... User Experience in Federal Government

Caronne Carruthers-TaylorCaronne Carruthers-Taylor

Presented at BarCamp2, Canberra

28 March 2009

Watashi (Me)� User experience aficionado based in Canberra

� Several large government departments

� More than 15 years as an UX professional, interaction designer, UCD specialist, web mgr,

2

interaction designer, UCD specialist, web mgr, & business analyst

� Care about improving the experience for users

� Champion users’ needs when the pressures of a project impose competing priorities

� Passionately communicate and engage with a broad range of stakeholders

Acknowledgement

www.wearewhatwedo.org.auwww.wearewhatwedo.org.auHow can you change the world?

We Are What We Do is a new kind of movement inspiring people to

change the world one small action at a time.

Their philosophy is simple:

small actions x lots of people = big change

Acknowledgement

http://www.365act.com/index.html365 ways to change the world

What is UX / UCD?

�UX = User Experience... overarching experience... overarching experiencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_experience

�UCD = User-Centred Design... multi-stage design process with actual usershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User-centered_design

Action 1: Mouth to mouth –

the Kiss of Life� Give designs a kiss at

the beginning that

they’ll remember for they’ll remember for

the rest of the project

[understand users &

their context]

� Small changes can have

big effects

� Resuscitate designs

using UCD

Action 2: Read a story

– capture imagination

� When you tell a user’s story, it’s because they know

something you don’t.something you don’t.

� You’ll all be richer for the experience

� Communicate – the art of

storytelling in UCD

Action 3: Smile and smile back

� Half as many muscles to

smile – make others and

yourself feel twice as good yourself feel twice as good

[in design collaboration,

workshops & presentations]

� Smile and be positive

� Show passion about

improving user experience !!

Action 4: Have a bath with someone

� Have fun [get in, try to make a difference]

� But ... get out before everything becomes wrinkled !!

� Muck in, get involved,� Muck in, get involved,

be committed

� Carefully select

activities & projects that

will make a difference

� If not, mitigate risks

or get out

Action 5: Spend time with someone

in a different environment

� Talk to old people – they know cool stuff� Talk to old people – they know cool stuff

[actual, real users]

� Talk to young people – they know cool stuff

[project team & key stakeholders]

Action 6: Learn one good joke

� Laughing tones your

stomach, lowers your

blood pressure, and makes blood pressure, and makes

you healthier. It’s

scientifically proven

� Communicate effectively!

� Interpersonal skills,

humour and tact are vital

to design collaboration

Action 7: Share your change

� It’s a match made in heaven – like ham and eggs.

� If we all share our discoveries, the world would be a lot

better offbetter off

� Educate & engage!

� Mentor & share!

� Communication is crucial

Thank you

Caronne Carruthers-Taylor

13

caronnect@gmail.com

twitter: @caronne

www.linkin.com/in/caronne

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