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When we started Tweak in 1999, explaining the concept of "user-centered design" was a bit tricky. Because this methodology incorporates usability testing, it was often perceived as being more akin to QA than market research. Most people weren't thinking about how usability affected brand loyalty and customer retention, and the integration of Web efforts with other marketing initiatives was just beginning.
With our combined backgrounds in commercial media and human factors, we knew that in order for the Web to become a viable marketing and sales tool we needed to evangelize the benefits of UCD--using the proven tactics of traditional communications and application development. After all, that's what makes the Web so powerful: it's technology that fosters interaction between companies and their customers, on multiple levels. And user-centered design is the only site development process that promotes lasting, and profitable, customer relationships.
Now, five years later, most marketers know that a company's website is one of its most valuable tools. A branded, easy-to-use site ensures they'll get their message across to their audience. Users will happily complete their purchases...or sign up for a newsletter...or update their accounts...or learn a new skill...You get the picture. Good things happen at UCD sites. People get stuff done. Companies increase their bottom lines.
User-centered design makes perfect sense, once you think about it. Define your goals, document your plan, design, test, refine and measure. And keep doing that, as often as your goals change.
Doesn't this sound logical? We think so, too. And that's why Tweak has made UCD the core of our service offering. As it happens, there's a nice fringe benefit to being experts in this approach to Web development. Because it's so successful, it makes the marketers we work with pretty happy. In fact, 95% of our business is from existing clients and referrals.
Let's take a deeper look at the UCD process. But before we do that, let's talk about the person on the project that is arguably the most important: the Project Manager. The Ringleader. The one who gets paid to simultaneously keep track of the details and the big picture. The one who dots the i's, crosses the t's and makes sure everyone knows when they have to be dotted and crossed, within budget, of course.
A great process is useless without a good manager. Which is why we are so enthusiastically committed to solid project management. Our PMs can be your best friend. In fact, one client even referred to one of our PMs as her "lifesaver." We were proud.
Now, about that process...
Site Strategy
The first thing we define is your company's goals so you can measure your success. We look at your overall marketing plan, your other efforts (print, DM, broadcast), and make recommendations that will ensure brand consistency. We call this step developing your site strategy.
User Profiles
Next, we look at your users. We do this in a process called user profiling, documenting what people are looking for and how they want to get it. In our view, this is one of the most important steps in UCD. Our goal is to give your users what they want, and make sure they keep coming back for more. We will also use this information to recruit appropriate users for usability testing.
Information Architecture + Site Design
Once we've completed those first two steps, we simultaneously begin developing the content structure and the interaction design and the look and feel of the site. Why do we do these two steps at once? Because we believe it's best for designers to concentrate on branding, information architects to focus on site interaction, and marry their expertise together. An added bonus is that this practice increases efficiency, saving you time and money.
Usability Testing
Next we perform usability testing with real people, get their feedback, and refine your design. We recommend doing this before we start development, testing a simple prototype. Why? Because it's quick and cheap to refine a prototype. It's time consuming and expensive to go back and fix a broken site.
Site Development
This is where it all comes together. We've designed an interface that supports your branding, developed content that's relevant, informative and easy to find, and we've performed usability testing to make sure it will work. Now we build, using appropriate technology for your audience (and your internal resources).
It's like Darwin said: adaptation ensures evolution ensures survival. Thus, the UCD process doesn't end with your site launch. Your company will grow and change, and your audience needs will shift. This means your Web site must constantly adapt and evolve, too.
Sound daunting? Expensive? It's neither, really. One of the things we've mastered over the years is helping people prioritize changes to their site to get the most out of their stretched marketing budgets on a fast timeline. We've helped many of our clients successfully update sections of their site, one at a time, allowing them flexibility in their budget and the ability to act as quickly as the market demands.
Now you know why we at Tweak are downright fanatical about our UCD process. It's flexible yet comprehensive. It's adaptable to projects of any size budget, any timeline. It's quantifiable, thus measurable. All the things marketers need today.
Want to know more? A great place to start is in our Services section to get more details about the steps in UCD. You can read success stories and see what our clients say about us. Or, expand your own knowledge about web marketing and usability isues with the information in our Resources section.
Of course, we're always happy to talk further with you. You can reach us at 503.227.8128 or via email at info@tweakinteractive.com.
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Find out how we put our UCD methodology in action. Read about the work we do in our Services section.
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Read about how Tweak's UCD process helped our client companies achieve success online in our Clients section.
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