The document discusses user research and making informed decisions. It describes defining problems, understanding audience needs, and using user research and analytics. It discusses quantitive and qualitative research methods like surveys, interviews and usability testing to understand problems from different perspectives. Combining these methods and data types can help build a methodology to solve problems. The presentation was created using this user research approach to understand the audience and content that would be most helpful for them.

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2. MAKING INFORMED DECISIONS
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3. WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?
DEFINING A PROBLEM
UNDERSTANDING NEEDS OF AN AUDIENCE
USING USER RESEARCH AND ANALYTICS
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4. WHO IS THIS GUY?
Obligatory “a little about me” slide
ZACK NAYLOR
Principal UX Designer at The Nerdery
User Research, Discovery, Strategy
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5. DISSECTING A PROBLEM
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6. WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM?
START WITH PURPOSE
Making good, informed decisions requires an understanding of:
¼ What the problem is
¼ Why it’s a problem
¼ Who the problem impacts
¼ How to solve it
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7. WHAT DOES GOOD LOOK LIKE?
DEFINING AN END STATE
¼ How will you know you’ve solved the problem?
¼ What questions do you have about the problem and/or solution?
¼ What does success look like?
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8. THE ROADMAP
So, how are we gonna get there?
¼ What information do you need to answer those questions?
¼ Who/How can you get that information?
¼ What kind of information do you need?
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9. TYPES OF DATA
Knowing which kind you need helps
Measurable
Quantitative Data
¼ Objective, number-based data or information
Qualitative Data Non-measurable
¼ Subjective, impression-based data or information
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10. QUANTITATIVE DATA
Good for:
Helps frame and
¼ Statistically representative data
define the problem
¼ Large quantities of data
¼ Broad reach, low effort, shorter time
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11. QUANTITATIVE DATA
Collection methods:
Start by reaching a
¼ Surveys broad set of your
¼ Web analytics audience in order to
understand your
¼ A/B testing “problem space”
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12. QUALITATIVE DATA
Good for: Learn the “why”
and “how”
¼ Richer information
¼ Empathy and understanding of an audience
¼ Further definition behind quantitative data
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13. QUALITATIVE DATA
Collection methods: Once you have a broad
¼ Interviews understanding of the
problem, choose
¼ Observation
targeted areas to get
¼ Focus groups richer information to
¼ Usability testing inform the “why” & “how”
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14. COMBINING THE DATA
Collection methods: Once you have a broad
¼ Interviews understanding of the
problem, choose
¼ Observation
targeted areas to get
¼ Focus groups richer information to
¼ Usability testing inform the “why” & “how”
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15. BUILD A METHODOLOGY
Combine methods and data types to gain confidence
What content should we have on the website?
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16. BUILD A METHODOLOGY
Let’s use our outlined approach
¼ What the problem is ¼ How will you know you’ve solved the problem?
¼ Why it’s a problem ¼ What questions do you have about the
problem and/or solution?
¼ Who the problem impacts
¼ What does success look like?
¼ How to solve it
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17. BUILD A METHODOLOGY
Combine methods and data types to gain confidence
What content should we have on the website?
1. Web Analytics 2. Survey 3. User Interviews
Learn from a large number of ¼ Discover why that content is
Understanding of the current
target audience members useful and for what
high traffic/visit areas of the
what content may be useful purposes.
website
or interesting
¼ Identify how to deliver said
content in the most
meaningful way.
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18. YOU’VE BEEN PUNK’D
This talk was created using this approach
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19. YOU’VE BEEN PUNK’D
This talk was created using this approach
1. “User” Interview 2. Survey
Who is the audience?
What is the talk?
What information would
Who will be there? be helpful to them?
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20. YOU’VE BEEN PUNK’D
This talk was created using this approach
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21. THANKS
QUESTIONS?
@ZACKNAYLOR
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22. Friday, April 12, 13