Why designers can't understand their users Leonard Verhoef recently completed a Ph.D. at the Universiteit of Leiden (The Netherlands) on the reasons why designers cannot understand their users. He has now self-published his dissertation.

Why designers can’t understand their users:
Developing a systematic approach using cognitive psychology
Dr. Leonard Verhoef
228 pages, 38 euro

“Why designers can’t understand their users: Developing a systematic approach using cognitive psychology” explains why computers are user-unfriendly and how to design user-friendly computers. First applied cognitive psychology is analysed. This science should know how to design user-friendly computers. A synthetic approach, including traditional ergonomic topics as character size and contrast is elaborated. The approach is tested on the design of ticket vending machines and dynamic train indicators. The results found are applied to a broad range of interfaces including computer interfaces. A comparison with other cognitive psychological approaches is used for a theoretical validation. Finally the approach is tested using the approach itself. It is suggested not technicians, designers or managers are to blame for user-unfriendly designs but cognitive psychology.

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