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Leveraging User Research
Pacific Northwest Product Management Community February 23, 2017
Who we are
Tom SatwiczUX Research Director & Partner, Blink UX
Brian O’SheaInteraction Designer, Blink UX
Who are you?
Group exercise
One positive thing you have seen from
user research or usability testing in
the past?
One concern, fear, or aggravation you have about user research or usability testing.
One thing you’d like to get out of today’s
workshop.
1 2 3
Some things we hope you walk away with today:
• The skills to effectively integrate user research into the product development process with a strong return on investment.
• How foundational user research can help product teams understand user goals, generate insights, and narrow focus.
• How to use research to evaluate and iterate on product concepts. • How to validate design and product decisions to ready your
product for launch. • Inspiration to do more user research on your own
Agenda
• Product develop process and user research • Foundational research • Conceptual research • Evaluative research • Research ROI
Product Design and Development Process and User Research
GATE GATEGATEGATE GATE
Products do not appear out of thin air
There is a “process”
Decisions have to be made.
Business needs and goals
Technical constraints and assets
User/customer needs and behaviors
User Research: The Big Picture
Products do not appear out of thin air
There is a “process”
Decisions have to be made.
EVIDENCE KNOWLEDGE BASE
Foundational Conceptual Evaluative
Observational studiesUser interviewsContextual interviewsEthnographic research Diary studies Competitive testingCard sorts Surveys Segmentation studies
Concept evaluation Focus groups Participatory design RITE testing
Usability Prototype testing UX heuristic reviewsEye trackingRemote testingSurveysA/B tests Analytics
Foundational Concept Evaluative
Research Goal User-Centered Study Types
How usable/learnable/satisfying is my new design? Usability testing (formative)
How usable/learnable/satisfying is my existing product? Usability testing (evaluative)
Who are my users and what do they need? Contextual interviews | observations | surveys
What distinct user types am I designing for? Segmentation surveys | personas
How well can people find things? How should I construct an information architecture?
Card sort | tree test | usability testing
What are my users’ workflows? Diary study | contextual interviews | observations
How easily can people set up and use a product? Out of box experience (OOBE) study
Which design works best? A/B testing (small or large scale)
How easily can a larger sample of people perform (easy-to-stage) tasks?
Unmoderated remote usability testing
foundational research
generate insights based on: • user goals • user behaviors
leads to a narrow focus
28
User Interviews
Get the right participants
• Number of participants
• Key participant criteria
• Demographics
• Screening script
• Participant grid
29
How difficult are your customers to find?
General consumer
OR
Specialized domain
30
Current vs. potential customers/users
31
Avoid talking only to those close to you.
Mo Riza flic.kr/p/7R7ED
http://www.userfocus.co.uk/articles/7-sins-of-user-research.html
The first rule of finding out what people want:
Don’t ask people what they want.
http://www.userfocus.co.uk/articles/7-sins-of-user-research.html
Interviewing Tips
Seidman,I.(1998).Chaptersix:Techniqueisn'teverything,butitisalot.Interviewingasqualitativeresearch.NewYork,TeachersCollegePress:63-78.
• Listen more, talk less• Follow up on what participants say• Ask questions when you do not
understand• Ask to hear more about a subject• Explore, don’t probe• Avoid leading questions• Ask open-ended questions• Take notes during the interview
Interviewing Tips
Seidman,I.(1998).Chaptersix:Techniqueisn'teverything,butitisalot.Interviewingasqualitativeresearch.NewYork,TeachersCollegePress:63-78.
• Ask participants to tell a story• Do not take the ebb and flows of
interviewing too personally• Share experiences on occasion• Tolerate silence• Avoid reinforcing participant responses• Have an interview guide but go off script• Keep participants focused and ask for
concrete details
Co-creation exercises
Co-creation exercises help us understand study participant thinking, behavior
38
Observational and Field Research
40
“It’s real user research when you can smell what’s for dinner.”
-John Dirks
Diary studies
• Useful for capturing behaviors and activities over time • Can track technology adoption and use on discrete days to track
changes in use and perception • Participatory data collection and artifact sharing possible • Provides understanding of user’s context without being there
Diary studies
Research Goal User-Centered Study Types
How usable/learnable/satisfying is my new design? Usability testing (formative)
How usable/learnable/satisfying is my existing product? Usability testing (evaluative)
Who are my users and what do they need? Contextual interviews | observations | surveys
What distinct user types am I designing for? Segmentation surveys | personas
How well can people find things? How should I construct an information architecture?
Card sort | tree test | usability testing
What are my users’ workflows? Diary study | contextual interviews | observations
How easily can people set up and use a product? Out of box experience (OOBE) study
Which design works best? A/B testing (small or large scale)
How easily can a larger sample of people perform (easy-to-stage) tasks?
Unmoderated remote usability testing
Group exercise
Today’s Scenario: FamilyTrip• Service for parents to discover, plan, and book their
next family vacation.
• Offers ideas about:
• where to go
• what to do when you get there
• Helps parents book all of the aspects of their next adventure.
