Comments on: Don’t say UCD is incompatible with agile http://www.dancingmango.com/blog/2006/12/13/dont-say-ucd-is-incompatible-with-agile/ It's all about the human experience Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:50:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Adrian Howard http://www.dancingmango.com/blog/2006/12/13/dont-say-ucd-is-incompatible-with-agile/comment-page-1/#comment-6593 Adrian Howard Thu, 14 Dec 2006 17:59:07 +0000 http://www.dancingmango.com/blog/2006/12/13/dont-say-ucd-is-incompatible-with-agile/#comment-6593 A lot depends on the fidelity of the prototype. I'm more than happy to sketch wireframes on the whiteboard and do paper prototyping when it helps get the job done. However I've seen people take weeks to produce lovely bound wireframe documents, where I would already be working on the second iteration. Prototypes are great - but I feel some people think producing them is their reason for existing. It isn't. Their job is to help build software. I think we can move to code a lot sooner than many folk in the UCD profession do. Changing the UI is a lot cheaper than it used to be - and working code gets me more effective feedback more quickly in certain areas. A lot depends on the fidelity of the prototype. I’m more than happy to sketch wireframes on the whiteboard and do paper prototyping when it helps get the job done.

However I’ve seen people take weeks to produce lovely bound wireframe documents, where I would already be working on the second iteration.

Prototypes are great – but I feel some people think producing them is their reason for existing. It isn’t. Their job is to help build software.

I think we can move to code a lot sooner than many folk in the UCD profession do. Changing the UI is a lot cheaper than it used to be – and working code gets me more effective feedback more quickly in certain areas.

]]> By: Notta Blog » Blog Archive » Agile + User Centered Design http://www.dancingmango.com/blog/2006/12/13/dont-say-ucd-is-incompatible-with-agile/comment-page-1/#comment-6571 Notta Blog » Blog Archive » Agile + User Centered Design Thu, 14 Dec 2006 05:06:28 +0000 http://www.dancingmango.com/blog/2006/12/13/dont-say-ucd-is-incompatible-with-agile/#comment-6571 [...] So, Marc says User Centered Design is compatible with Agile. I think I agree, but with a caveat or two. [...] [...] So, Marc says User Centered Design is compatible with Agile. I think I agree, but with a caveat or two. [...]

]]> By: Josh http://www.dancingmango.com/blog/2006/12/13/dont-say-ucd-is-incompatible-with-agile/comment-page-1/#comment-6566 Josh Thu, 14 Dec 2006 03:01:45 +0000 http://www.dancingmango.com/blog/2006/12/13/dont-say-ucd-is-incompatible-with-agile/#comment-6566 Well said. As a UCD practitioner who has thrown himself into the Agile Dev foray, I've definitely found that the Agile Methods that I've run into in practice thus far are as User Centered as one cares to make them. My only ongoing worry is that UCD (and even just plain ol' Design) methods don't <i>necessarily</i> have a set place in XP, Scrum, etc. Though, I guess it's the same for other Dev processes...still, I'd like to see a little less emphasis on Customer satisfaction, instead putting more weight on User satisfaction. I think then we'll see UCD+Agile start to act as a cohesive unit and as a standard practice. Well said. As a UCD practitioner who has thrown himself into the Agile Dev foray, I’ve definitely found that the Agile Methods that I’ve run into in practice thus far are as User Centered as one cares to make them. My only ongoing worry is that UCD (and even just plain ol’ Design) methods don’t necessarily have a set place in XP, Scrum, etc. Though, I guess it’s the same for other Dev processes…still, I’d like to see a little less emphasis on Customer satisfaction, instead putting more weight on User satisfaction. I think then we’ll see UCD+Agile start to act as a cohesive unit and as a standard practice.

]]> By: Kerry Buckley http://www.dancingmango.com/blog/2006/12/13/dont-say-ucd-is-incompatible-with-agile/comment-page-1/#comment-6554 Kerry Buckley Wed, 13 Dec 2006 22:57:52 +0000 http://www.dancingmango.com/blog/2006/12/13/dont-say-ucd-is-incompatible-with-agile/#comment-6554 I'm slightly baffled that someone would claim them to be incompatible. I'd always assumed that low-fi prototypes and the like (as opposed to expensive semi-functional but ultimately throwaway demo apps) were a core agile technique – all part of <em>customer collaboration</em>. I’m slightly baffled that someone would claim them to be incompatible. I’d always assumed that low-fi prototypes and the like (as opposed to expensive semi-functional but ultimately throwaway demo apps) were a core agile technique – all part of customer collaboration.

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