Usage-centered design is an approach to
user interface design
User interface (UI) design or user interface engineering is the design of user interfaces for machines and software, such as computers, home appliances, mobile devices, and other electronic devices, with the focus on maximizing usability and the ...
based on a focus on user intentions and usage patterns. It analyzes users in terms of the roles they play in relation to systems and employs abstract (essential)
use cases
In both software and systems engineering, a use case is a structured description of a system’s behavior as it responds to requests from external actors, aiming to achieve a specific goal. It is used to define and validate functional requireme ...
for
task analysis
Task analysis is a fundamental tool of human factors engineering. It entails analyzing how a task is accomplished, including a detailed description of both manual and mental activities, task and element durations, task frequency, task allocation, ...
. It derives visual and
interaction design
Interaction design, often abbreviated as IxD, is "the practice of designing interactive digital products, environments, systems, and services." While interaction design has an interest in form (similar to other design fields), its main area of foc ...
from abstract
prototypes
A prototype is an early sample, model, or release of a product built to test a concept or process. It is a term used in a variety of contexts, including semantics, design, electronics, and software programming. A prototype is generally used to ...
based on the understanding of user roles and
task cases.
Usage-centered design was introduced by
Larry Constantine and Lucy Lockwood. The primary reference is their book.
Usage-centered design methods
Usage-centered design is largely based on formal, abstract models such as models of interaction between user roles,
UML workflow models and
task case and role profiles.
Usage-centered design proponents argue for abstract modelling while many designers use realistic
personas,
scenarios and high-fidelity
prototypes
A prototype is an early sample, model, or release of a product built to test a concept or process. It is a term used in a variety of contexts, including semantics, design, electronics, and software programming. A prototype is generally used to ...
. The techniques have been applied with particular success in complex software projects, some of which have been reported in case studies.
[See, for example, Windl (2002) and Strope (2003)]
Usage-centered design and activity-centered design approach
Usage-centered design share some common ideas with
activity-centered design. It is concerned more with the activities of users but not the users per se. Constantine (2006) presents an integrated framework where the models of Usage-centered design are enriched with concepts from the
Activity theory
Activity theory (AT; ) is an umbrella term for a line of eclectic social-sciences theories and research with its roots in the Soviet psychological activity theory pioneered by Sergei Rubinstein in the 1930s. It was later advocated for and popula ...
.
References
Citations
Bibliography
*Constantine L. Activity Modeling: Toward a Pragmatic Integration of Activity Theory with Usage-Centered Design, 2006
*Constantine L., and Lockwood, L. "Structure and Style in Use Cases for User Interfaces." In M. van Harmelan, Ed., ''Object Modeling and User Interface Design.'' Boston: Addison-Wesley, 2001.
*Constantine L., and Lockwood, L. ''Software for Use: A Practical Guide to the Essential Models and Methods of Usage-Centered Design.'' Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1999. (Russian translation 2004, Chinese translation 2004, Japanese translation 2005.)
*Constantine, L. “Usage-Centered Software Engineering: New Models, Methods, and Metrics.” In Purvis, M. (ed.) ''Software Engineering: Education & Practice.'' Los Alamitos, CA: IEEE Computer Society Press, 1996.
*Constantine, L. "Essential Modeling: Use Cases for User Interfaces.” ''ACM Interactions, 2'' (2): 34-46, April 1995.
*Strope, J. (2003) “Designing for Breakthroughs in User Performance.” In L. Constantine, ed., ''Performance by Design: Proceedings of forUSE 2003, the Second International Conference on Usage-Centered Design.'' Rowley, MA: Ampersand Press.
*Windl, H. (2002) “Designing a Winner: Creating STEP 7 lite with Usage-Centered Design.” In L. Constantine, ed., ''forUSE 2002: Proceedings of the First International Conference on Usage-Centered Design.'' Rowley, MA: Ampersand Press.
Further reading
Usage-centered design FAQ
User interfaces
Usability
Human–computer interaction
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