Métodos e técnicas de Design Centrado no Usuário: um levantamento a partir da usabilidade de produtos do CTIC/Fiocruz

Abstract

The casual relationship between projects methods and usability of communication and information products was the theme of this research that intended to identify the art state about a project process that result in more web usability. From this identification, improvements that can be adopted in interface development process of an especific team of Oswaldo Cruz Fundation (CTIC - Fiocruz) were evaluated. It was understood that a project method must be up dated on the knhowlege about Human Factors, Computer-human Interaction and Interaction Design. Therefor, it was adopted as hypothesis that the method should have three aspects: a) a significant user involvement throughout the process; b) the use of successive iterations to configure the product and c) a minimum combination of techniques related to specific objectives for each phase of a User Centered Design (DCU) approach. In order to contribute to the development of methods and techniques which improve the usability, it was investigated the characteristics of the methods reported in the literature and practiced by professionals from outside Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. From this information, the study directed to the second specific goal: identify improvements in methods and techniques applicable in the case of CTIC - Fiocruz. Through a combination of literature review and field research were produced information about types of method s flow, types of user engagement, amount and severity of usability problems observed by professionals and the general basis of method validity for different types of products. The first round of interviews had been conducted to better understand the context of the hypothesis and relationship between the variables. The second round identified the characteristics of the design process used in the CTIC. From those pieces of information two tecniques were applied with external professionals. An online questionnaire was used to raise very specific information mostly with quantitative characteristic. The last technique applied was an online card sorting that presented a project scenario where professionals indicated what techniques would be used on two different scenarios: a more favorable and other restrictive. The analysis showed most of the professionals believed usability problems are the result of lack of certain approaches and techniques. That s why those professionals combine iterative flows with a significantive user involvement in the process. Improvement suggestions for CTIC were given. Those proposals were summurized through the User Centered Design process that had as a starting point a traditional concept of usability(performance). As soon as possible, this process should be improved to include the user experience concept that also involves emotional hedonomics aspects in the interactions.