There is no consensus on a definition on UCD. User Centered Design is a design philosophy which seeks on a good understanding on the user needs, and consequently, of the needs a design must match. UCD may be seen as a multidisciplinary approach.
By any means, the general concept on UCD is to place the user in the center of the design process, on each phase of it. Many methods and tools were developed and are available nowadays, like personas, empathy maps, scenarios, journey map and so on.
Our researches investigate questions such as:
- How to identify if a UCD method suits certain organization?
- How to gather on a useful and practical manner the information generated by the methods to the design team?
- Which are the main challenges and opportunities of a certain method?
- How to make sure the methods are being used in a proper way in organizations?
- Which are the criteria an organization should consider on choosing and adopting a UCD method?
Ongoing projects:
- Applying and observing undergraduate students on applying UCD methods
- Integrating the artifacts created through using UCD methods on the design process
- Engaging users on the design process
- Recommendation of UCD methods for design team member on organizations
- Identification of usability heuristics for physical products
Researchers:
- Carina Campese – PhD researcher
- Daniel Guzzo – Master researcher
- Gustavo Michelini – Master researcher
- Julia Landgraf – Undergraduate research assistant
- Rafael Esposto – Undergraduate research assistant
- Elizabete Vindilino – Undergraduate research assistant
- Bruna Maceiras Astolfi – Undergraduate research assistant
- Gustavo Condé – Undergraduate research assistant
- Eloísa Ribas – Undergraduate research assistant
- Felipe Soligon – – Undergraduate research assistant
- João Vitor de Medeiros – Undergraduate research assistant
- Vitor Silva Mello Martins – Undergraduate research assistant
