Exposure to User-Centred Design Activities: Experiences in Higher Education

Studies on how the skills needed to carry out usercentred design (UCD) activities can be taught and learnt have been limited, although the impact of UCD is widely recognised in professional settings. Conducting UCD activities in educational contexts within the constraints of university courses remains a challenge, specifically when students are in their first year and are just beginning to engage with the complexities of software development. In this paper, we argue for the importance of early exposure to a variety of UCD activities, with the help of scaffolding and decomposition, through the step-by-step UCD Sprint process. We explore the integration of the UCD Sprint process for 7 weeks in a 12-week, first-semester, firstyear Computer Science undergraduate course, focusing on how students experience exposure to a wide range of UCD activities. Data is gathered using two questionnaires: the background questionnaire completed by 215 students at the start of the course, gathering data on demographic information, and the perceived experience questionnaire completed by 57 students, gathering data on comfort levels with UCD activities and overall feedback on the UCD Sprint process. The students rated the UCD Sprint steps as generally thought-provoking, particularly valuing steps involving direct user engagement, such as interviews and highfidelity prototyping. However, process-related steps were rated lower for perceived long-term usefulness. Qualitative feedback highlighted the UCD Sprint process as clear and beneficial. Suggestions for improvements to the process included reducing its complexity and optimising the learning materials for guiding the students in using the process. Statistically significant increases in comfort levels with UCD activities, including user research, evaluation, and design were observed post-course. The main contribution of this paper lies in its insights into the student experiences with the individual UCD activities contained within the UCD Sprint, assessing how early exposure to UCD activities can enhance their comfort with performing core UCD activities. By offering early, scaffolded exposure to UCD activities through the UCD Sprint, we are actively designing a student-centred learning environment that prioritises hands-on experience and engagement with UCD principles. This approach not only fosters student comfort and competence in UCD activities but also empowers them to take an active role in their learning journey, encouraging them to become more adept at understanding and addressing user needs, ultimately preparing them for future careers in a rapidly evolving, user-focused tech industry.