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Factors Influencing the Level of User Participation in Human Centred Design Projects: An Exploratory Study

Veldhuis, E. ter (2019) Factors Influencing the Level of User Participation in Human Centred Design Projects: An Exploratory Study.

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Abstract:Human Centred Design (HCD) is an approach to designing products and systems that places end-users’ needs centrally. HCD encases a broad selection of design methods that focus on end-users. These methods differ in the extent of end-user participation with the design team. Two major HCD methods are 1) User Centred Design (UCD), which refers to a design situation in which end-users are visualised and empirical measurement does not occur, and 2) Participatory Design (PD), which encompasses designing using empirical measurement, and in cooperation with actual end-users. This study identifies 34 influencing factors that motivate practitioners to adopt either a UCD or a PD method, and explores 5 existing practitioner views on the choice for adopting either a UCD or PD method, based on these factors. The study proves that practitioners’ motivation considering the extent of user participation in HCD projects is dependent on a multitude of factors, which often, contradictory to academic literature, move beyond practical matters. Further, practitioners have highly divergent views on the factors: 5 views were found, in which different factors contribute to either adopting UCD or PD. Moreover, influencing factors motivate some practitioners towards UCD, while motivating other practitioners towards PD.
Item Type:Essay (Master)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:05 communication studies
Programme:Communication Studies MSc (60713)
Keywords:Human centred design, User centred design, Participatory design, User participation
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/78816
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