...
Define who your key users are, and consult them in the specification phase of your product. Observe how they use similar applications. In case of new services: observe how they interact with related non-digital products (paper, professional caregiver, medical instruments, artifactsartefacts, etc.), what kind of problems/ expectations/ needs they have.
...
Next, try to involve your end user as much as possible during the product development process. This means also consulting them in the design and acceptance phase (see below: evaluation of your product). When doing so, the user will be in the middle of your product development lifecycle. When working in a user-centered centred design way, your product will be more tailored to your real users’ needs and expectations, which will lead to more effective and efficient products with more satisfied users.
To keep your user on top of mind in the user-centered centred design process, it can be helpful to create a persona. A persona(s) is a fictive but concrete presentation of your key user(s). Personas are not stereotypes; they are based on real user characteristics, user behaviors behaviours and goals, habits, etc. coming from user observations in a real context.
...
Evaluating your user interface with real end-users is something that should be done in an iterative way. No large-scale studies are necessary. By involving 5 real (!) end-users of your target audience (5 users in normal circumstances, depending on your target audience), and when giving them real user tasks to explore the interface of your application will result in a lot of useful user feedback (up to 85% of the usability problems can be observed).
This can be done in an early stage of your design phase: on paper prototypes, static screens or simulated interactivity prototypes. Next, user tests can be organised when the application becomes more mature or within the ready to go-to-market phase. The iterative part of user tests is an important element to consider. Three iterations of user testing sessions with each times 5 users is prefered preferred upon one iteration of user testing sessions with 15 users at once.
Use the collected user feedback to improve your application.
Analyze Analyse in-depth the collected user feedback, obtained via user testing sessions or other user-centered centred design techniques and use this feedback to improve your application.
...