Digital Media Center

Office of Information Technology

User-Centered Design

User-centered design (UCD) is an approach to product development that actively involves the users of a product in its design process. In user-centered design, specific efforts are made to obtain the user community's perspective, in addition to the input from the technical staff and the product experts.

user centered design

Successful Web sites and applications permit the user to accomplish the user's own objectives in using them.

During the Web design and development, the design team needs to learn:

  • User objectives for the product;
  • Existing user paradigms and knowledge;
  • Details of what users want and expect in the product;
  • What will appeal aesthetically to the product's users;
  • How to obtain the user's perspective.

For more information contact:

David Rosen
Usability Services Manager


Phone: (612) 624-9365
E-mail: rose0414@umn.edu

Last modified Wednesday, 25-Mar-2009 12:19:58 CDT