From beBit's New Book entitled User Centered Website Strategy・/title> </head> <body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" leftmargin="0" topmargin="0"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tr> <td background="../../img/header/back.gif" align="center" height="51"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="700"> <tr> <td width="104"><a href="../index.html"><img src="../../img/header/logo_e.gif" border="0" alt="beBit" width="104" height="32"></a></td> <td width="518" background="../../img/header/back.gif"><img src="../../img/header/back.gif" border="0" alt="" width="518" height="51"></td> <td width="78"><a href="../../index.html"><img src="../../img/header/japanese.gif" border="0" alt="japanese" width="78" height="51"></a></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tr> <td background="../../img/gnavi/ber_out.gif" align="center" height="28"> <table 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src="../../img/english/left/columnlink.gif" border="0" alt="Column" width="173" height="71"></a></td>  <td valign="top" class="pan"><br> <a href="../index.html">Home</a> > <a href="index.html">Usability Columns</a> > From beBit's New Book entitled User Centered Website Strategy <br> </td> </tr>  <tr> <td background="../../img/left/bace.gif" width="173" valign="top" rowspan="2"><img src="../../img/sp.gif" border="0" alt="list" width="2" height="2"><br> </td>  <td valign="top" align="right"><img src="../../img/english/column/title.gif" border="0" width="527" height="33" alt="Column"><br> </td> </tr>  <tr> <td valign="top"> <table width="480" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"> <tr> <td align="right"> <table width="420" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"> <tr valign="top"> <td class="text" align="right"><br> <img src="../../img/common/pointre.gif" width="9" height="9" border="0"> <a href="index.html">return to the list of columns</a></td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="text"><br> <br> <b>No. 36 From beBits New Book entitled User Centered Website Strategy</b>(October 17, 2006)<br> <br> <br> On September 27, 2006 beBits new book entitled User Centered Website Strategy: Practice of the Usability Science via the Hypothesis Testing Approach・was published in Japan (currently only Japanese language version available).<BR> <BR> In this column, we will talk about what prompted us to publish this book and provide a snapshot of the current state of web business.<BR> <BR> <img src="../../img/english/left/box.gif" width="9" height="9" valign="middle" border="0" alt=""> <b>Lack of methodology</b><br> <BR> What we are really focusing on in the publication of our new book, mentioned above, is the introduction of a systematic methodology. Many books have been published about website strategy and Internet marketing, but few have been released that focus on methodology, either here in Japan or abroad.<br> <br> In terms of user-centered design, the United States is ahead of Japan in creating a methodology. However, much of what is written is surprisingly vague about areas such as the timing for conducting user verification (such as usability testing) and the purposes of various types of verification. Moreover, we were hard-pressed to find any methodology that clearly defined the need for conducting in-house interviews.<br> <br> Here in Japan, there does not yet seem to be an established concept of constructing a methodology and most website planning, design, and construction appears to be done at ones own discretion. When asked what their strength is, most companies specializing in website creation and consulting would respond experience.・The fact is that web business in Japan right now relies on experience, not on methodology.<br> <br> As the significance of the Internet increases, we are most likely nearing the end of an era in which only certain people who have a great deal of experience can create websites. We have also moved past the stage when it is acceptable to simply create pages -- we are now in a day and age that requires we take steps to construct the type of site needed based on a marketing standpoint, including such practices as user analysis, in order to produce greater results on the web.<br> <br> Given the state of the industry, beBit realized that the industry does not another book to explain a trendy topic, but rather could use a practical methodology that has already been proven successful.<br> <br> This book contains a digest of the methodology we usually use entitled beBit UCD・ We published it in a digest format not only to save paper, but also because we realize that it is nearly impossible to cover all of the weekly updates to the methodology. That said, we wanted to provide not only our core concept and the rough guideline of steps to take, but also to provide the detailed, concrete actions necessary for those steps.<br> <br> We present this methodology not as an answer that will lead your site to success, but rather define it as a process by which you can find the answer. Consequently, the answers derived using this same process will vary depending on the person using it, along with their skills and experience. Moreover, one methodology cannot be applied to every site. If you utilize this methodology with a measure of flexibility, changing the steps as needed, establishing the points to verify, and/or changing the weight given to those points depending on the situation, you should be able to achieve even greater success with your website.<br> <br> Furthermore, this methodology is not limited to the web interface, but has the power to point out discrepancies in a companys marketing, sales, organization, and systems from the users viewpoint. Depending on how it is used, it can also be applied to other aspects of business.<br> <br> <img src="../../img/english/left/box.gif" width="9" height="9" valign="middle" border="0" alt=""> <b>User needs and background information</b><br> <BR> This book introduces user centered design and places a great deal of emphasis on two points: 1) the concept of a user scenario and 2) user analysis and verification through behavioral observation.<BR> <BR> A user scenario is a concept which focuses on user needs and behaviors not as a point, but rather as a line.