User-Centered Design Methodology | Significance, Principles, and Advantages
Shikha Bisht | 22nd July 2019
What is User-Centered Design?
It is a design philosophy in which the end-user requirements are the key focus at all the four phases within the design process and development life cycle. The primary focus of professional UX UI consulting services is to conduct in-depth research around user needs and match them with business requirements.
The products which develop using the User-Centered Design methodology are optimized for end-users and emphasizing on the fact that the product should be designed/developed based on the end-users requirement on how to use the product instead of making something for which the end-user has to change his behavior in order to use the product.
In software development, User-Centered Design is a common process in which typical UCD activities are divided into four phases in the development life cycle: Analysis, Design, Implementation, and Development. The first phase of UCD is to identify target users in which context they would use the interface. The second phase of UCD is determining what requirements of the user interface. The third phase to create design solutions. The final phase of UCD is user testing. This phase allows web developers to evaluate the concepts, select the best design option, reiterate the design and improve user experience. It is also called the human-centered design process.
Importance Of User-Centered Design
A user-centered design methodology is easy for us to learn and support our tasks and goals in a more efficient and effective manner. It is a method to achieving good user experience.
Key principles of User-Centered Design
These principles summarize best working function practice for the design of usable systems. They are not ‘set in concrete’ and can be easily altered to suit specific interaction requirements.
1. Design for the user and their tasks
2. Be consistent
3. Use simple and natural dialogue
4. Reduce unnecessary mental effort by the user
5. Provide adequate feedback
6. Provide adequate navigation mechanisms
7. Let the user drive
8. Present information clearly
9. Be helpful
10. Reduce errors
Advantages of User-Centered Design
1- It is a more secure and efficient product.
2- Users feel a sense of community in the product.
3- There are less of a requirement to redesign and integrate products into the environment.
4- More assistance in users expectation of products.
Disadvantages of User-Centered Design
1- User-centric design is expansive.
2- difficulty to translate certain types of data into design.
3- products takes more time.
4- Item may be too complicated and specific for public use leading to becoming more expensive.
Conclusion
User-Centered Design is an essential tool for projects, but there is more to it that just including our prospective users in user tests. We should think about the design, even before we build our prototype. The goal of UCD is solving problems for users, helping them achieve their goals with ease and more than that make them feel delightful while doing so.
UX UI Consulting Services or Multiple Industry Businesses
Our UX research consultants at Oodles Studio conduct in-depth research to fulfill the digital requirements of a variety of businesses across the globe. Our UX research service deliverables include User Persona Generation, Competitive Analysis Reports, Information Architecture Diagrams, and other UX reports. Talk to our UX/UI design team to build intuitive and effective digital interfaces for your business.
