Why is defining user experience so difficult? Do we actually need to define it? How do you define it in different situations. This exercise and presentation explores these topics and more.

1. Defining the damn thing!
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Chris Rourke
chris@uservision.co.uk
@crourke
@uservision
April 2019
And we’re recruiting!

2. Defining user experience
What’s your experience in defining user experience?
• Have you ever had to explain user experience to someone?
• Did they understand it?
• Was it accurate and comprehensive?
• Do we actually need a definition?
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3. The dinner party You are at a dinner party, the wine and
conversation are flowing…
You’re sitting next to someone you’ve
never met before who says:
“ Hey, I hear you work in something
called usability or user experience –
What’s that all about? It sounds
interesting.”
How would you respond, in a way that
gives a clear and accurate explanation
during your dinner chat?
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4. The Board You’re a new hire into a medium sized
software company. The successful but
sceptical CEO has heard that “they’ve
hired someone doing stuff on usability
and ‘UX’ ” .
He wants to know what this is all about
so he’s asked for you to present to the
Board of Directors about these topics
and what it means for his company.
As part of your presentation you want
to give clear and accurate definitions of
usability and user experience. What
would you say?
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5. A little exercise
Meet your neighbour - Work in pairs
1. Write out your definitions of Usability and User Experience for your context (3 minutes)
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6. 6
The dinner party The Board

7. A little exercise
Meet your neighbour - Work in pairs
1. Write out your definitions of Usability and User Experience for your context (3 minutes)
2. First person gives their definitions for each of the two terms - and any others you think are
relevant (2 minutes)
3. Second person : question their response - do you really understand from what they’ve told you
(I’ll provide wildcards)
4. Reverse & repeat
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8. Definitions
How did you define:
User Experience
Usability
Other
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9. 9
Do we need a definition?

10. 10
"I know it when I see it."

11. Why definitions are worth it
It stop it from becoming just a buzzword
Other professions define themselves – shouldn’t we?
How can you have a ‘UX Strategy’ if you can’t define the thing you’re building a
strategy for?
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12. But definitions are hard
The IA community discussed
their own definition forever
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http://boxesandarrows.com/not-
defining-the-damn-thing/

13. Starting with Usability
Usability is the extent to which a system, product or service
can be used by specified users
to achieve specified goals
with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction
in a specified context of use.
There is a comprehensive definition featuring the context of use and measures of
usability.
ISO 9241-210:2010
Ergonomics of human-system interaction — Part 210: Human-centred design for interactive systems

14. Effectiveness: The accuracy and completeness with which users achieve
specified goals.
Efficiency: The resources used in relation to the results achieved. (Time,
steps)
Satisfaction: Positive attitudes, emotions and/or comfort resulting from
use of a system, product or service.
Usability: The big 3 dimensions
Although different – what do all 3 of these have in common?
What term do you tend to use more: Usability or user experience?

15. Things change
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The Growth of HCI and User Interface / Experience design – Ben Schneiderman, Medium
Frequency of Mentions of terms in New York Times

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17. Break it down: Peter Morville’s UX Honeycomb
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• Useful. Is your product or website useful in any way?
• Usable. Ease of use - necessary but not sufficient.
• Desirable. Remember the value of image, identity,
brand, and emotional design.
• Findable. Design navigable web sites, so users can find
what they need.
• Accessible. Inclusive for people with disabilities.
• Credible. Certain design elements influence users’
trust.
• Valuable. Deliver value to end-users and the sponsors.
https://semanticstudios.com/user_experience_design/

18. Other definitions
From the UXPA
Every aspect of the user's interaction with a product, service, or company that make up
the user's perceptions of the whole. - UXPA, Usability Body of Knowledge, Glossary
From Wikipedia
User experience (UX) refers to a person's emotions and attitudes about using a particular
product, system or service.
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19. User Experience (UX)
User Experience: A person's perceptions and responses that result from the use
and/or anticipated use of a product, system or service.
Emotions
Beliefs
Preferences
Comfort
Behaviours and accomplishments
…. that occur before, during and after use.
User experience is mainly about satisfaction and fulfilment of expectations
ISO 9241-210:2010
System User

20. System, User and the Context of use.
The product, system or service’s
Brand image
Presentation
Functionality
System performance
Interactive behaviour
Help / assistive capabilities
The user’s
Prior experiences
Attitudes
Skills
Abilities and personality
…and the context of use (physical &
social environment)
Three key factors influence user experience

21. During use
Actual use
Before use
Anticipated use
After use
Digested use
Imagining the use
of the product without
actually having used it
Digesting the experience
of the use of the product
Effective, efficient
and satisfactory
completion of task
User Experience
(ISO 9241-210)
Usability
(ISO 9241-211)
Difference between Usability and User Experience

22. Customer Experience
‘Customer experience is the sum of all experiences a customer has with a
supplier of goods or services, over the duration of their relationship with that
supplier. From awareness, discovery, attraction, interaction, purchase, use,
cultivation and advocacy.’
- CXPA
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23. My Mental Model
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Usability
User
Experience
(UX)
Customer
Experience
(CX)
Usefulness Engagement
Value
Trust
Consistency
Relevance
Effectiveness,
Efficiency,
Satisfaction
Task
Relationship over time and
many touchpoints
Wider thoughts of
that Touchpoint

24. Conclusions
Is it worth the effort to define UX & usability?
Yes - it states the scope and aims of these terms
I doesn’t have to be formal
But the formal ones can add credibility to an otherwise abstract concept
Use examples to explain what UX is and isn’t
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25. Edinburgh
London
Dubai@UserVision
www.uservision.co.uk
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hello@uservision.co.uk
Thank You !!
UX Training & UXQB Certification May 8th
We’re recruiting
• UX Consultants
• Accessibility Consultant
• Accessibility Lead