47
FamilyTrip
• Uncertain about how voice assistants fit into FamilyTrip’s future.
• What opportunity is there to develop a voice experience?
48
Foundational Research: FamilyTripIn small groups:
• Assign roles: Participant, Moderator, Observer(s)
• Moderator will ask participant about either: • last trip they planned (best if it was for a family). • experience with voice assistant.
• Observer takes notes
49
Foundational Research: FamilyTrip
Planning for research:
• research objectives
• questions
• methods
• participants
• outcomes
To narrow product direction50
conceptual research
evaluate and iterate product concepts
Conceptual Research
Concept Testing
RITE Testing
Understandingdesignintent Renderingdesignintent
Conceptual Research
Interview and observe users
using the design in some form
Concept Testing
RITE Testing
Concept Testing
• Testing multiple concepts or open-ended ideas• Session guide with tasks and interview
Example:
5Participants
Day1 Day2 Day3 Day4
5Participants
Day5
DesignRecsDesignRecs
andReporting
Findings
Concept Testing
Outcome: What aspects of design concepts are most promising
• Results will be varying levels of certainty
• Highly collaborative findings and recommendations discussions
• Need to observe sessions to participate
57
Teen Reactions to Concept
AwesomeMeh.
“Interesting” “Unique”
“Different” “Useful”
“Can see all angles” “Shows more details” “Good tool to have”
“Cool” “Innovative” “Impressive”
“More fun than GIF or video” “Very interesting”
“Great for sharing” “Better than pictures”
“Captures every aspect”
“Complicated” “Long process”
“Takes more time” “Too much space”
“Not very necessary” “Looks weird in public”
RITE Testing
Iterative sessions
Session guide with tasks and interview
Example:
3Participants
DesignRevisions
Day1 Day2
3Participants
DesignRevisions
Day3 Day4
3Participants
DesignRevisions
Day5 Day6
RITE Testing
Outcome: How well a design concept is working
• Iterative sessions makes data less comprehensive
• Good for teams where stakeholders are involved in the design process
• Design team needs to determine which pieces of evidence are worth taking action on
• Collaborate with teammates on findings
• Write out granular findings from each participant on sticky notes
• Build a data wall
• Organize into themes and then collaboratively decide on any design revisions needed (even if they are high level for the time being).
Findings
62
Group exercise
FamilyTrip
Two concepts for how to leverage a voice assistant.
1. Trip planning assistant Alexa skill
2. Interactive city tour guide
63
Conceputal Research: FamilyTrip
In small groups, generate sample research brief:
• research objectives
• questions
• methods
• participants
• outcomes
That will help you decide which path to take.64
evaluative research
validate design and product decisions
get ready for launch
Conceptual to Evaluative
Earlier Later
Concept Testing
RITE Testing
Usability Testing
Directional Specific
Adaptable Rigorous
Usability Testing
Same design in all sessions
Session guide with tasks and interview
Example:
5Participants
Day1 Day2 Day3 Day4
5Participants
Day5
Reporting DesignRecsFindings
Usability Testing
Outcome: How to improve the design
• A sample of 8-10 participants can yield qualitative findings and recommendations
• Good for teams who need specific answers on a design’s performance
• Formal reporting
• Great for external stakeholders
Usability Testing Common Components
• Screener
• Session Guide
• Design Artifacts, Prototypes, or Applications
• Test Sessions
• Findings and Recommendations
Session Guide
Purpose: Create a testing plan that
answers research questions
• Objectives• Research questions• Pre-interview• Tasks• Post-interview
Design Artifact
Purpose: Create test stimuli
• Prototypes• Content• Information architecture• Visual design
Test Sessions
Purpose: Collect data
• Consistent protocol• Not leading the participant• Listen, observe and follow up to get
more information
Finding and Recommendations
Purpose: Connect the findings to the design
• Answers to research questions• Prioritized findings• Directional to specific
recommendations• Positive, neutral and negative
findings
Issues are characterized by severity and scope
Introduces inefficiencies Interferes with performing tasks quickly and easily.
Causes task difficulty Users can probably perform the task, but not without difficulty.
Risk of task failure At least some users will not be able to perform the task successfully.
Positive experience Strengths of the design that contribute to a positive user experience.
Low Few Participants (1 – 6)
Medium Several Participants (7 – 12)
High Almost All Participants (13 – 18)
Scorecards
Discount Usability Sessions
• Select a focal point such as one new feature
• Don’t demo this particular feature: test it with 2-3 people instead!
• Write up a short (1 pg) test plan that includes: -Research questions
-Representative tasks with the feature
Turning part of a demo into a usability session
• Identify and recruit participants: – Actual users are best
– Proxies will do in a pinch: peers for hallway testing, spouses, stakeholders, etc.
• Let them know they are doing you a favor and that you want to see how well the system works without instruction
– Do not refer to this as a “user test” in front of them!
