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Usability Associates
38 Montpelier Circle
Rochester, NY 14618
585.442.0499
Copyright © 2001-2011 Usability Associates
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The PDU Consortium is a living network for managers of corporate product
design and usability (PDU) functions.
Objective:
Product design and usability managers share
insights and engage in joint research.
Structure:
Non-competing member companies; consulting firms
excluded.
Benefits:
Managers can improve personal and organizational
effectiveness and realize research cost savings.
Discussion Topics:
Determined by members; Can include management
practices, organizational issues, design methodology, etc.
Research Topics:
Determined by members; Examples are benchmarking,
developing organizational/product metrics, developing/reviewing methodologies,
surveying new technology trends, etc.
2006 Enhancement:
Starting in 2006, an addition to the original structure
enhances the member experience. Details are in
this
PowerPoint Slideshow Presentation. A new window will open.
OBJECTIVE
The PDU Consortium is a living network for managers of corporate product
design and usability (PDU) functions. The consortium is intended to be an
ongoing vehicle for helping each manager/member improve the success of his/her
PDU function. It is a supportive, collegial environment for (1) sharing
managerial information and (2) answering salient research questions. It serves
short-term and long-term needs of its members by addressing both tactical and
strategic issues.
The focus on design and usability functions and the inclusion of a research
component makes the consortium uniquely different than other existing groups.
Membership is configured to give budgetary flexibility and to keep costs
affordable.
STRUCTURE
The consortium is primarily self-governed. Stan Caplan of Usability
Associates is the Coordinator, supporting the consortium during the startup
phase and on an ongoing basis. He will free individual PDU managers of
administrative burden and help make the consortium function effectively and
communicate regularly. Basic guidelines, stated below, can be modified and
augmented by the membership at their discretion.
- The consortium consists of up to 10 non-competing member companies.
- Consulting firms are excluded.
- Members convene twice each year for 1 ½ - 2 days. Each meeting will
be hosted by a member at his/her company or be held at a non-company location
of special interest.
- Additional group discussions are held via teleconference. Also,
individual members are free to contact each other as they see fit.
- The consortium membership fee covers (1) arrangement and facilitation of
meetings and teleconferences, (2) one joint research project defined by member
and agreed to by UA and (3) Expenses associated with meeting held at
non-member sites. Members can opt for additional UA services in lieu of joint
research.
BENEFITS
Improved management effectiveness and cost savings are the two outcomes you
can realize from consortium membership. These benefits derive from
- Intimate networking with "birds of a feather" that offers the opportunity
to share best practices, float new ideas, and discuss pressing issues
- Sharing of costs and results from joint research of common interest to
multiple members
- Exposure to outside speakers and venues that inform members about
state-of-the-art research, new methodologies, and innovative ideas.
DISCUSSION TOPICS
Many issues face product design and usability managers. Some seem to be
perpetual while others are temporary hot buttons, but important nonetheless.
Examples of the former are:
- Defining and measuring organizational success
- Localization of product design
- Ways to institutionalize Industrial Design, Graphic Design, and Human
Factors in the product development process rather than rely on sympathetic
project managers
- Organizational and other means to focus product development on the total
user experience
- Ideas to help Human Factors and Industrial Design personnel understand
each other and work together cooperatively
- Effective utilization of PDU resources
- Ways to prioritize work requests
- Effective ways to achieve a high level of PDU recognition internally
- Comparing vision and/or mission statements
RESEARCH TOPICS
Usability Associates is responsible for design, execution, data analysis, and
reporting for joint research. The actual projects are determined by the
participating members. These examples illustrate the diversity of possible
projects.
Within Membership: Information can be collected from member companies and
condensed into a report protecting company anonymity.
- Compile qualitative PDU information such as organizational relationships,
organizational practices, and future vision
- Benchmark specific quantitative PDU data such as headcount ratios and
financial ratios that are comparable across companies
- Benchmark the process of establishing and applying a common look and feel
across products
- Conduct third-party survey/interviews of upper-level management’s
perceptions about product design and usability in their respective companies
External to Membership: Relevant topics are researched in any of
several forms including company surveys, surveys of ongoing university research,
literature searches, guidelines, regulatory searches, state-of-the-art
technology assessments, and other special studies. A starter list of topics is
provided below.
- Globalization
- Eye tracking
- Transcription analysis techniques
- Usability metrics
- Remote usability testing
- Repeatability of usability testing results
- Future user interface trends/modalities, e.g., eye gaze, haptics, gestures
- New software being developed for computer aided design
- New methods being developed for producing prototypes and models
- Identification and contact information of U.S. and foreign usability labs
for hire
- Product accessibility
- User experience model
- Affective usability
- Global co-development
- Universal design
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