- A framework of processes in which usability goals, user characteristics, environment, tasks and workflow of a product, service, or process are given extensive attention at each stage of the design process. User-centered design can be characterized as a multi-stage problem-solving process that not only requires designers to analyze and envision the way users are likely to consume a product, but also to validate their assumptions with regard to the user behavior in real world tests. These tests are conducted with or without actual users during each stage of the process ranging from requirements to pre-production to post-production, ensuring that development proceeds with the user as the center of focus. Such testing is necessary as it is often difficult for the designers of a product to understand intuitively what a first-time user of their design experiences, and what each user’s learning curve may look like. User-centered design is considered to lead to increased product usefulness and usability. ← Wikipedia
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