<BR> <BR> These days, the effectiveness and results of company websites are subject to severe scrutiny. To achieve the intended results on a site, a company must not only improve the mere usability of its site, but also consider whether it persuades and draws users in and ultimately achieves the business goal (at the same time as the user goal). To realize this objective, we must focus on this concept of a user scenario.<BR> <BR> User needs are not spontaneously generated, but rather rise to the surface based on a complicated mesh of prior experience, prerequisite knowledge, a persons mindset at a given moment, and circumstances. To give you an example of this, think of a user who wants to see a map so that they can get to a certain shop. The specific type of map they need will no doubt be different depending on whether they live in the area, whether they plan to go by public transportation or by car, whether they are meeting someone there, and so on. <BR> <BR> In this way, by grasping the motivations and background information hiding behind these user needs as they surface you can get closer to understanding the users actual mindset, and this in turn will help you verify the method by which your site can persuade in a way that achieves greater results. <BR> <BR> You may be thinking that this is all common sense, but in fact there are not very many websites that have gone to this length to plan and create their sites based on the users situation. It is difficult to get this level of information only through user surveys and group interviews, and companies often times do not know exactly what to do with the results of such surveys even if they wanted to conduct them.<BR> <BR> This book introduces one practical method for understanding, in the form of behavioral observation (usability testing). Including this technique in your hypotheses verification process is extremely important in formulating a site strategy to achieve the results you want.<BR> <BR> These days, the market demands that websites be revolutionized into real business channels. We are introducing the concept of a user scenario and the technique of behavioral observation here with the aim of gaining widespread knowledge about concepts that will change web marketing. <BR> <br> <img src="../../img/english/left/box.gif" width="9" height="9" valign="middle" border="0" alt=""> <b>Unveiling the methodology</b><br> <BR> As an aside, some who have already read our book have asked us, sometimes anxiously, Are you sure you want to divulge your methodology in such detail? <BR> Sure, we realize that it is possible our competitors may take a similar approach to the one we have introduced. But we believe that our methodology is one which, if copied is only that ・a copy. And the source of value is not the methodology itself, but the culture, organizations, and people that create it. Naturally, we are aware that methodologies and know-how are important, so every day we must refine our knowledge and ensure that we are not surpassed by other companies. That said, even if a person or organization carries out the same methodology, the results will be different. In the end, organizations that are able to produce a high level of success or value will be the ones who also place the same level of importance on this awareness.<BR> <BR> Finally, one by-product of disclosing the know-how we possess is that letting it go leaves us with nothing to safeguard, and we can therefore focus on creating new techniques and concentrate on creating a greater level of innovation. Therefore, here at beBit we want to continuously create higher level products through a cycle of creating something new and letting it go and then creating something new again.<BR> <BR> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right"><br> <br> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right"> <table width="420" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"> <tr valign="top"> <td align="left" class="text"><img src="../../img/common/pointre.gif" width="9" height="9" border="0"><a href="column035.html">No.35</a></td> <td align="right" class="text"><a href="column037.html">No.37</a><img src="../../img/common/point.gif" width="9" height="9" border="0"></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="text" align="right"><br> <img src="../../img/common/pointre.gif" width="9" height="9" border="0"> <a href="index.html">return to the list of columns</a></td> </tr> <br> </table> </td> </tr> </table>  <table width="700" border="0" cellpadding="20" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td background="../../img/footer/fnavi.jpg" align="center"> <div class="undernavi"> | <a href="index.html">Usability Columns</a> |<br> <br> | <a href="../index.html">Home</a> |</div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td background="../../img/footer/bg.gif" align="center"><img src="../../img/footer/copy.gif" width="90" height="15" border="0" alt="beBit,Inc."><br> </td> </tr> </table> </center>  <script src="http://10046.hittail.com/mlt.js" type="text/javascript"></script>   <script type="text/javascript" src="http://tr.webantenna.info/js/webantenna.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> if ( typeof( webantenna ) == 'function' ) { _wa.account = 'WAxACY-1'; webantenna(); } </script> <noscript> <img width="1" height="1" alt="" src="http://tr.webantenna.info/_webantenna.png?ga=WAxACY-1&jse=0"> </noscript>   <script src="http://www.google-analytics.com/urchin.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> _uacct = "UA-66777-1"; _udn="none"; _ulink=1; urchinTracker(); </script>   <script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ var google_conversion_id = 1068121097; var google_conversion_language = "en"; var google_conversion_format = "3"; var google_conversion_color = "666666"; var google_conversion_label = "Rk5VCOfe8gEQifio_QM"; var google_conversion_value = 0; /* ]]> */ </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion.js"> </script> <noscript> <div style="display:inline;"> <img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion/1068121097/?label=Rk5VCOfe8gEQifio_QM&guid=ON&script=0"/> </div> </noscript> </body> </html>