus Groups

A focus group involves encouraging an invited group
of participants to share their thoughts, feelings,
attitudes and ideas on a certain subject, feature or
user flow.

Prototype

- Prepare agenda

Start by preparing an agenda.

Prototype

- Prepare agenda
- Invite 1 to 6 target users

Next invite 1 to 6 target users, depending on the agenda. 1 works better for them interacting
with website and 6 is best for a Q&A.

Prototype

- Prepare agenda
- Meet in quiet room

You want to be able to hear each other.

Prototype

- Prepare agenda
- Record session

You must record, either video or audio, video if they are interacting. This allows you to
reference back and justiﬁes any changes in strategy.

Prototype

- Prepare agenda
- Record session
- Ask them to walk through, or walk them through tasks

Prototype

- Prepare agenda
- Record session
- Ask them to walk through, or walk them through tasks
- Document feedback

Documenting feedback should be highlights as you have a recording to reference back to for
details.

Prototype
Testing: Eye Tracking

“Eye tracking is the process of measuring either the
point of gaze ("where we are looking") or the motion
of an eye relative to the head.”

Prototype

This works by placing a camera on top of the user’s computer.

Prototype

It then beam infrared light out that is in turn reflected back by
the human eye.

Prototype

In the end, you can pinpoint where the user’s eyes move to.

Prototype
Testing: Screen Capturing

Screen capturing allows you to see exactly what
your users are doing on your site, down to all
sporadic mouse movements, by recording their
complete session.

Prototype

I love this tool.

Prototype

Demo

Can’t embed demo. Sorry.

Prototype

Some providers:
User Fly
http://userfly.com

ExactoStats
http://exactostats.com/

ClickTale
http://www.clicktale.com/

Some providers of Screen Capturing.

Prototype
Testing: Heat Mapping

“A heat map is an easy way to understand what
users do on your site. It’s a visual representation
showing you where people click and what users do.”

Prototype

Many software solutions for making heat maps.

Prototype

Most are based off of user click patterns.

Prototype

Notice the colors

Prototype

Cool colors are
few clicks

Prototype

Warm colors are
most clicked

here you will see most people use this page to login.

Prototype

Some providers:
Crazy Egg
http://www.crazyegg.com/

Omniture
http://www.omniture.com/en/

Clickdestiny
http://www.clickdensity.com/

Google Analytics
https://www.google.com/analytics/

And many others

Google actually only gives you the percentage of clicks per link, but that’s still useful.

Prototype
Testing: Analytics

We all know what analytics are, but do we
understand how they help usability?

Prototype
Testing: Analytics

First, they clarify what works in your UI.

Prototype
Testing: Analytics

Next, they justify your content, or justify removing
some of your content.

Prototype
Testing: Analytics

Lastly, they can tell you if your user flow is working.

Prototype
Testing: Analytics

There are many names for this, funnels, goals, paths.
I like conversion as it implies your user flow is taking a
user from the start to your desired destination.

Prototype
Testing: Analytics

This works by tracking how your user comes in, where
they go and where they end up.

It’s easy when you have a ﬁnite task, such as share a photo. You can tell how your conversion
is doing by how many photos are being shared. Still, it’s good to know how your users come
in and then ﬁnd the share function.

Prototype
Testing: Analytics

So you have your site.

Home

About Login Sign Up Support Blog

Team Share Post 1

Service Post 2

Prototype
Testing: Analytics

You define a successful
conversion follows this path.

Home


Team Share Post 1

Service Post 2

Prototype
Testing: Analytics

With analytics, you find that
users follow this path.

Home


Team Share Post 1

Service Post 2

Prototype
Testing: Analytics

There’s something wrong with your user experience.

So you...

Prototype
Adjusting

Sketch

Build Adjust

Test

Adjust

UX like Development
Shared goals, different focus

UX == Development

In the case of prototyping.

Change Mindset
Get Started Interact with REAL users

Know your users!!!

Change Mindset
Get Started Interact with REAL users
Sketch, build, test, adjust, repeat

Pay attention to design.

Okay, I know a lot of developers are going to scrum by this word, but trust me, it’s okay.
We’re not going to talk color palates, nor shading.

Pay attention to design.

You may not be a designer, but you have opinions on design, and that’s okay. So quickly...

Design

Design covers a wide variety of deﬁnitions and skills. It can be one of the most misleading
disciplines out there.

Design == Creativity

Most people think design equals creativity.

Design == Creativity

They are wrong. I know so many people who are good with UX design that have no ability to
“design.”

Design is simply the structuring of elements
into a pleasing, or usable, product for the
target audience to consume.

Design is simply the structuring of elements into a pleasing, or usable, product for a target
audience to consume.

Design is simply the structuring of elements
into a pleasing, or usable, product for the
target audience to consume.

Don’t get me wrong. Art is something totally different than design. There’s emotion, thought,
pain, love and so much more that goes into art.

Design

But we are talking design.

UX Design

And more specially UX design.

Sketch

Build
∞ Adjust

Test

You piece together a user experience from what’s proven to work for the user by getting to
know the user, testing your product, adjusting your offering and repeating. ∞

Introduction to UX for Developers Jacques Woodcock

References

Pek Pongpaet
http://uxmag.com/design/user-experience-for-developers
Whitney Hess
http://www.uxmag.com/design/guiding-principles-for-ux-designers
Justin Davis
http://www.maderalabs.com/blog/five-things-every-developer-should-understand-about-ux/
#more-1051
Everett McKay
http://www.uxdesignedge.com/2010/03/getting-started-in-interaction-design/
David Leggett
http://www.uxbooth.com/blog/top-29-free-ux-tools-and-extensions/
Focus Groups
http://www.webcredible.co.uk/user-friendly-resources/web-usability/focus-groups.shtml
29 Free Tools
http://www.uxbooth.com/blog/top-29-free-ux-tools-and-extensions/
Dr. Tobias Komischke
http://blogs.infragistics.com/pixel8/media/p/95683.aspx

@jacques_thekit
@kitportal

Introduction to UX for Developers

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