An Jacobs wrote:
> For some time I have been struggling with the question if user/human
> centred design, that in a way aims to raise the "quality of life" , results
> in profitable products. Does anybody know of some studies on the success of
> products developed taking into account user/human centred design techniques
> compared to products not taking this into account?
An
Yes, we have been researching and publishing on this issue for the last 16
years.
Probably the best known of our published studies is:
Fisher P & Sless D 1990
Improving information management in the insurance industry
Information Design Journal 6 (2) 103129
It gives an account of how information design was used to improve
productivity in the Insurance industry. Neilsen quotes this as an exmaple of
improved productivity through usability engineering, as do some plain
English advocates quote it as an example of improvements due to plain
English. In truth, both are incorrect. It is an example of success following
information design methods which include some attention to usability and
language, but only as part of an overall process.
This is a hard to get publications. However, there is a copy of this
contained in 'Readings Towards Science Communication' which is on sale
(while copies last) from our e-shop at:
www.communication.org.au.html/shop.html.
Also, we are just republishing an important demonstartion project in
information design in which we compare three different approaches to the
design of medicine labelling. Again, this should be available at our e-shop
sometime over the next few days. Try Monday
For us the question is no longer about whether user centred design leads to
improvements in well-being, productivity or profiatbility; our research
shows quite clearly that when certain systematic design methods are used,
the answer is yes. By the early 90's our research had moved on from that
question.
The question we spent much of our time researching in the 1990's were:
1. What are minimum acceptable level of performance for information design?.
2. How does one institutionalise such design performance through routine
practice, automation, and regulation?
On the first question we have worked with documents, packaging, product
instructions and web sites. Among our major findings is one which is used
now to regulate medicines information both in Australia and the EU. The
findings show that with a well designed document, literate consumers can
minimaly find 90% of what they are looking for and appropriately use 90% of
what they find. On the second question, we are helping a number of companys
achieve these performance levels, and a number of regulators develop
appropriate regulations. We have had some modest successes in this area.
Again, you will find quite a few of our research publications address these
issues in some detail.
One of our current research questions is how far such information design
methods and performance benchmarks can be generalised to other types of
communication and information design.
BTW, to the rest of the group. I have not forgoten about elaborating on my
Wittgenstein comments. But I need a couple of uninterupted hours to put
something together that might make some sense. At the moment, such slabs of
time only exist for me in the middle of the night when I'm not able to use
them.
David
--
Professor David Sless
Director
Communication Research Institute of Australia
** helping people communicate with people **
PO Box 398 Hawker
ACT 2614 Australia
Mobile: 0412 356 795
phone: +61 (0)2 6259 8671
fax: +61 (0)2 6259 8672
web: http://www.communication.org.au
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