(watch the presentation video here: http://leanuxnyc.co/nyc/is-bad-research-better-than-no-research-w-deidre-kolarick/) One of the core principles of Lean UX is to do research often with the entire team’s involvement. Collaboration is essential, but doing effective research is a skill that takes practice and training. More importantly, doing research badly can lead to misleading conclusions, false confidence, and a missed opportunity for insight. In this talk, I’ll discuss how to balance the benefits of getting everyone involved in research with the need for sound methodology when conducting UX research. Deidre Kolarick Deidre is Director of Research & Insights at Catalyst Group in New York City, where she is actively involved in developing new methods for conducting user research. She holds a PhD. in cognitive psychology from Yale University. She is also an adjunct professor of psychology at New York University, a tennis addict, and triathlete.

1. Is bad research better than no research?
Deidre Kolarick
Director of Research & Insights
Catalyst Group
January 14, 2014
345 Seventh Avenue 11th Floor New York, NY

2. Lean Research
• Why GOOB is awesome
• Why GOOB is sometimes not that awesome
• The perils of bad research and lean-specific issues

3. So is bad research better than no research?

4. 1. Don’t test your own designs.

5. The case for someone else doing it
• IRBs and conflicts of interest
Smoking
improves
cognitive
function
(Turner & Spilich, 2006)
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6. The case for someone else doing it
• Confirmation bias
• Biases are automatic and unconscious
• The role of emotion
• Awareness isn’t enough (Dasgupta, 2009)
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7. 2. Make a plan - and stick to it.
• Sample size and procedures
• Write out a script
• Monitor and share results in real-time
• Review, discuss, rinse, repeat
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8. 3. Observe and be observed.
• Easier to recognize bias in others
• De-stigmatize bias – talk about it
• Listen to each other and give feedback (and accept it!)
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9. 4. Treat research as a skill to be developed.
• Study the craft
• Think about the questions you’re asking
• Dunning-Kruger effect
• Consider hiring a pro
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10. Things to watch out for
• Explaining intent / correcting users
• Question types
• Do you like it?
• What if I changed ________?
• Would you…. (share it, come back, etc.)?
• Don’t ask – let them tell you
• If you can – GOOW!

11. Thank you!
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