User-Centred Design
The ergonomics of an interactive product should be considered in the specific user context. Attention is paid to individual requirements, tasks and goals, as well as the physical, social and organisational environment of the users. The user-centred design process was established (in accordance with the DIN EN ISO 13407 standard) to systematically meet all of the above aspects.
User centred design can be divided into different phases which may overlap and merge.
Contextual Inquiry
Information about the user and his individual requirements (tasks, goals, environment etc) is gathered. The resulting data enables us to define the overall user requirements.
Creating a design solution
During the next stage, the requirements become the design solutions. By building on typical user scenarios an appropriate design solution can be developed. The different approaches can be observed parallel to one another and an optimal solution can be found.
Experiencing an interactive product
The design solution can be tried and tested through early visualisation and then transferred to a prototype. The prototype therefore grows from the first rough sketches to the detailed pre installed version of the final product.
Methods for Developing Prototypes
Evaluation
Interactive and design solutions are evaluated continuously as well as at specific stages in the development process. Such continuous evaluation ensures that the objectives are kept in sight and that the design solution fulfils them. Both experts an representative users are involved in these evaluations. Subsequent to these results the design solution is ready to be optimised.
