UX Design Process

PRICPE is an iterative process, specifically for interaction design. We'll try to use elements of this design process. This is from a course that we teach at Oregon State University called Introduction to Usability Engineering.

P: Predispositions

R: Research

I: Insights

C: Concepts

P: Prototype

E: Evaluation

#Predispositions First, write down, "what you know, what you don't know". What do you know about how Privly works (from a user's standpoint). What don't you know? What's confusing?

#Research You've done part of this already by looking into Mailvelope. Look into other privacy-related applications. How do they do it?

You can also look up academic articles (if you have access to those databases through your schools) about privacy/security software.

(Sean might be able to link us to some)

For us, this will be where you do the think-aloud session with someone who has never used Privly before. (This is actually a part of "Evaluation" as well)

Steps for think-aloud:

1. Come up with a practice task for a user to do, to get used to "thinking aloud". It's hard for people to talk about what they're doing, so a sample task if often helpful. One sample task is "Can you calculate how many windows are in the last library you visited?" or something of that nature.
2. Come up with a real task for the user to do with Privly
3. Ask the user to do the task. Don't give them hints!
   • you can use screen-recording software if you want,
   • take notes during this - where are they running into issues, where are the problems
   • it's ok to help them after they have completely given up, if you need to get more data
4. Ask them follow-up questions about what went well, what they think could be improved.

More reading about think-aloud studies: http://www.nngroup.com/articles/thinking-aloud-the-1-usability-tool/

#Insights After doing research, gather insights. What did you learn; what is there left to do?

#Concepts Notice that this is plural! Come up with a few different ideas that are very different from each other, before you implement anything. These concepts should not be limited by the limitations of the internet or real world. Be as creative as you can, and treat this as a brainstorming process.

#Prototype Come up with a more fleshed out version of one of the concepts, that solves at least one of the user's problems.

Start with lo-fidelity. Sketch on paper, or crude sketches in Microsoft Paint. ;) Make sure to sketch out each step in the process.

Then move on to high-fidelity. You can use photoshop or another prototyping tool for this. Or, you can jump into the code!

#Evaluation Evaluation is iterative and happens throughout the entire design process.

The think-aloud protocol is an empirical method for doing UX research. There's also analytical methods like Cognitive Walkthrough and GOMS/KLM. Analytical methods are considered "discount usability evaluation" because they do not use "real users", but they do find some problems, and are quick and easy.

Cognitive Walkthrough goes something like this:

1. Decide on users and a task.
2. Sit in a room with a couple people, and walk through how you'd do that task with the interface as it is (pretending you don't know a whole lot about the system).
3. Discuss what could be improved.

More reading on Cognitive Walkthrough: http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~zwz22/CognWalk.htm

GOMS/KLM are ways to analyze the efficiency of the system. In Privly's case, we want to minimize the amount of "clicking around" the user does, because we want them to use this system often, and it should be fast and efficient.

The "detailed description" on this page will give you more information: http://www.usabilitybok.org/klm-goms

#Questions? If you have any questions about this design process, please let us know via the Google Group:https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/privly. If you find more resources that you'd like to link, or find typos, please submit an issue against this documentation.