With the explosion of user experience (or UX) in the business world, more companies are trying to incorporate UX research methods like usability testing to better understand and serve their users and customers. However, one test size does not fit all. Without employing the right series of research methods, companies can end up with an incomplete or misleading picture of their users.
With the plethora of research techniques and tools, it can hard to know where to get started and what method to employ when to find the understanding you need. This session will provide an overview of user experience methods and their uses and help you ensure your team is asking the right questions at the right time. Understand your users and their needs and to uncover opportunities to grow your business.
12. ABOVE ILLUSTRATION BY EVA-LOTTA LAM. FROM THE USER'S JOURNEY BY DONNA LICHAW
Opportunities are in the gaps.
Opportunity
Opportunity
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
13. ABOVE ILLUSTRATION BY EVA-LOTTA LAM. FROM THE USER'S JOURNEY BY DONNA LICHAW
Succesful products fill gaps.
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
14. Strategizing new product or features
Who are we building for?
What do they need?
How can we address their needs?
How do we provide value for them?
How can we provide value for our
business?
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
15. Interviews
Moderator leads a one on
one conversation with
existing or potential user.
Best use: Understand
general attitudes and
perceived impressions.
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
16. Ethnography/field observation
Researcher goes to user’s
place of use to observe
actions as they occur.
Best use: Understand true
context of use and observe
interruptions, workarounds,
and shortcuts to improve
and address specific
conditions.
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
17. Diary Studies
Users log their actions,
behaviors, and experiences
over time.
Best use: Understand real-
time behavior, habits, full
context of experience, and
changes in action or
attitude over time.
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
18. Focus Groups
Moderator leads a
conversation with a group
of existing or potential
users.
Best use: Understand
general attitudes and
perceived impressions.
Observe group dynamics.
IMAGE FROM #WOCinTech Chat #High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
19. Surveys
Researcher puts together list
of questions to ask users.
Often shared digitally.
Best use: Assess
preferences, attitudes, and
expressed intentions at
scale.
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
20. Participatory Design Session
Researchers, designers,
stakeholders, and users all
collaborate on exercises to
brainstorm, discuss and
prioritize ideas.
Best use: Ideate on
solutions for identified issues
and get immediate
feedback.
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
21. Concept Testing
Researchers solicit feedback
about the concept for a
solution before anything is
built.
Best use: Explore and
refine ideas before
development efforts begin.
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
22. Actively designing and building
Are we building things well?
Are they usable?
Which solution works best?
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
23. Usability Testing
Researchers ask users to
perform a set of tasks and
observes their behavior.
Best use: Assess the ease
of use of proposed
solutions.
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
24. Card Sorting
Users are asked to group
and categorize information.
Best use: Help inform
information architecture and
navigation structures
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
25. Multivariate Testing
Different solutions are
presented to live users to
see which better hits goals.
Best use: Assess which
solution performs better
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
26. “Discovery”
Design Council’s Double Diamond, img source: http://static1.squarespace.com/static/55fa0341e4b06660c65bd4f0/t/5642c682e4b0b633d4fcc1fd/1447216776499
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
Evaluative
research
Generative/exploratory
research
Now we’re done, right?
31. ABOVE ILLUSTRATION ADAPTED FROM EVA-LOTTA LAM IMAGE IN THE USER'S JOURNEY BY DONNA LICHAW
New context = new gaps.
NEW Opportunity
NEW Opportunity
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
33. Design Council’s Double Diamond, img source: http://static1.squarespace.com/static/55fa0341e4b06660c65bd4f0/t/5642c682e4b0b633d4fcc1fd/1447216776499
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
Generative
research
Generative
AND
Evaluative
research
Generative
AND
Evaluative
research
Generative
AND
Evaluative
research
Things are live.
34. Assessing live product and changing
context
How are things going?
What is going well and what could
be better?
What has changed in the world and
our users’ lives?
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
35. Analytics Review
Review tracking of user
actions within a website or
application to see trends in
behavior.
Best use: Understand
trends in behaviors to see if
they match intended
actions.
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
36. Social Media Mining
Monitor comments and
conversation about brand
and products.
Best use: Understand
common complaints,
workarounds, and areas of
delight.
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
37. Support Log Mining
Researchers collaborate
with internal teams to
understand issue trends and
understand common
workarounds.
Best use: Identifying areas
to improve.
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
38. Usability Testing
Researchers, stakeholders,
and users all collaborate on
exercises to create, discuss
and prioritize ideas.
Best use: Ideate on
solutions for identified issues
and get immediate
feedback.
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
39. Interviews
Moderator leads a one on
one conversation with
existing or potential user.
Best use: Understand
general attitudes and
perceived impressions.
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
40. Diary Studies
Users log their actions,
behaviors, and experiences
over time.
Best use: Understand real-
time behavior, habits, full
context of experience, and
changes in action or
attitude over time.
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
41. Ethnography/field observation
Researcher goes to user’s
place of use to observe
actions as they occur.
Best use: Understand true
context of use and observe
interruptions, workarounds,
and shortcuts to improve
and address specific
conditions.
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
42. Focus Groups
Moderator leads a
conversation with a group
of existing or potential
users.
Best use: Understand
general attitudes and
perceived impressions.
Observe group dynamics
IMAGE FROM #WOCinTech Chat #High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
43. Surveys
Researcher puts together list
of questions to ask users.
Often shared digitally.
Best use: Assess
preferences, attitudes, and
expressed intentions at
scale.
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
50. Card sorting
Store intercepts
Contextual inquiries
Participatory design
Interviews
MROC or panel discussions
Support log reviews
Customer feedback reviews
Desirability tests
Analytics reviews
Surveys
Focus Groups
Competitive Reviews
Moderated usability tests
Unmoderated usability tests
Diary Studies
A/B or multivariate tests
Eye tracking
Click tests
Impression tests
Usability benchmarking
Strategy workshops
UX Research Methods
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
51. Funnel Analysis
Web Traffic Analysis
Engagement rate
Market Analysis
Pricing Surveys
Brand Perception Tests
Segment Analysis
Card sorting
Store intercepts
Contextual inquiries
Participatory design
Interviews
MROC or panel discussions
Support log reviews
Customer feedback reviews
Desirability tests
Analytics reviews
Surveys
Focus Groups
Competitive Reviews
Marketing Research Methods
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
52. Funnel Analysis
Web Traffic Analysis
Engagement rate
Market Analysis
Pricing Surveys
Brand Perception Tests
Segment Analysis
Card sorting
Store intercepts
Contextual inquiries
Participatory design
Interviews
MROC or panel discussions
Support log reviews
Customer feedback reviews
Desirability tests
Analytics reviews
Surveys
Focus Groups
Competitive Reviews
Moderated usability tests
Unmoderated usability tests
Diary Studies
A/B or multivariate tests
Eye tracking
Click tests
Impression tests
Usability benchmarking
Strategy workshops
Really, it’s all just research.
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
53. Marketing research is
focused on:
• Buying patterns and
context of purchase
• Market opportunities
• Serving company
needs
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
54. UX research is focused
on:
• People and their
context of use
• Solution opportunities
• Serving users’ needs
IMAGE FROM #WOCinTech Chat #High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS
55. GET 👏 YOU 👏 A 👏 GIRL👏 WHO
👏 CAN 👏 DO👏 BOTH!!!
#High5Conf | @MandaLaceyS