Chapter 9
Takeaways
1. UCD is a recursive process that lends itself to proactive monitoring and ongoing improvement
of a product to meet user needs and wants.
3. A good UCD report answers questions or speaks to the goals you have for your product. It also
4. Dont think of a UCD report as something you write at the end of the process. Design the
5. There is often organizational pushback or other exigencies that force modifications toor even
6. Including video and audio clips of users using your product can be an effective report strategy.
7. Iteration should be thought of as a mandate to monitor the products use all of the time. Set up
8. UCD doesnt just make products better. It makes users better, and that makes their world and
ours better. Research, assess, balance, build, test, report, and then do it again.
Discussion Questions
1. Imagine that youve gone through the UCD process for a client and are preparing a report of
2. What are potential monetary, political, material, or functional constraints that might lead to
alteration or non-adoption of UCD recommendations? What might you do to plan for or
mitigate these in advance?
5. Why should you constantly iterate your design? When do you know whether its time to improve
on a current design or create a whole new product to address evolving user needs?
UCD Quests
1. Imagine that you are preparing a UCD report for the CEO of a company that you were hired to
2. How might you determine the best format and media for a UCD report (e.g., printed document,
PowerPoint, pictures, video clips)? Research different UCD test reporting software, and explain
how you might incorporate elements of them into your report.
3. Evaluate the formal and informal usability report format examples on Usability.gov (formal: