Understanding the user who isn't you

Mining everyday information

There are many situations where consumers have to use information to make decisions. According to the Basic Skills Agency roughly one in five people in the UK are functionally illiterate, and we are all of us, sometimes, in situations where we need directions about what to do next. So clear information is essential to help people use products and services, and to protect them from mistakes.

In the much-contested world of nutrition information, the five-a-day fruit and veg campaign, launched in America in 1991 and now adopted in many other countries, is a great example of a clear, positive message that communicates to everyone and influences behaviour. It sets a precedent for focusing on a simple, top line message. There are many situations where similar clarity is needed but often lacking: for example dosing medicines, managing money, or using a new piece of equipment.

Click here for more about the Basic Skills Agency

Weird things on the web

We're all conscious of the ways the internet has changed things we do day-to-day, from keeping in touch with friends, through collaborating at work, to finding information. The press is full of anecdotes about the unexpected effects of using the internet. Here are a few

• a study by University College London found that people with chronic illnesses who consulted health information on the web tended to have worse health outcomes than those who didn't, possibly because they made their own treatment decisions rather than take doctors' advice
• eBay users who search for items using misspellings (e.g. 'dimond' rather than 'diamond') sometimes find bargains that others using correct spellings have missed
• one of the first TV shows to create a blog (initially a Usenet group) was American science fiction series Babylon 5. Started in 1991, the blog’s impact on the programme was significant. On one occasion it prompted the withdrawal of a planned episode because a fan posted a matching plotline and legal issues had to be resolved before the broadcast could go ahead. These days user forums and blogs are a valuable source of feedback, influence and inspiration to all sorts of product and service providers.

Image © Ian Aberdeen

Which do you really want to use?

Here's a study in usability: try looking at the on-line catalogues for Ikea and Habitat. One is workaday, but gets you there quickly. The other is more beautiful but can frustrate with fiddly navigation. Guess which is which. Maybe it's just a question of taste, but when browsing a catalogue, there is usually an end purpose in mind, and the design of the catalogue should support that.

The Ikea site gains points over the Habitat site particularly for presenting more content and links within the confines of a laptop screen. Laptop sales are now level pegging (and before long may beat) desktop sales. Although laptop screens are increasing in size it’s still best to avoid making users scroll beyond what’s immediately visible to find information they need.

Click here for Ikea
and here for Habitat

How I do it

I help you put users at the centre of your thinking, whether you are developing products, services or policy. I use research to focus development on what people want and need, and I work with you to build and prototype ideas for testing and further iteration.

I favour observational research (because there is often a discrepancy between what interviewees say they do and what they actually do in everyday life). But I select research methods according to the project: interviews, observation (sometimes called ethnographic or empathic research), focus groups, brainstorms, diary studies, concept testing, usability testing.

I work independently but have a wide network of talented and creative colleagues, drawn together over 20 years experience, who I bring together to meet specific project needs.

My network is international so, where appropriate, I can bring a global perspective to projects.