Integrating user experience into early phases of software development
Jääskeläinen, Anssi (2011-12-16)
Väitöskirja
Jääskeläinen, Anssi
16.12.2011
Lappeenranta University of Technology
Acta Universitatis Lappeenrantaensis
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-265-187-7
https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-265-187-7
Tiivistelmä
The value and benefits of user experience (UX) are widely recognized in the modern
world and UX is seen as an integral part of many fields. This dissertation integrates UX
and understanding end users with the early phases of software development.
The concept of UX is still unclear, as witnessed by more than twenty-five definitions
and ongoing argument about its different aspects and attributes. This missing consensus
forms a problem in creating a link between UX and software development: How to take
the UX of end users into account when it is unclear for software developers what UX
stands for the end users. Furthermore, currently known methods to estimate, evaluate
and analyse UX during software development are biased in favor of the phases where
something concrete and tangible already exists. It would be beneficial to further
elaborate on UX in the beginning phases of software development.
Theoretical knowledge from the fields of UX and software development is presented
and linked with surveyed and analysed UX attribute information from end users and UX
professionals. Composing the surveys around the identified 21 UX attributes is
described and the results are analysed in conjunction with end user demographics.
Finally the utilization of the gained results is explained with a proof of concept utility,
the Wizard of UX, which demonstrates how UX can be integrated into early phases of
software development. The process of designing, prototyping and testing this utility is
an integral part of this dissertation.
The analyses show statistically significant dependencies between appreciation towards
UX attributes and surveyed end user demographics. In addition, tests conducted by
software developers and industrial UX designer both indicate the benefits and necessity
of the prototyped Wizard of UX utility. According to the conducted tests, this utility
meets the requirements set for it: It provides a way for software developers to raise their
know-how of UX and a possibility to consider the UX of end users with statistical user
profiles during the early phases of software development. This dissertation produces
new and relevant information for the UX and software development communities by
demonstrating that it is possible to integrate UX as a part of the early phases of software
development.
world and UX is seen as an integral part of many fields. This dissertation integrates UX
and understanding end users with the early phases of software development.
The concept of UX is still unclear, as witnessed by more than twenty-five definitions
and ongoing argument about its different aspects and attributes. This missing consensus
forms a problem in creating a link between UX and software development: How to take
the UX of end users into account when it is unclear for software developers what UX
stands for the end users. Furthermore, currently known methods to estimate, evaluate
and analyse UX during software development are biased in favor of the phases where
something concrete and tangible already exists. It would be beneficial to further
elaborate on UX in the beginning phases of software development.
Theoretical knowledge from the fields of UX and software development is presented
and linked with surveyed and analysed UX attribute information from end users and UX
professionals. Composing the surveys around the identified 21 UX attributes is
described and the results are analysed in conjunction with end user demographics.
Finally the utilization of the gained results is explained with a proof of concept utility,
the Wizard of UX, which demonstrates how UX can be integrated into early phases of
software development. The process of designing, prototyping and testing this utility is
an integral part of this dissertation.
The analyses show statistically significant dependencies between appreciation towards
UX attributes and surveyed end user demographics. In addition, tests conducted by
software developers and industrial UX designer both indicate the benefits and necessity
of the prototyped Wizard of UX utility. According to the conducted tests, this utility
meets the requirements set for it: It provides a way for software developers to raise their
know-how of UX and a possibility to consider the UX of end users with statistical user
profiles during the early phases of software development. This dissertation produces
new and relevant information for the UX and software development communities by
demonstrating that it is possible to integrate UX as a part of the early phases of software
development.
Kokoelmat
- Väitöskirjat [1099]