This document discusses the importance of talking to your users (TTYFU) in product design and usability testing. It provides examples of how to conduct structured user experience reviews by simulating a target user's goals and stepping through a product's interface. While real startups often lack time, money or confidence to formally test with users, the document recommends starting with internal reviews as a lower-effort alternative. It also outlines common "ux bombs" like unclear calls to action and lengthy signup flows that negatively impact new users. The overall message is that directly involving users, even in small studies, can provide valuable insights to improve a product.

1. The RTFM of
Usability
@uxrick
@angelpadorg Sep/28/10

2. Cast
Product UX
User
Eng
Thanks to Braden Kowitz for smiley graphics

3. http://www.all-tribes.com/eng/catalog/rtfm-vol2-girls-mastic-p-51.html

4. Go away.
How do I get
CNN in MS-Office?
RTFM!
Read The Fantastic(?) Manual
http://www.all-tribes.com/eng/catalog/rtfm-vol2-girls-mastic-p-51.html

5. Unfortunately real people don’t RTFM
1. F != “Fantastic”
2. Easier to bug the local techie
3. Better things to do
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juandesant/2320949867/

6. Unfortunately real people don’t RTFM
1. F != “Fantastic”
Usability time!
2. Easier to bug the local techie
3. Better things to do
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juandesant/2320949867/

7. How
do we make our
product usable?
TTYFU co-creation credit: Dave McClure
Pic: http://www.flickr.com/photos/victoriapeckham/164175205

8. Go away!
How
do we make our TTYFU!
product usable?
Talk To Your Fantastic(?) Users
TTYFU co-creation credit: Dave McClure
Pic: http://www.flickr.com/photos/victoriapeckham/164175205

9. TTYFU =
“Usability” +
Field studies +
Surveys +
Metrics ++
Great
starting point
http://www.sensible.com/rocketsurgery/index.html

10. Unfortunately
real startups
don’t TTYFU
1. Lack of time
2. Lack of money
3. Too shy
4. “Launch and see”
syndrome
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dunkv/97119622/lightbox/

11. Unfortunately
real startups
don’t TTYFU
W he Lack of time
hat is t 2. Lack of money
1.
3. d”
rlToo shy and see”
“He llo Wo 4. “Launch
of TTYFU ?syndrome
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dunkv/97119622/lightbox/

12. TTYFU
W/O
TTYFU*
*Talk To Your F... Users Without
Talking To Your F... Users

13. %^&*!!
WTF?
Product
Eng bash% man ttyfuw/ottyfu

14. Structured UX Review
Simulate a target user!
- Simple & quick
- Catch issues early
Not a substitute for TTYFU
but a useful compliment ...

15. Simple Process
1. Choose a Target User
2. Identify their goal
3. Step through UI to achieve
goal (& note problems)
At each step ask:
“What would they do next?”

16. Example
User: My Mum (Mom)
Goal:
I want to donate some money to
my son’s sponsored bike ride

17. St ep 1

18. St ep 1
Not personalized
Very wordy
Buried call to action

19. St ep 2

20. St ep 2
Again, easy to miss
call to action
Distracting animations
Distracting navigation
Very wordy

21. St ep 3 Exercise for you!

22. Step 4 Exercise for you!

23. Bonus points: TTYFU
Iterative “small-n” user studies hi!
- Involve entire team
- Again, start early
- Cover entire lifecycle
Triangulate findings
with metrics

24. Startup UX Bombs - “New Users”
How to provide users
with a “challenging”
first experience in 5
%^&*!!
easy steps! WTF?

25. Startup UX Bombs - “New Users” #1
Forget about how users get
to your landing page

26. Startup UX Bombs - “New Users” #2
No clear call-to-
action on every step of
the new user flow

27. Startup UX Bombs - “New Users” #3
Provide a long, drawn-
out signup form

28. Startup UX Bombs - “New Users” #4
Post-signup, dump users
on the Account page

29. Startup UX Bombs - “New Users” #5
Don’t do QA of all end cases in
your conversion flow
e.g. Don’t tell user its out of stock until they checkout

30. Startup UX Bombs - “New Users” #5
Its not just startups who make
these mistakes
See http://bit.ly/bccatS

31. Recap
TTYFU!
No money? No time? Too shy?
- Start with a structured UX review
- Choose target user and goal
- Step through flow systematically
- You will learn loads (promise!)
- Then TTYFU

32. GO FORTH &
TTYFU!
Rick Boardman
rick@upstartux.com
@uxrick