What is a Stereotype?
- A stereotype is when a person is categorized into a population based on culture, class, gender, etc.
- This allows assumptions and associations on how that particular stereotyped population may: react in a situation, dress, use products, prefer certain aesthetics, have values, etc.
User Population
- The user population is the range of users for a particular product or system.
- Generally an assumption as to what kind of people the users tend to be.
Population Stereotypes
- A collection of responses that are found to be widespread in a user population.
Advantages
For Designers
- Allows you to form assumptions and associations about a group of people.
- Judgements and decisions can be made quickly and in a cost-efficient way as less research is required.
- Possibly predict the behavior or possible use of a product or system.
Users
- Better possibility to predict or understand the behavior or possible use of a product or system.
- The user needs and behavior can be identified and thus usability considerations are met.
Disadvantages
Designers
- Assumptions and associations of a particular stereotype may not fit all people of that population.
- Judgements and decisions could be incorrect.
- Not all people who ‘look alike, act/think alike’. Therefore behavior or way a product was intended to be used may be wrong.
Users
- As people are all different, even in a population stereotype there is great variation. A design intended for a population stereotype might be misunderstood or used incorrectly by some users.
Overview
- Generally population stereotypes should be avoided, as the saved costs and time often aren't worth the risk of being incorrect and the lack of specification the product can have to the user.
- Instead user-centered design involves more in-depth analysis of users when designing a product.