Understanding Your Users: A Practical Guide to User Requirements Methods, Tools, and Techniques (Interactive Technologies) by Kathy Baxter

by Catherine Courage

"Today many companies are employing a user centered design (UCD) process, but for many companies, usability begins and ends with the usability test. This book is focused on the requirements gathering stage, which often receives less attention than usability testing, but is equally as important. Understanding users' requirements is critical to the development of a successful product." Understanding Your Users is an easy to read, easy to implement, how-to guide on usability in the real world. It focuses on the "user requirements gathering" stage of product development and it provides a variety of techniques, many of which may be new to usability professionals. For each technique, readers will learn how to prepare for and conduct the activity, as well as analyze and present the data - all in a practical and hands-on way. The techniques can be used together to form a complete picture of the users' requirements or they can be used separately to address specific product questions. These methods have helped product teams understand the value of user requirements gathering by providing insight into how users work and what they need to be successful at their tasks.

Genres: Design, Usability, Business, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published December 1, 2004

Reviews

[Lee Mcivor · Rating 2 out of 5]

A pretty poor, half-baked book. Broad in scope yet so utterly lacking in detail that it's hard to understand what or who it's for.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather marginal book for very beginners. Gained better understanding about Diary Studies and Card Sorting. Otherwise, blah.

[Qua Veda · Rating 4 out of 5]

great reference on user research

[Jeff Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

great summary of common UI research methods. A cookbook for user researchers.

[Zhongchen Zhou · Rating 5 out of 5]

finished on Chapter 12: Focus Groups