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Further Extending the Elements. Posted on 11/07/2002.

I love Jesse's Elements of User Experience because I find that it helps make sense of this discipline, not just by describing it, but by providing a framework that allows for revealing and meaningful extensions.

In the last post, I commented on how Jesse's elements were in synchrony with Peter Morville's IA iceberg. I have also found that they can provide a framework for discussing user research...

elements_with_research (8k image)

In current practice, user research methods are typically considered within a single project. This is typically because budgets are apportioned on a project basis. Such practice, though, gives short shrift to the longer-lasting methods (those in the Strategy and Scope plane). While those methods take longer to do, and thus cost more, the longevity of their results shows that, if used wisely, they are quite cost-efficient. Unfortunately, myopic project coordination usually means that while folks recognize the value of the work, either the cost is too great for the current situation, or, simply, "we don't have time for that."

Web projects and budgets need to operate at different tiers--not all endeavors are equal. This is what I think Jesse's elements makes clear, and I hope extensions as mine bolster that.

And if you haven't already, you really ought to buy Jesse's book.

1 comment so far. Add a comment.

Previous entry: "Toward a Unified Theory in User Experience Modeling."
Next entry: "Art They Don't Want You To See."

Comments:

COMMENT #1
Very interesting model. Probably very useful as well. But it is a bit obssesive and fetishized; I mean ethnography? What business selling widgets needs an ethnographical study? Overkill. In real-life things get collapsed into strategy, structure and surface.
Posted by Jeremiah @ 12/19/2002 11:10 AM PST [link to this comment]


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