User Centered Design (UCD): A Top Business To Business Approach!

In the technical world, the user-centered designs are gaining popularity and are receiving an increased attention in the recent years. Most of the companies outsource their job and for this, the team at the outsourcing company communicates with their client. According to the requirement of the client, the product is developed by the team. There are chances of miss communication somewhere and hence both the companies aim at improvising the standard of understanding by inculcating various methods and tools.

One such tool to improve the standard of understanding is user-centered design. The method primarily aims at talking straight to the users whereby the points that are to be clearly mentioned are done in each stage throughout the project. The software products thus becomes usable and efficient as it strictly adhered to the client’s requirements. Creating a wonderful user-experience is needed in any software development. This alone can make the end product come out in the way the client required.

There are six methods in UXcentered design and the four essential activities of this design projects are:

1. Requirement Gathering: This is the initial phase of project. It involves the team understanding the specifications and the context in use.
2. Requirement Specification: this involves specifying the needs and requirements of the organization and the user.
3. Design: This is the major phase where the product is designed.
4. Evaluation: Assessing the product which is user-based.

The six user-centered design methods are inserted in all the above steps and are popularly used worldwide.

• Focus Group: For an input about the design; for example what are the tasks involved by the people working in that project. This method is used in the first design phase.
• Usability testing: Here, it answers two questions what they are doing and why they are doing it. This method is used in last two phases.
• Card Sorting: it is a statistical approach and implemented in design phase.
• Participatory Design: It allows the team to involve in decision making and it is used in design phase.
• Questionnaire and Interviews are both important in the first and last stage.
  
  
  

By following these methods, it helps in redesigning an existing application, helps a better business to business portal. Risk is a major factor for the downfall of a company. By following a UX design, one can avoid risk or manage risk. It improves the performance of the team and ultimately your sales increase thereby improving your brand name!