effect mapping: a better way to get really usable results out of it projects
DESCRIPTION
Talk given at IA Summit 11 in Denver, Colorado, 2011See http://2011.iasummit.org/sessions/effect-mapping-a-better-way-to-get-really-usable-results-out-of-it-projects/TRANSCRIPT
Effect Mapping: A Better Way to Get Really Usable Results Out of IT Projects
Jonas Söderström
InUse, Sweden
#effectmap
#ias11
@jonas_blind_hen
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at IA Summit
2010!
1994
Swedish governmentSwedish parliamentIKEASonyEricsson
Case #1:Örebro Municipality
Photo: Joakim Johansson (Alendri)/ flickr
Full focus on user’s needs
Among top 3 municipality web sites (of 290) in three different evaluations
No traditional specifications document
Case #2:The Swedish Pensions Agency
Photo: Tobias Bjorkgren/ flickr
Voted”Best public sector web site 2010” by the users
The Web Service Award
effect mapping
{methodology
effect mapping{artifact
Plug in for project models
Project models focus on time and budget, but in fact
ignores the quality of the delivered product.
tweetable
Effect mapping puts focus on the quality-in-use of the end product.
tweetable
effect mapping
Effects
Effect agents
Usage goals
Actions
1
2
3
4
Effects1
effect mapping
”Userfriendlyness”
resultsvalue
benefits
effects
Desired benefits arise only in use.
If it isn’t used, it won’t have any effect whatsoever.
desired effects
meansmetrics
”implement version 2.0 of system X”
”get more visitors to the web site”
”shift to a more modern CMS”
”need a muchmore stable
platform”
”must increase revenue from
ads and sales”
”want to publish faster,
with less effort”☞
☞
☞
”need a muchmore stable
platform”
”must increase revenue from
ads and sales”
”want to publish faster,
with less effort”☞
☞
☞
”downtime less than0.1 %”
”conversion rate up from x to y %”
”decrease time to publish page from 10 to 2 min”
• Interviews with stakeholders
• 2 – 3 workshops with decision makers
• ”Why? Why? Why? Why?”
• What should be the lasting improvement, after the project is over?
• Buy-in on desired effects, KPI / metrics
effect mapping{artifact
✘ #
#Effects More efficient order management
time/order -30 %
mistakes -60 %
This is not entirely new.
What has proved succesful is the way to tie the goals to users and their usage goals.
Effects1
effect mapping
effect mappingEffect agents2
✘ #
#Effects More efficient order management
time/order -30 %
mistakes -60 %
? ? ?
(If it isn’t used, their will be no effects.)
Which users can create the desired effects?
User research
Interviews
Observations
Log analysis
Contextual analysis
Whatever!
demographics
People with similar needs, expectations or behaviour when using the product.
What interface do you like? Are you computer literate?
Can you help us to reach the goal? How?
✘ #
#Effects
Effect agents
More efficient order management
time/order -30 %
mistakes -60 %
Order recipient
Real-world examples
Case #3:The National Board of Health and Welfare’s web site
✘Follow our rules!Effects
Effect agents
nurses doctors health admins
Case #3:The National Board of Health and Welfare’s web site
Traditional web site with ”news”
Interviews with +40 users
Noone was interested in news or read them!
Case #3:The National Board of Health and Welfare’s web site
Get answers!
Medical questions, specific
Advice on malpractice issues
✘Follow our rules!Effects
Effect agents
need fact
want advise
Case #3:The National Board of Health and Welfare’s web site
Get answers!
Medical questions, specific
Advice on malpractice issues
Have my say!
Want to influence, critizise, suggest
✘Follow our rules!Effects
Effect agents
need fact
want advise
want tospeak
effect mappingEffect agents2
effect mappingUsage goals3
What are the user’s goals? Why would they use it?
The key to success is
Understanding user’s goals
... and aligning them with business goals.
Usage goals
✘ #
#
#Usage goals
More efficient order management
time/order -30 %
mistakes -60 %
Order recipient
Effects
Effect agents
incomplete orders -75 %
Want fewer incomplete
forms
Usage goals
Want Must
Need
The solution must satisfy all goals
✘Follow our rules!Effects
Effect agents
• need fact
• want advise
• want to speak• must
follow rules
• must follow rules
• must follow rules
Usage goals
Real-world documentThe Swedish Social Insurance Agency
effect mappingUsage goals3
effect mapping
Actions4
✘ #
#
#Usage goals
More efficient order management
time/order -30 %
mistakes -60 %
Order recipient
Effects
Effect agents
incomplete orders -75 %
Want fewer incomplete
forms
✔ ✔
✔ ✔Actions
Simplify order formValidation
✔ ✔
✔ ✔Actions
Simplify order formValidation
✘ #
#
#Usage goals
time/order -30 %
mistakes -60 %Effects
Effect agents
incomplete orders -75 %
More efficient order management
Order recipient
Want fewer incomplete
forms
✔ ✔
✔ ✔Actions
Simplify order formValidation
✘ #
#
#Usage goals
time/order -30 %
mistakes -60 %Effects
Effect agents
incomplete orders -75 %
More efficient order management
Order recipient
Want fewer incomplete
forms
Input to IA, interaction,
graphic design
Case #4:Big pharma: retro-fitting effects
IT system tracking samples
After 3 years:+300 change requests
Go back:What were the original benefits expected?
IT system tracking samples
90 request were irrelevant to the desired benefits
Saved: 1,5 years of system development
To summarize:Increased buy-in
Unified document
Goal in sight
Tracability
Built-in measurements
Focus on benefits for the organisation ...
... and qualities of use for the user
Questions?• Effect managment?
• UX/IT in Sweden?
• My book ”Stupid bloody system! – UX as a cause of stress in the workplace”?
• The welfare state?
• The Swedish Bikini Team?
Twitter:Jonas_Blind_Hen
Slideshare:Jonas_inUse
In English:www.javlaskitsystem.se/english
Cell:+4673–660 32 14
Be in touch!
Photo: Björn Falkevik