Case study: A PDA example of user centered design

Abstract

A common complaint about software design is that it is often based on the underlying technology rather than designed for end-user tasks. Especially for software for more technical tasks, such as setting up a data connection, designing for user tasks might seem hard since the user’s goal is rarely setting up the connection itself but usually performing a task that requires a connection. This paper describes how the Pocket PC connectivity User Interface was redesigned by using scenarios and personas based on field research. The success rate for the task of setting up a data connection in internal usability studies with the resulting design was 90%.This paper focuses on the process of creating and using scenarios to design and evaluate a user interface that supports the core user goals and tasks. Creating the personas from field research data has been a critical factor in making and using realistic and meaningful scenarios.