The state of user-centered design practice

User-Centered Design (UCD) is a multidisciplinary design approach based on the active involvement of users to improve the understanding of user and task requirements, and the iteration of design and evaluation. It is widely considered the key to product usefulness and usability---an effective approach to overcoming the limitations of traditional system-centered design. Much has been written in the research literature about UCD. As further proof of internationally endorsed best practice, UCD processes are also defined in ISO documents, including ISO 13407 and the associated technical report, ISO TR 18529. Increasingly, UCD has become part of the cultural vernacular of the executives and managers who drive technology development in companies of all sizes.