«We’re the other kind,» said Granny. «We’re the kind that gives people what they know they really need, not what we think they ought to want.» «Witches Abroad» by Terry Pratchett I’m still advising students when it comes to product development and evaluation (computer science & media, or more generally human-computer interaction). I love the task, but one thing that still strikes me is how difficult it is for some students to actually develop ideas. I mean, the first step in the human centered design process is an analysis of the use context. The contact with the actual users should give them some ideas what they can do to develop an application that is efficient, effective, easy to learn, and provides a good experience. However, there are at least two problems that frequently occur: Either ignoring the target group or uncritically believing what they say. Ignoring the target group: The students don’t ask and listen (or observe) — they just follow their own first ideas without challenging them. And sure, this is easy and you can even do some pseudo-surveys and interviews later to confirm the first ideas (confirmation bias is a thing, just go looking for examples and you [...]
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