Understanding the audience.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
Who uses this What they are trying to do What they already know What device and connection they have What constraints they are under
WHAT NOT TO ASSUME
That they resemble you.
THAT IS THE CENTRAL ERROR
Designers are unusually comfortable with technology and unusually patient.
WHAT VARIES ENORMOUSLY
Familiarity with interfaces Reading speed and confidence Vision, hearing and motor ability Language Device capability
WHAT THAT MEANS PRACTICALLY
Design for the least confident user who must succeed.
WHAT TO FIND OUT
How people actually do this task now What goes wrong What they call things
THAT LAST ONE
Use their vocabulary, not yours.
An interface labelled in internal terminology fails.
WHAT TO AVOID
Designing for an imagined ideal user Designing for the person who commissioned it
WHAT TO DO
Watch a real person attempt the task.
