Abstract
Human factors practitioners frequently find themselves working with individuals from other disciplines, often in teams. In this context, human factors practitioners need ways to influence the thinking and behavior of people with very different priorities from their own. This paper presents practical insights and techniques developed in the course of work with multi-disciplinary development teams for many different products. Suggestions are based upon three simple principles: creating shared experience, making information visual, and offering constructive direction. Drawing upon illustrated examples taken from real design projects, we discuss the value and limitations of live observation, photography, video, model-making and sketching as data gathering and presentation tools. Techniques for creating shared experience include character development, scenario-building, and role-playing walkthroughs. Finally we discuss ways of communicating design direction and suggestions—in writing, presentations and conversation—which are stimulating rather than restricting to other team members.
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