–Give them tasks (verbally, one by one, or on paper if complex)
–Ask them to think aloud as they work
–Observe and take notes (or ask a partner to take notes)
Conducting the usability session
Research Goal User-Centered Study Types
How usable/learnable/satisfying is my new design? Usability testing (formative)
How usable/learnable/satisfying is my existing product? Usability testing (evaluative)
Who are my users and what do they need? Contextual interviews | observations | surveys
What distinct user types am I designing for? Segmentation surveys | personas
How well can people find things? How should I construct an information architecture?
Card sort | tree test | usability testing
What are my users’ workflows? Diary study | contextual interviews | observations
How easily can people set up and use a product? Out of box experience (OOBE) study
Which design works best? A/B testing (small or large scale)
How easily can a larger sample of people perform (easy-to-stage) tasks?
Unmoderated remote usability testing
82
Group exercise
FamilyTrip
Working prototype of an interactive city tour guide
83
Evaluative Research: FamilyTrip
In small groups, generate sample research brief:
• research objectives
• questions
• methods
• participants
• outcomes
To finalize the product for launch.84
User Research ROI
x100
Post release multiplier
$1 to fix a problem during design costs $100 to fix it after the release.
Software Engineering: A Practitioner’s Approach, Robert Pressman
50%Avoidable work
50% of development time during IT projects is spent doing avoidable work.
Dr. Susan Weinschenk, The ROI of User Experience
$2.5M
Training savings
As a result of usability improvements at AT&T, the company saved $2,500,000 in training expenses.
Human Factors International ROI Whitepaper
5# of participants that find
80% of issues
Nielsen Normal Group
91
Appendix: Additional Tips and Tricks
Applied research borrows ideas and techniques from pure research to serve a specific real-world goal, such as creating a supersoldier or improving the quality of hospital care or finding new ways to market pork-flavored soda. While ethics are just as important, methods can be more relaxed…The research is successful to the extent that it contributes to the stated goal.
-Erica Hall
93
Ingredients for successful UX research
1. Find the right people to observe or interact with 2. Ask them the right questions 3. Observe them doing things that inform the
design solution or problem space
94
User Interviews without Biasminimal
Three areas of potential bias:
• Interviewer bias
• Participant bias
• Bias resulting from interview setting
Interviewer Bias
Confirmation biasResearcher forms a hypothesis or belief and uses respondents’ information to confirm that belief.
Culture bias Interpreting and judging based on standards inherent in one's own culture.
The halo effect Tendency to see something or someone in a certain light because of a single attribute.
Participant Bias
Observer effect (Hawthorne effect)
When people know they’re being observed they tend to exhibit slightly different behavior than normal.
Social desirabilityPeople generally tell you what they think you want to hear; less likely to say disparaging things about other people and products.
Recency effect, Primacy effect
Last things seen or first things seen influence impressions.
Biases from Interview Settings
Telling vs. showingSettings were people can only self-report instead of being observed are prone to many biases.
Fake contextEven carefully-created usability lab or field testing setups are artificial; be mindful of what is contrived or missing.
Social influences
Be careful of potential biases resulting from conducting interviews in front of managers, supervisors, co-workers, or even friends or other family members.
Conducting non-biased interviews
Establishing a good interview setting• As close as possible to context of use • Try to engage where participants are likely to be most comfortable and
express honest opinions • Know cultural norms (e.g., if men do not typically meet with women
alone, do not create that situation in an interview setting) • Avoid awkward or biasing power dynamics (e.g., interviewing NGO staff
member along with their country director). • Consider pros/cons of recording interview and always get consent!
100
Listen First• Listen more, talk less • Tolerate silence • Be empathetic • Follow up, but don’t interrupt or correct
Explore Depth• Follow up on what the participant says • Keep participants focused and ask for concrete details • Ask questions when you do not understand
Keep it Open• Ask participants to tell a story • Ask to hear more about a subject • Ask open-ended questions (prevent yes/no answers) • Use an interview guide, but feel free to go off script
Level of Involvement• Share experiences on occasion, but don’t make it all about you • Do not take the ebb and flows of interviewing too personally • Follow your hunches
Do Not Guide• Avoid leading questions • Avoid reinforcing your
participants’ responses
MuséeMcCordMuseum
Examples of Leading QuestionsLeading question Non-leading phrasing
This is our video upload page. Is it clear that this page is for uploading video?
Tell me what you would use this page for.
Do you think this screen is easy to navigate?
What are some of your impressions about this screen? (Better yet: what would you do here?)
Who do you typically call when you experience a hardware glitch?
Think about the last time you experienced a hardware glitch. What did you do? (Later…is that typical for you?)
106
• Brief description and goal of the interview (to share with participant).
• Any basic or factual questions needed (name, job title, role in organization, age, etc.).
• Icebreaker or warm-up questions.
• List of questions or topics that are primary focus of the interview.
Prepare an Interview Guide
Take notes!• Don’t trust important things to memory, or
biases will easily creep in. • Preferably take notes during the interview • If not during, then immediately afterward
