As with the traditional process, the designer or creative team should conduct research. For a web project this could include the following:
Page Impressions – a request to load a single page of an internet site. eg. 1000 x each page has been clicked on (100 unique users clicking backwards and forwards)
Unique Users – the number of individual users to a site over a defined period, often a month eg. 100 different users a day. Look at peak times of websites being visited - use it as a problem or a strength.
User Flows – a diagram showing a user’s journey, used to show most likely user experience. eg. Shows their journey to a website and how they engage with it while they're on it. There are websites you can use to access this information.
Personas – Fictitious characters that are created to represent the different user types within a targeted demographic that might use a site or product. Think about how they would use your website. Put yourself in their shoes to test it in different ways.
Use Cases – a description of a system’s behaviour as it responds to a request that originates from outside of that system.
One–on–One –person to person interviews - specific questions asked by the interviewer to gain a specific understanding of the interviewee’s behaviour/thoughts associated with a service or product.
Focus Groups – a form of qualitative research in which a group of people are asked their thoughts on a product, service, or concept.
SWOT Analysis – a strategic planning tool used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project.
Questionnaires – a research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information from respondents.
Market Segmentation – groups of peoples or organisations sharing one or more characteristic that causes them to have similar product needs. E.g. location, age, gender, or socioeconomic status.
Every user interface should be designed for a specific target audience - not for yourself or the client. For this reason it is imperative you understand who your target audience is.
Individuals:
What is the age range?
My age range is students typically between the ages of 18 - 26
Will your interface appeal more to men or women?
Equally male and female students. Has to be gender neutral.
Is you interface specific to a country?
Yes, England
Are the target audience based in urban or rural areas?
Urban areas, big cities such as Leeds and Manchester
What is the average income of the target audience?
Students loans, part time jobs, no real income.
What is their occupation?
Students
How often do they use interfaces?
Daily, possibly even hourly.
What devices do they use?
Mobile phones, laptops, ipads, self service machines.
COMPANY:
What is the size of the company?
National, StuRents spans across the whole of England.
Will users be using the site for themselves or for someone else?
For themselves and their housemates.
Invent some fictional visitors from your typical target audience. They can and should
influence your design decisions:
Kate, 20, Second Year History student at Leeds University. Looking for a house in Hyde Park to share with 6 other girls. Wanting to find a house on a specific road to be close to her other group of friends, with all equal sized double bedrooms.
Adam, 18, First year student moving out of halls. Wanting to find a house share as didn't make any close friends in first year. Has to be less than £90 a week, doesn't mind location as long as its less than a 20 minute walk form Leeds Beckett University.
Louise, Erasmus Student from Canada, Needs to find a room for second term for around £80 a week. Preferably all girl house.
Why
Why are/would users visit your interface. What is the specific reason the target audience would engage with your interface. Motivations:
Looking for a house to rent, room to let, place to live for a single term. Spending time on the website is an essential to find a house for the following year.
Goals:
Users are looking for a specific house to rent / request a viewing on.
The information is time sensitive so could change as more houses come on the website. However push notifications would alert tenants to different houses that become available.
Users need specific information about the house / letting service to help them decide whether or not to rent it eg. Price a week, number of bedrooms, location, Reviews of landlord.
What are the most important features of what you are offering?
Modern, fun and engaging interface. Different to its competitors. Offers a clutter free way of searching for specific properties. Push notifications available so yo don't have to keep checking for new houses. They come to you.
Users can engage through laptop and mobile devices, and can engage as much or as little as they like.
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