Your management/client is demanding that you do interface testing with actual users but you don’t have the time or money to conduct a full blown usability study. And, here’s another catch: it takes more than a single session in front of the interface for users to truly understand and appreciate – and evaluate -- its features and experience. What do you do? This presentation uses an iPhone app case study to demonstrate tools and tips for conducting an effective online diary study, combined with an online focus group session. We take you through all of the steps of this methodology that we’ve used successfully to test iPhone applications (for companies like Franklin Covey and Deepak Chopra) and other online interfaces that require a deeper user involvement in the interface.

1. Fast, Cheap andIn Control: Using an Online Diary/Focus Group Methodology to Gauge Meaningful Experiences David Kozatch and Susanna Kirk DIG

2. Q: How? Short on $ budget and time Single session with UI not enough You want to assess more than just ‘usability”

4. Is there a “budget” UI test that will gauge meaningful experiences?

5. Case Study

6. Who would like to be happier?

7. No problem

8. “There’s an app for that”

9. Signal Patterns “Live Happy” for the iPhone – a mobile happiness building application

10. Why is this woman smiling? Sonja Lyubormirsky

12. Benefits of happiness?

15. Restore and Cultivate Relationships

16. Goal setting

17. Be grateful

20. Happiness and Mood survey

22. A: Partner with a company that knows about technology …

25. The Project

27. Assess “usability”

28. Assess preference of guided vs. unguided navigation

29. Assess price sensitivity/value

31. Requires at least a week of use in order to realize its benefits

32. Short time window prior to launch

33. Difficult to distribute the app to users

35. Not quite ready for prime-time Please stand by…. Photo: Diane Diederich

36. Reframe Objectives to include 3 additional questions re: meaning: Does the application provide personal significance for users? Is the interface helpful? Respectful? Interested? Forgiving? Does the app take full advantage of the personalized features and interface provided by the iPhone?

37. Recommendation: Qualitative assessment

39. Use Live Happy prototype for 7-10 days

42. Remote testing limited to a few tasks

43. Too much focus on “errors”

45. Use client resources: user or prospect email lists, etc.

46. Use online social networks (e.g., Facebook) and related user pages (e.g., ipod lounge)

47. Ask qualifying questions relating to specific behaviors/attitudes (e.g., price sensitivity)

49. Cash is king: coupons or merch seldom work

50. Don’t be afraid to overpay to insure participation – you’ve only got one shot

51. Spread out payments: e.g.,

52. 50% after complete diary entries

55. Users choose their own pace

56. “Unfiltered” responses

57. Adjust questions during test

60. Can reveal a small portion of the diary questions at a time via skip patterns

61. Responses automatically populate Google spreadsheet for easy review and sharing

62. All responses are dated

63. Users can upload links to pictures

64. Users trust GoogleWhy we like

66. Use mix of closed and open ends

67. Give user the ability to decide which questions they’d like to answer

68. Provide final screen text that invites user to go back and answer more q’s

69. For picture uploads, have respondents use http://imageshack.us

70. Free

71. No registration required

74. Use friendly language

75. Praise and cajole

76. Foster competition, if possible

78. Focus Group

80. Allows client to hear direct feedback and probe deeper

81. Adds more depth re: userexperiences beyond initial diary entries

82. More opportunities to assess emotionallanguage

83. Can test additional interface ideas/fixes

84. Provides confirmation of hypothesis learned from diariesWhy bother doing a focus group?

85. And … … can better assess meaning and user engagement

87. Define value of the (interface) in terms of how it made you feel

88. Did you get a sense that the (interface) was listening/responding to your needs as you completed each task?

90. Has video capability

91. Can switch from PPT to live Web easily if needed

92. Private chat feature allows clients to participate silently

93. Has polling feature with instant display of results

94. Can record session and stream to client or save as .wmv fileWhy we like

96. Keep text on PPT slides simple and uncluttered

97. Make use of screen shots/images

98. Use opportunity to follow up on individual diary posts

99. Use polling sparingly

101. Can choose your own path or follow a sequence

102. Takes advantage of personalized iPhone features

105. Clearer indications that suggestions are targeted and unique

106. Suggestions across various media

107. Integrate LiveHappy with an online account for data entry and backup

108. Add more content from Sonja's book that is inquiry based

110. How do we get there?

111. “Budget” solution

114. Contact Information David Kozatch, Principal Ph 646.416.6784 david@digsmarter.com Susanna Kirk, Senior Analyst Ph 617.475.5105 susanna@digsmarter.com Web: www.digsmarter.com Blog: blog.digsmarter.com