So my course at CareerFoundry.com started October 10th and I have now access to my tasks. As an estimate I should complete 3 tasks per week to complete the course on time, 23 weeks from now.
I am working full-time and haven't studied in a while so I need to get some "Feng Shui" going on here.
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| I am all set ! |
Concepts like usability are at the core of UX Design and "UCD" User centered Design is a hot topic.
I have also learned the different ways to research about the product you want to launch. These methods include questionnaires, interviews, usability testing, card sorting and participatory design.
To sum-up here what the workflow of UX with "UCD" in mind looks like:
- Research, Analysis, and Context
- Defining Concept and Specifications
- Design and "Ideation"
- Develop
- Implement
You can always visit usability.gov for more information.
Without further ado! Here is an example of my first task.
The objective of this exercise was to identify 5 products that I consider to be good an explain why. I have chosen one example but you can see the whole 5 by following this link.
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| iPhone |
Design: it’s beautiful. Easy to use. Just works. Integration with other apple products (mac). Amount of applications.
For me, Apple just reinvented the phone and what a lot of people see as lack of evolution between releases I see as consistency and gradual implementation of new features that make the iPhone a very reliable and up to date purchase year after year. Also. the iOS is very stable and safe, compared to android for example, and can only be found in one phone. The amount of apps available - the app store is the biggest store out there - plays a big role. With the iPhone, Apple not only has high customer satisfaction but also customer loyalty.
By not implementing too many changes version after version anyone can instantly turn on the phone and use it. It is simple. Simple does not mean lack of features but just enough features. The iPhone has educated its customers. Apple has made something that works but that is also beautiful. And this is important. Everything in the iPhone seems to have been designed to work but also to look better than any other phone out there. For me, with the iPhone, Apple has found the perfect match between UX and UI.
I feel I have something that is part of me. It is not only my phone it is a life companion. It gives me style, I don’t want to use a cover with it although I should. I feel I have the best phone on the market (even if it is not). I feel premium.
It was more challenging than expected to find a talk about the products I see as good products. When a product is good you don't "think" about it. This was the feedback from my mentor and it does make a lot of sense.
My second task was - and maybe you have guessed it - to find 5 products I don't like and explain why. I have chosen one example but you can see the whole 5 by following this link.
I don’t like vending machines because they mostly “serve” processed food. I like to eat healthy and fresh food. Also, they look bulky and ugly. Although the process is simple they sometimes don’t work properly, your item stays stuck and you lose your money.I don’t know how you could make a vending machine better really. I just don’t like the concept of having food served by a machine.
Obviously not every place can have a kitchen with freshly made food. But then it should have no “food” at all. That would make people prepare themselves beforehand and bring some snacks to wherever they are going and not just have anything that is offered to them.
I am not against machines that sell beverages like coffee and water as these can look less bulky and customised with branding if they only serve one specific product.
Obviously once in awhile there is no other choice and I do have to use the vending machine and pray that the item will come out. When I do, I feel unhealthy, I feel I should have known better and should have brought that apple or sandwich from home. I feel I am wasting money.
The third task of the week was to combine both previous tasks. I had to select a product and explain what as good and what was bad about this product. I have chosen one example but you can see the whole 5 by following this link.
The Yahoo E-mail sign-in, sign-up process offers me two main options:1. I have an email address and therefore I can sign-in.2. I don’t have one and therefore I can sign-up.
What I like:
I can make my experience a little bit more convenient by staying signed in.I can see that I have options in case I can’t sing in.
What I don’t like:There is a security notice about something that happened. As I don’t have an account I am not sure I should create one now. Not sure it is worth the read as there are so many other email options out there.There are two steps to sign in. I have to enter my email press next and then type my password and press sign in. I cannot input both values on the same page.
I am going to create an account and give it a go. I clicked sign-up and the screen below appeared.
What I like:The “i’d rather use my own email address” notice seems a bit confusing in the beginning as I am trying to sign up for a yahoo email address but then I can login without one? In turns out Yahoo allows you to use another email you already have so you can use other services like Flickr, tumblr, finance etc…
What I don’t like:There is a “continue” button so I imagine I will have to do more things to create an account. It seems a little bit too much. Also, I don’t like the fact that I have to input my mobile phone number.
Conclusion:This is a no go for me.The security notice on the first page does not give me confidence in this feature.The lack of information on what is going to happen after each step and the unnecessary personal details that are requested make me not want to use this feature.
Right, hope you are awake and made it until here.
This was the end of the first week and a huge dive into UX.
Feel free to comment and ask questions! See you next week :)
