Rhetorical grounding and an agile attitude: complex systems, multi-genre testing, and service learning in UX
Laura Cunningham, Russell Kirkscey, Ashlynn Reynolds-Dyk, Nancy Small, Charity Tran, Virginia M. Tucker · Journal of Usability Studies archive · 2015
This article describes a graduate-level service learning usability project and illustrates the practical tensions generated by increasing complexity in technology design. Although a foundational body of usability research prescribes standards for high-quality test design, such guidelines may not be applicable or practical in a particular context. Usability students and professionals benefit from allowing themselves the space for adaptation in order to conduct rigorous testing and meet client needs. An agile attitude---theory based but not theory bound---emphasizes user-centeredness, functionality, customer collaboration, and flexibility. Such an attitude emerges from basic principles of rhetorical theory, such as timing (kairos), user-centeredness (audience), genre, and rhetorical context. Bridging industry and academia, service-learning projects provide a compelling opportunity to experience the tensions and decision making required at the nexus of theory and practice.