About
I am …
My name is Lucy, I am a User Experience Consultant with a desire to make technology more user-friendly. Here are a few things I would like to see happen in my lifetime:
- Make computers “fun” to use for my mother
- Help people discover new world of information, service and entertainment
- Allow anyone who has no previous experience with a technology to just pick it up and start using it (without instructions manuals!)
- Create immersive experiences so people can be completely focused on the task and forget the nuances of the tool they are using
After all, technologies are tools – a means to an end. So let’s focus on making technology an aid to achieve our goals, rather than a hindrance.
I want to …
… Help designers and developers make small, gradual changes in their work to create more user-friendly technology.
… Convince business owners to take user-friendliness into consideration when making business decisions.
… Give everyone an opportunity to take part in making the next generation of technology more user-friendly.
I believe technology should be:
- Fast
- Reliable
- Affordable
- Beautiful
- Safe
- User-friendly (intuitive, enjoyable …)
And all seven are achievable! I’m sure people who buy and use the technology would love it if we achieve all seven points. It makes sense from the business point of view as well.
The marketplace is becoming more competitive as companies bring out better products. The difference between a successful product and a failed one could depend entirely on how well they meet that last criteria – user-friendliness. If customers enjoyed using the product, it builds trust in the brand and people are more likely to buy again from that company.
What you can do …
Next time you buy a phone, go to a website, or use a machine, think about its user-friendliness. Everybody can be a critic!
For gadgets and devices
Make sure you try it before you buy. See if it design of the device, both the physical keys and software interface, makes sense, and offers the features you need. Too often you only find out it’s quirks and problems a few days later. Make sure you act on that frustration and contact the technology maker/service provider. Let them know you WANT things to be easy to use (not just cheap and pretty).
For websites
See if the website has clear cues to finding the information you are looking for. If you can’t find what you are looking for, you will most likely leave the website and never come back. It’s difficult for the website owners to know the reason they lost your business, so it would help them (and yourself) to let them know what the problem is.
For business owners
Give User Experience a try. It’s makes sense that making your product easy to use is likely to earn you more money. But is it worth the investment? My opinion is a resounding Yes! Getting some User Experience advice does not have to be expensive. A few hours of a consultant’s time could save you a lot of time and money later on. It is worth speaking to a User Experience professional to find out how they can help. You can take advantage of the free usability advice service offered here.