User-Centered Design Stages




UCD involves 5 stages. These steps are very similar to the MYP and DP design cycle.

For designers, structuring their inquiry around these steps can help them develop design solutions well founded in research, empathy, and understanding of the user. In addition, using the cycle to organize the process can help manage time. 

UCD is founded in research. Designers and design team use a range of research strategies to understand the scope of the problem, the users' needs, the nuances of the task(s), and the user's goals.

The focus here is on the User, Task, and Environment

The goal of research is to understand the problem and emphasize with the user.  Only by empathizing with the user can the designer create a solution that meets their needs.

UCD is biased towards prototyping. By putting a prototype in the hands of the user and the design team, valuable feedback and information can be gained that can be used to guide the direction of the inquiry.

The goal of this step is to test ideas with the target user in order to better understand their needs

This step involves much iteration, focusing on refining the design.

In this step, prototypes are developed to a higher fidelity with the goal of further refining the design to meet the user's needs.

Ideally, the designers present high fidelity prototypes to the user to use. Careful observation and collection of feedback from users further iterates and refines the design. The goal is achieve a design that is simple, inclusive, and successful.

For designers and the design team this iteration is a critical because it provides information about how well the design is meeting the user's needs and the design brief. Depending on the complexity of the design and rate and scale of innovation, the iterations can be incremental or radical, or take place over short or long periods of time.

This step is similar to:


Strategies from the IDEO Design Kit


Resources

This step involves the implementation of a highly refined solution and the careful and detailed collection of data in order to evaluate how successful it is. 

Based on the evaluation of data, further iterations and refinements may be necessary.

This type of testing is focused on usability and evaluation of the design against the design constraints.

The product is launched or "formally introduced" to the user group. The product is no longer a prototype.

However, even after launch UCD includes continuous monitoring and evaluation of the design against the design specifications. For example, after a larger group of users starts to use the design, new or unforeseen needs or challenges may emerge which may require further iteration and refinement. 

The goal with this step is to use the launch step not as a final presentation of the solution, but as another step in the iterative process.