USER CENTERED DESIGN IN THE WILD

DS 68-1: Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Engineering Design (ICED 11), Impacting Society through Engineering Design, Vol. 1: Design Processes, Lyngby/Copenhagen, Denmark, 15.-19.08.2011

Year: 2011
Editor: Culley, S.J.; Hicks, B.J.; McAloone, T.C.; Howard, T.J. & Clarkson, P.J.
Author: Stompff, Guido; Henze, Lilian; Jong, Fred de; Vliembergen, Eddy van; Stappers, Pieter Jan; Smulders, Frido; Buijs, Jan
Series: ICED
Section: Design Processes
Page(s): 79-90

Abstract

Modern hi-tech product development is becoming increasingly complex, posing difficulties for achieving technically sound products, that also address the user needs. User Centered Design (UCD) methodologies have been developed, but are not easy to fit into modern industrial practice. We describe UCD practice in new product development (NPD) practice at Océ with a distributed R&D developing high tech products. The UCD professionals are embedded in NPD teams. Specifically we describe the social nature of product development in large close coupled teams, whereby the contribution of specialists is orchestrated whilst developing, and are enacted into prototypes. It was found that boundary objects (like prototypes) that depict the intended outcome strongly contribute UCD, just as boundary experiences . These concern events that can be experienced and reflected on by all specialists involved. To orchestrate the contributions of specialists, a powerful tool is creating a product story . This is a coherent, plausible and shared narrative explaining what the product will be. Lastly it was found that synchronizing the natural UCD rhythm to the natural NPD rhythm also enhances UCD.

Keywords: USER CENTERED DESIGN; DESIGN THINKING; COLLABORATIVE DESIGN; BOUNDARY OBJECTS

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