Achieving Design Enlightenment: Defining A New User Experience Measurement Framework

By using self-reported metrics, user researchers, designers, and usability experts can pinpoint the aspects of a user experience that require modification during, rather than after, the development process. Comparative data are potentially the most valuable to designers and researchers because these data provide insight into users' perceptions and expectations about specific aspects of the user experience. In this paper we extend the theory of expectation disconfirmation and suggest that, by collecting comparative data on users' perceptions and experiences as they relate to the specific experience goals of a project, project teams can make the right choices and trade-offs when it comes to designing the user experience. We also suggest specific methodologies from the field of education research that can inform project teams' decisions at the outset of product design projects.