Design oriented evidence-based investigation and modeling of UX with interactive artefacts

The state of the art of UX (User Experience) evaluation is rapidly evolving, and constantly including new tools, instruments, interpretation theories and models. Evaluation is an essential phase in any design activity, which has to be included in an iterative cycle (Gulliksen et al., 2003). Evaluations can be carried out at different times in the life cycle of a system (Kaptelinin and Bannon, 2012), with several aims – from improvement of existing design solutions, to evaluation of new concepts – and different focuses – including usability, acceptability, desirability, engagement, cognitive efforts, emotional involvement, attention, memorability, motivation, and more. In this context, the set of techniques to be employed in the tests becomes a relevant issue not only from researchers, but also for practitioners, companies, and marketers. The research investigates the application of evidence-based techniques including functional monitoring of biological data and eye movements analysis, in the development of services for personal wellbeing and for the optimization of the interactive systems. This emerging field of research lies at the intersection of different disciplines, such as neuro- and bioscience, psychology, bioengineering, marketing and design. My initial purpose is to define a design model in which my measurements can collocate, explore the use of eye movements analysis within the users studies culture, understand what this tool could add in respect of the traditional approaches, and finally identify limits and potentialities of such techniques and their impact on the assessment of UX with innovative interactive systems. The goal is to fine-tune an effective testing methodology for the development, evaluation, and assessment of the artefacts, as a resource for the better understanding of UX, integrating traditional qualitative design tools with objective measurements. What expressed by the conscious mind - through interviews, surveys, market research, focus groups - is not a complete and correct representation of actual wishes and behaviours of individuals. On the other hand, the measurement of a series of unconscious physiological manifestations able to give indications about how people react, evaluate and filter communication stimuli are powerful in itself, but they can be influenced from many exogenous factors coming from the context. In this thesis, the accuracy and systematic approach characterizing scientific research, and the sensitivity of the typical qualitative tools of human sciences coexist. The evidence based techniques described in the thesis and applied to the experimental activities performed during the PhD path, are based on the direct involvement of the users, with witch a closely contact work is needed. This approach allows to unmasking some components of the experience that can be lost in the amount of data gathered form traditional quantitative tests. The research methodology includes two main phases: exploratory and experimental phase. The first, starts with review-based activities aimed at the definition of the theoretical context, necessary to address the first research questions: “How do evidence-based investigation enter the design process?”; “How are evidence-based investigations applied in UX design?”. The critical themes emerged allowed at defining proper areas of intervention, through the identification of the lacks, and the statement of the problem discussed in the thesis: “How effective evaluations can be performed?”. A first refining of the research path was then set, orienting the research focus on the typologies of engagement produced by the UX with interactive artefacts (products, applications, system, or anything with an interface). Another research question emerged from this stage, and addressing the experimental phase of the research is: “What can evidence-based investigations reveal about the experience with such artefacts?”. Combining different design objectives, qualitative and quantitative methods, I will explore some concrete applications of evidence-based techniques, and their inclusion in different phases of the design process. I will discuss different testing protocols I developed during the PhD path, in order to provide answer to further research questions: “How can we engage subjects in a meaningful and realistic experience during the tests?”; “How can we understand the variety of attitudes and reactions exhibited by the subjects involved in the experiments?”. I will illustrate the developed UX testing methodology, which defines on-purpose intervention strategies including different phases: from the definition of the objectives, to the development of protocols, to the design of the experiments. For each research phase, I identified research actions, research question and needs. Along the whole PhD path I carried out test, iteration, and validation of the testing methodology, through a huge experimental activity, including different experiments, and several didactic and dissemination. My research and professional context allowed me to apply the methodology in different design projects and study fields at the Ph.E.E.L. (Physiology, Emotions, and Experience) Laboratory, and to make a constant refinement and validation of design evaluations strategies, increasing the testing practices both in rigour and adaptability, and providing a contribution to the work-in-progress of this emerging and promising field of study. The dissertation is structured in 5 chapters. In Chapter 1 I will introduce and present the research, describing my research methodology and path, the aims, objectives, and innovation of my research, and the professional context I’m part of. In Chapter 2 I will make an overview of the design theories and methods that pay attention to the human issue, in which my research collocates, focusing on those that make use of the experimental approach. I will describe physiological, behavioural, and psychological aspects of eye movements, in order to identify a model that connect eye movements to the underlying cognitive processes, the measurement techniques, and the main fields of application of eye tracking methodology. Chapters 3 and 4 are the very heart beating of the research: in Chapter 3 I will present and discuss the developed testing methodology; this rigorous but flexible workflow aims to design and implement effective testing approaches, from the protocol development to the production of design insights. In Chapter 4 I will report some privileged fields of application of the methodology, through the description of specific case studies that are part of the huge experimental activities I’ve performed during the PhD path. In Chapter 5 I will revisit the larger picture and discuss limits and potentialities of my research.