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3.
Overview of user-centred design of GIS user
interfaces
The
state-of-the-art of user-centred design (UCD) is
explained. The relevance of the UCD approach for
GIS development and customisation is pointed out
and recommendations how to apply UCD in GIS
projects is provided. The main focus is on
illustrating how GIS end-users and customers can
proactively participate in GIS development and
customisation in order to receive the most
appropriate GIS application for their work
objectives.
3.1
Introduction to user-centred design
The success
of new products depends on the efficiency and
effectiveness of steering product development
by user and customer feedback. This can be
achieved by User-Centred Design, a philosophy
which places the user of a system at the
centre of
the development process. The principles of
user-centred design are:
- focus
on end-users
- iterative
design
- appropriate
allocation of functions between end-user
and GIS
- multidisciplinary
design team.
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3.2
The role of end-users in user-centred design of
GIS user interfaces
The
community of GIS end-users is extremely diverse
ranging from Geographic Information domain
experts to general public users with little GI
knowledge who are assumed to use Geographic
Information much more frequently in the
future.
The utility
of a GIS application within a company or an
organisation can be greatly enhanced when
separate staff is appointed to tasks which
require the use of different subsets of GIS
functions. The GIS user interface can then be
tailored to specific user categories and will
almost certainly be much easier for the end-users
to learn compared to the user interface delivered
with the package. The tailored user interface
will cut down end-user training
cost.
Figure 2: Planning GIS purchase and customisation
planning
3.3
User-centred design in the GIS development and
customisation
User
and customer orientation
- The
focus should be on end-user needs and not
on technical questions!
- Make
sure that real end-users are involved in
the tests, not their managers and not GIS
experts!
- User
testing should always be in the hands of
persons independent from the design
team.
GIS
customisation
- Perform
user tests with focus on typical task
scenarios.
- Even
an optimal GIS may not frequently be used
because the users do not like it. Check
user satisfaction with
the customised GIS.
- Users
need time to learn how to use the GIS and
performance improves with repeated use
of GIS functions.
Check
potential for GIS UI optimisation after the GIS
has been in use.
GIS
development
- Perform
user tests to recognise major design
deficiencies.
- Check
conformance with user interface standards
(such as the EC Directive on the minimum health
and safety requirements for work with
display screen equipment).
Overview
of appropriate methods for GIS user interface
evaluation.
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