User-centric

User-centric design means that the user is at the centre of things. A user centric approach to design seeks to find answers to questions about users, including who are they, what do they want to do, how experienced are they with similar products and interfaces, what functions do they need, why are they using the product and how do they think it should work?

There are four critical elements or focuses to any user centric design process, as follows:

• Visualizability entails all elements of the interface that help the user understand the effects of actions. For example, the user knows what will happen when he pushes a certain button and is not surprised or disappointed at what the designer actually has in mind.
• Accessibility describes the way all useful and pertinent information is readily available to the user. Can the user find everything he or she needs in a quick scan of the interface?
• Legibility covers font styles, text sizes, figure-to-ground contrast and foreground-background issues are all covered here and remain a critical aspect of new product design.
• Language covers aspects of diction, use of jargon, good writing vs. bad, verb tense, syntax, and sentence structure. The question here is how clearly does the intended audience understand the writing?

A comprehensive user-centric approach would encompass a complete evaluation of the user experience - the complete cycle of interaction with the brand, from initial introduction through to the end of the product life cycle. This process - a full-on exploration of all the user's interaction with the product or service - is a true way of determining the best design. This is the process used by very high end developers such as film production companies, etc., and it renders the very best results, of course. While some criticize this, this is the most user-centric approach to design and production imaginable; and it succeeds like nothing else.

Learn more about what it means to be user-centric by enquiring about Interpix's user centred design services today.