Introduction

Both the Media outcome and the Design outcome require that you look at using user experience methodologies in your outcome.

A user experience methodologie is defined as the following:
"a systematic process for gathering and analyzing information about users to design products that meet their need"

To help illustrate this a little bit more I want us to look at the following video

Definitions

NZQA gives examples of UEM's as the following:
user research
usability evaluation
information architecture
user interface design
interaction design
visual design
content strategy
accessibility

Usability evaluation

Definition: Assessing how effectively, efficiently, and satisfactorily users can achieve their goals with a product or system.


The video on the right shows how you could go about testing a web design.

User Research

Definition: Assessing how effectively, efficiently, and satisfactorily users can achieve their goals with a product or system.

Examples:
  • Running usability testing sessions where users complete specific tasks while observed.
  • Conducting heuristic evaluations where experts review the interface against usability principles.
  • Analyzing error rates or task completion times during user interaction.

Information Architecture

Definition: Organizing and structuring content and information within a system to make it easy to navigate and understand.
Examples:
  • Creating a site map for a website to define the hierarchy of pages.
  • Designing navigation menus that categorize information logically.
  • Conducting card-sorting exercises to determine how users group and label content.

User Interface Design

Definition: Designing the visual and interactive elements of a system to ensure an intuitive and appealing user experience.

Examples:
  • Creating buttons, menus, and icons that are easy to recognize and use.
  • Designing responsive layouts that adapt to various screen sizes.
  • Implementing design systems to maintain consistency across products.

Interaction Design (IxD)

Definition: Designing the interactive elements of a product, focusing on how users engage with the system.

Examples:
  • Designing hover effects on buttons or links.
  • Creating gesture-based interactions for mobile apps (e.g., swiping or pinching).
  • Prototyping animations that provide feedback, such as progress bars or success indicators.

Visual Design

Definition: Crafting the aesthetic aspects of a product, including layout, colors, typography, and imagery, to enhance appeal and usability.

Examples:
  • Choosing a color palette that aligns with brand identity and improves readability.
  • Using typography to create hierarchy and guide the user’s eye.
  • Designing illustrations or graphics to complement the product’s content.

Content Strategy

Definition: Planning, creating, and managing content to ensure it meets user needs and aligns with business goals.

Examples:
  • Writing clear and concise microcopy for error messages or call-to-action buttons.
  • Developing a content calendar to schedule and organize updates.
  • Conducting content audits to identify redundant or outdated material.

​Accessibility

Definition: Ensuring a product is usable by people with disabilities, including visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments.

Examples:
  • Adding alt text to images for screen readers.
  • Designing with color contrast that meets accessibility standards.
  • Ensuring the product can be navigated using only a keyboard or assistive devices like screen readers.

Final Thoughts

You will be asked to create a design using a UEM.

You need to consider and research which one you will use before you do mockups.

​Talk to your teacher about which is right for you.