Studies on how the skills needed to carry out usercentred design (UCD) activities can be taught and learnt have been limited, although the impact of UCD is widely recognised in professional settings. Conducting UCD activities in educational contexts within the constraints of university courses remains a challenge, specifically when students are in their first year and are just beginning to engage with the complexities of software development. In this paper, we argue for the importance of early exposure to a variety of UCD activities, with the help of scaffolding and decomposition, through the step-by-step UCD Sprint process. We explore the integration of the UCD Sprint process for 7 weeks in a 12-week, first-semester, firstyear Computer Science undergraduate course, focusing on how students experience exposure to a wide range of UCD activities. Data is gathered using two questionnaires: the background questionnaire completed by 215 students at the start of the course, gathering data on demographic information, and the perceived experience questionnaire completed by 57 students, gathering data on comfort levels with UCD activities and overall feedback on the UCD Sprint process. The students rated the UCD Sprint steps as generally thought-provoking, particularly valuing steps involving direct user engagement, such as interviews and highfidelity prototyping. However, process-related steps were rated lower for perceived long-term usefulness. Qualitative feedback highlighted the UCD Sprint process as clear and beneficial. Suggestions for improvements to the process included reducing its complexity and optimising the learning materials for guiding the students in using the process. Statistically significant increases in comfort levels with UCD activities, including user research, evaluation, and design were observed post-course. The main contribution of this paper lies in its insights into the student experiences with the individual UCD activities contained within the UCD Sprint, assessing how early exposure to UCD activities can enhance their comfort with performing core UCD activities. By offering early, scaffolded exposure to UCD activities through the UCD Sprint, we are actively designing a student-centred learning environment that prioritises hands-on experience and engagement with UCD principles. This approach not only fosters student comfort and competence in UCD activities but also empowers them to take an active role in their learning journey, encouraging them to become more adept at understanding and addressing user needs, ultimately preparing them for future careers in a rapidly evolving, user-focused tech industry.

Abstract The integration of user-centred design (UCD) practices in software development is fundamental for enhancing the overall experiences of software users. In this paper, we summarize the results of various research studies on what the stated limitations of UCD practices are. A process called the UCD Sprint was introduced recently with the goal of addressing some of the existing UCD practice limitations for integrating UCD practices in software development. The guided usage of the step-by-step process has been studied with students and UCD practitioners in courses showing positive results, where participants describe benefits while using the process, such as the speed of the process, its clear structure, guidance. In this paper, we describe results from a synthesis study summarizing results on how guided usage of the UCD Sprint can address UCD practice limitations. Furthermore, we describe results from a series of interviews with UCD practitioners on how they currently practice UCD, the challenges and limitations they experience and their views on how unguided usage of the UCD Sprint would potentially fit their UCD practices. While the interviewees recognize the importance of user involvement, they highlight challenges in aligning user interests with other stakeholders' interests. All participants had used processes like design sprints for structuring their UCD practices. Interviewees have generally tailored the traditional approach of design sprints, showcasing a nuanced understanding of UCD practices. The results show that the UCD Sprint process is considered by UCD practitioners as a promising approach for practicing UCD. The process is viewed with enthusiasm, but the need for clear objectives and adaptability to the work contexts of the UCD practitioners remains essential. UCD practitioners’ adaptive strategies of their UCD practices emphasize the need for flexibility and adaptation of UCD practices and processes.

Several studies have shown that involving users in design processes is a key factor in understanding user needs and essential for designing computer systems capable of providing valuable user experiences. However, many practitioners do not emphasize user needs sufficiently and neglect user involvement in software design and development. The UCD Sprint is a recently proposed, step-by-step, cost-effective process that focuses on involving users in design activities. This article reports a mixed-method study in which, for the first time, practitioners working in companies used the UCD Sprint; the study’s main objective was to investigate the impact of the UCD Sprint on practitioners’ design practices. The results show that, among the various activities associated with this process, those that involved users were particularly appreciated by practitioners. Thus, the UCD Sprint can enhance the innovativeness of company design practices; it enables practitioners to obtain sufficient information to create systems that fit users’ needs.

Software development presents technical and social challenges for new entrants to the field, particularly in empathizing with potential users. That can lead to misunderstanding of users' needs and requirements, affecting the user experience. Research has shown that implementing user-centred design (UCD) methods during software development positively impacts the overall user experience. Thus, teaching higher education students UCD methods from the beginning of their undergraduate studies is preferable, as upskilling later in their professional work can be a more complex endeavour. A process called the User-Centred Design Sprint (the UCD Sprint) covering 14 UCD methods was introduced to first-semester undergraduate Computer Science students at Reykjavik University, during a 7-week period through lectures and on-site problem-solving sessions. As additional support, the students were provided with a digital aid on the UCD Sprint, supporting the learning process. Feedback on the learning of the UCD Sprint process was collected through in-person surveys with 70 respondents, and qualitative digital aid evaluations through student reporting from 110 respondents. The findings show that the students rated direct interaction with users, especially high. On the opposite end, the students rated methods aimed at refining the initial ideas on the lower side of the rating scale. The students mentioned seeing the value of using the UCD Sprint process when developing software to better empathize with and cater to users' needs. The students used the digital aid provided alongside tools such as in-class slides, the textbook, and internet-based support. Overall, the student feedback on the digital aid was positive, with students appreciating clear instructions for conducting the methods in the UCD Sprint process. This paper reports a mixed-method study with results diverging into a three-fold contribution. Firstly, it reports the perceived usefulness of the UCD Sprint process and the experience of using it during the course. Secondly, findings from the usage of a digital aid to accompany the UCD Sprint process are reported. This provides the basis for the third contribution, which is presented in terms of recommendations that others can utilise when developing digital aids for assisting students in higher education.