Research techniques for non-researchersJohn WaterworthFoolproof@jwaterworthUCD 2012, November 2012
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Great designers
http://www.quadrille.co.uk/books/art-and-travel/book/1844007537/the-genius-of-design
Understand their usersDesign beautiful thingsKnow their materialsIterated with users
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Understanding users
Ideas
ProductInsight
New idea
Existing product
New insight
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Design research
Design Product
Vision Concept
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Design research
Testing Product
Discovery People
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Discovery
About peopleReal users
Not just experts or stakeholders
Listening and observingWhat they are trying to do
How they try to do it
Barriers and challenges
The outcome they achieve
The impact that has
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Research cycle
1. Decide what you want to learn2. Find people to talk to3. Prepare your experiment4. Get out of the building5. Collect evidence6. Debrief, share, draw conclusions
Drawn from Lean UX Workshop by Jeff Gothelf and Josh Seiden of Proof Innovation Labs.
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Research cycle
1. Decide what you want to learn2. Find people to talk to3. Prepare your experiment4. Get out of the building5. Collect evidence6. Debrief, share, draw conclusions
Drawn from Lean UX Workshop by Jeff Gothelf and Josh Seiden of Proof Innovation Labs.
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Planning
1. Decide what you want to learn2. Find people to talk to3. Prepare your experiment4. Get out of the building5. Collect evidence
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Execution
1. Decide what you want to learn2. Find people to talk to3. Prepare your experiment4. Get out of the building5. Collect evidence
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Planning
1. Decide what you want to learn2. Find people to talk to3. Prepare your experiment4. Get out of the building5. Collect evidence
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Decide what you want to learn
QuestionsWhat strategies do people use to remember their user names and passwords?
HypothesesUsers prefer to use Facebook or Twitter login than to create a separate user name and password for each service
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Find people to talk to
Representative usersCustomers, prospects, colleagues, partners
Recruit from lists you already have
Look where they congregate
Ask for their helpHelp you to produce a better product
A chance for them to have their say
Can get very political
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Prepare your experiment
TopicsDecompose the questions or hypotheses
Each has its own objective
Help with timing and priority
Provide a sense of flow
ApproachTalking
Observing
Activities
Homework
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Observing
Show meObserving actual use is always better than asking about it
Own product or comparator
Physical material can be useful too
Choosing tasksDecide the tasks in planning
Set tasks based on what they’ve told you
Always give clear scenarios
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Activities
Using your handsArrange words into groups or lists
Place concepts on conceptual targets
Complete a diary of recent events
Draw or annotate diagrams
Great toolsHelp people to remember and articulate
Give you lots to dig into
Avoid complex questions
Have a bit of fun
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Homework
Extra informationKeep a simple diary
Take photos
Bring examples
Great conversation startersGive you lots to ask questions about
Help people to remember
Get people engage quickly
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Discussion guide
Research aidAgenda for the session, not a script
Helps your mental rehearsal
Stakeholders can review
Provides a record
ContentsSection per topic, with objective and time
Fixed text you need to read out
Starter questions for each topic
Further questions as reminders
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Execution
1. Decide what you want to learn2. Find people to talk to3. Prepare your experiment4. Get out of the building5. Collect evidence
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Get out of the building
Go to them (if you can)In their home or office
Coffee shop, high street, festival
Keep it real (if you can’t)Sit on a sofa in front of a TV
Create a shop counter
Set expectationsIt’s an interview, not a meeting, appraisal
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Collect evidence
RecordingSoftware running on the device
Mr Tappy for mobile and tablet
Digital voice recorder, camera, screenshots
Note takingAim for a telegram style
Frustrated by X because Y
Failed to X because Y has no Z
It’s hard – listening, writing, thinking!
Get better with practice
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Giving good interview
Be clearAsk concise questions
Ask questions they can understand
If you need to, give background information then ask the question
Listen … really listenReceive, Appreciate, Summarise, Ask
Shows that you understand what they say
Shows that you value what they say
Helps you to dig deeper
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Giving good interview
Be flexibleDon’t plough on regardless if the interview isn’t working
Follow the participant’s lead in order, timing and approach
Be humanChat about the weather, traffic, etc.
Offer drinks and biscuits
Nod, smile, frown, laugh, commiserate
Be surprised, be concerned, be interested
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Getting them talking
Open, neutral questionsHow do you use … to …?
What do you think about …?
How do these compare …?
Stories and examplesHave you ever …?
Can you tell me about the last time that …?
What did you do when …?
How did you … when …?
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Keeping them talking
Digging inIn what way …?
Can you tell me more about …?
You said … why/how/when/what/who …?
EchoingConfusing?
Helpful?
Bananas?
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Bad questions
ClosedDo you buy groceries online?
How do you buy your groceries?
LeadingDo you buy your groceries from Tesco?
Where do you buy your groceries?
SpeculationWhat would you do if Ocado …?
Has … ever happened? What did you do?
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Emotion
Don’t ask directlyHow did you feel when …?
Do you enjoy …?
Pick up on emotional wordsYou said … was frustrating. In what way?
You said … was amazing. What made it amazing?
Shows that you appreciate the emotional content of what they say, but without leading them
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Take your time
Go at their paceUse your early questions to gauge their thinking and answering times
Don’t make them feel pressured
A little silence is OKDon’t rush to the next question
They may be just about to say something absolutely amazing
The more you talk the less they talk
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Practice
ObjectiveEach of you conduct a 10 minute interview
Steps1. Choose a subject
2. Sketch out a discussion guide
3. Get into groups of three
4. Interview each other
5. Discuss and critique as you go
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Problems
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Bias
Beware of your own assumptions and prejudices, and those of the stakeholders
The wrong topics, tasks or activities will narrow the possible findings and bias the results
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Honesty
They don’t always tell the truthDon't want to appear stupid or negative
Don’t want to cause trouble
May be a subtext you don't know about
Create a safe environmentYou’re there to learn from them
It's not a test or appraisal
Their honest input is what you need to improve the product
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Approach
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Observation
Watch them in contextEncourage them to work as normal
Ask them to explain what they are doing
Prompt for clarification
Take photographs and make notes
Less controlHarder to direct them to areas of interest
High priority work may take them of topic, but carry on observing
Lack of privacy may inhibit response
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Remote
May be your only choiceParticipants are spread around the world
Part of corporate culture
Refine the discussion guide in face-to-face interviews, then adapt and go remote
Harder to manageTakes longer to build up a rapport
Constrains your research approach
Less control over interview environment
Technology problems can ruin sessions
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Groups
Useful optionCollaborative tasks and multiplayer games
Younger children
Compare and contrast experiences
Much harder to leadManage dominant individuals
Hard for them to ‘show me’
Use activities to get response from individuals, then compare and discuss differences and commonalities
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Paperwork
SourceSteve Krug
Rocket Surgery Made Easy
www.sensible.com
FormsConsent form
Introduction script
Receipt of incentive
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Recap
Don'tTalk only to experts and stakeholders
Interrogate people
Ask for requirements and features
Work through a fixed script
Make people feel more nervous
Constrain them to specific answers
Try to wing it
Try to remember what people said
Try to remember what you saw
DoTalk to a range of users
Listen and watch
Ask for stories
Steer the conversation
Help people to relax and enjoy it
Encourage people to talk openly
Create a flexible discussion guide
Take good notes
Collect photos, screenshots and physical materials
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