User experience debate

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Date
11th November 2009
Time
18:00–20:00
Location
10 Crichton Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9AB .
Map
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Synopsis

This debate, chaired by Tom McEwan (Edinburgh Napier University), is an annual event where BCS Edinburgh bring together two experts in the field to illuminate a topical area of IT professionalism. This year we investigate what exactly “the user experience” is and whether or not it’s IT professionals who should provide it.

John Knight:

I work across a number of projects doing some design work, quality assurance and evangelising user needs to internal stakeholders. As UE practitioners we try to think of ourselves as giving people tools, rather than defining their entire experience. I like to promote the idea that the more open-ended and the more connected a product or service is, then the more successful it can be. But it’s harder to predict where that success will come from. This is the space where a lot of innovation and interesting design problems are – designing sociability as Jenny Preece puts it.

Chris Rourke:

A UX professional helps clients to do three main things:

  • understand the needs of their current and target users
  • design interfaces, processes and experiences to meet those needs, and
  • ensure during and after the design process that these needs are being met.

By applying the correct combination of skills in research, design, technology and communication they help ensure that the users can work with, not against the systems, and they ideally find it a satisfying and enjoyable experience.

The project was carried out professionally and the results will prove useful in shaping our future actions and strategy.

Birna Einsarsdottir, Web Manager, RBS Retail.