This document summarizes exploratory user research conducted by Diane Loviglio and 8 teammates over 4 weeks with 10 mobile app users. The research aimed to understand when, why and how people use apps, their experience discovering, getting, organizing and using apps, and their mental models of and views on the app ecosystem and paid apps. The researchers employed multiple qualitative methods like diary studies, interviews, show-and-tell sessions, observation, paper prototyping exercises, think-aloud protocols and drawing to collect data from participants in the field.

1. There’s an App for That!
Exploratory Research
with Mobile Users
Diane Loviglio
User Experience Researcher
Mozilla

2. Architecture & Anthropology
Startup Founder
UX Researcher

3. Why?

5. Who We Talked To

6. What We Were Trying to Learn
1. When, why and how people use apps
2. What is the current user experience with regards to
discovering, getting, organizing and using apps
3. What the current mental models of the “app ecosystem”
4. What people’s thoughts are around paid apps

7. 4 weeks, 10 participants, 8 teammates

8. What We Did

9. Things to Pack Things to Pack
+ Engineers, PMs

10. What We Did

11. Everyone Finished!

12. Show & Tell

16. App Ecosystems

17. Use Multiple Methods to
Collect Data in the Field
Diary Study
Interview
Show & Tell
Observe
Paper Prototype Exercise
Think-Aloud
Draw

18. There’s an App for That!
Exploratory Research
with Mobile Users
diane@mozilla.com
@dianeloviglio