Before we move on, we need to define a few terms so that we all start on the same track.
Video games are often neglected in the field of usability testing. That's because their aim is drastically different from the aim of other more functional applications, but the methods to both design and test the user experience remain valid in all domains.
User experience is broadly defined as all aspects of the user's (the player's) interaction with the service he is given. It is about considering the sensory perceptions of the user as well as his emotions, the quality of his interaction, his efficiency in reaching his goal with the product, and the satisfaction of using it.
In order to achieve great user experience, the designer needs to deeply understand his users. This is the reason why it is necessary for the design team to have a good comprehension of their target player's profile, their context of use, and familiarity with similar devices.
One method to illustrate a player's requirements consists of using personas.
Personas are a description of a fictional character that represents your target user (or player). It can include their age, their job, a photo, a description of what they like, their daily life constraints and pleasures, goals, motivations, their motto, and a narrative.
Jakob Nielsen (1993), PhD in human-computer interaction, stated in his work Usability Engineering that usability can be defined as follows:
"It is a quality attribute that assesses how easy user interfaces are to use."
Usability is defined by the following five quality components:
- Learnability: How easy is it for users to accomplish basic tasks the first time they encounter the design?
- Efficiency: Once users have learned the design, how quickly can they perform tasks?
- Memorability: When users return to the design after a period of not using it, how easily can they re-establish proficiency?
- Errors: How many errors do users make, how severe are these errors, and how easily can they recover from these errors?
- Satisfaction: How pleasant is it to use the design?
It is important to arrange data in the user interface so that it makes sense to the player without his needing to dedicate specific resources to understanding it.
The goal of a usable product is to help its users be more efficient in performing their tasks. In games, we target flow; the optimum challenge of the player corresponds to this notion of efficiency.
The state of flow has been extensively studied in motivation and has become a central concept in game design. An individual in a state of flow feels fully immersed and focused in his activity. This activity keeps him engaged and provides him with joy.
The psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi (1990) developed in his book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, Harper Perennial Modern Classics, the concept of positive psychology and flow in relation to emotions and motivation.
We will refer to this concept often in this chapter as a game intends to immerse a player in a unique, live experience. It involves emotions—and our role is to keep the player engaged and focused; we will often make design decisions to preserve this state of flow.
The role of user interface design is to create an interface and its associated interaction to ensure the player enjoys his experience.
For example, consider this: the user interface is the car and the user experience is the feeling it brings you as you drive. The question is: How will you design the seat, the wheel, the dashboard, and the passenger compartment to ensure the driver has the optimal feeling while driving?
Now that we have defined important terms, let's talk about user interfaces in games.