User-Centered Design (UCD) Process and User Involvement
- UCD prioritises the needs, preferences, and limitations of end users throughout the entire design lifecycle.
- It ensures that products are intuitive, accessible, and effective by actively involving users at every stage of development.
- UCD is not a one-size-fits-all approach.
- It adapts to the specific context of each project, considering factors like user demographics, cultural norms, and technological constraints.
The Five Stages of UCD
- Research
- Concept
- Design
- Implementation
- Launch
| UCD Stage | Objective | Key Activities | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research | Gain a deep understanding of user needs, behaviors, and contexts. | Interviews, observation, and personas. | Interview students and observe how they carry, use, and clean their bottles |
| Concept | Translate user insights into clear design requirements. | Problem definition, user stories & design specifications | Students find current bottles bulky, leak-prone, and hard to clean |
| Design | Generate and visualise design solutions. | Brainstorming, sketching & prototyping | Sketch solutions with better lids, ergonomic grip; create a 3D-printed prototype |
| Implementation | Assess the usability and effectiveness of prototypes with real users. | Assess the usability and effectiveness of prototypes with real users. | Students test the prototype; some report issues with opening the lid easily |
| Launch | Develop the final product and continuously improve it based on user feedback. | Development, launch, post-launch evaluation | Modify lid mechanism, improve material choice, and prepare for production |
UCD is iterative, you don’t just follow the steps once. Designers often loop back to refine the product after testing with users.
