Andrea Moed

Research into Action

This chapter discusses how to represent research insights. It argues that researchers need to consider how best to communicate research insights in order to help stakeholders take action. First, it summarizes the major types of research deliverables and the questions they address most effectively. Then it describes each major type of deliverable and how to produce it. Personas represent categories of people and their needs. Scenarios represent activities. Task analysis and process mapping represent sequential processes. Experience models are represent conceptual relationships. The chapter presents an example of how to combine multiple research representations to tell a more complete story. It concludes by warning readers to avoid simply delivering “as promised.” Researchers must actively work with stakeholders to pick the research outcome that best serves their business goals.

Analyzing Qualitative Data

This chapter presents a method for analysis of qualitative data from interviews, site visits, usability tests, and other research methods. It introduces the idea of labeling, or “coding,” data and describes the advantages and disadvantages of digital- and paper-based tools for coding. It also describes some conceptual tools for analyzing data, such as the taxonomy, the flowchart, the spectrum, and the matrix. It lays out sample “heavyweight” and “lightweight” analytic processes, with timelines for both.

Balancing Needs through Iterative Development

Products are generally not created solely for the benefit of the users; they are created by companies whose goal is to make money. Making money and satisfying peoples needs are two very different goals; they can be made to work together, but they will always remain distinctly different goals. Iterative development is based on the idea of continual refinement through trial and error. Rather than trying to create a perfect vision from the beginning, iterative development focuses on the target, refining its focus and perfecting the product until it has reached its goal. Each cycle consists of the same basic steps, and each cycle infuses the process with richer information. Solutions are created, examined, and re-created until the business and user needs are met in a consistent, regular, and predictable way.

Reports, Presentations, and Workshops

This chapter offers tips on structuring reports, delivering presentations, and organizing workshops. It identifies common pitfalls and offers advice for avoiding them. It includes suggestions for effective use of video. As well, it includes sample text from a usability report and sample slides from a strategic insights presentation.

Global and Cross-Cultural Research

This chapter discusses pointers for conducting more effective global and cross-cultural research. It explains how to adapt techniques discussed elsewhere in the book to a global or cross-cultural context. Topics include research planning, recruiting, interviewing, field visits, and surveys. In particular, it details how to decide what techniques to use and how to avoid the most serious pitfalls.

Chapter 9 – Field Visits: Learning from Observation

In field visits, researchers study human activities where they take place, such as in offices, homes, shops, cars, public transportation, hospitals, factories, and gyms. The goal of field visits is to understand both how and why people do what they do. The chapter describes how to plan and conduct field visits, including media recording and note taking. It also includes tips for justifying field visits to clients.

Do a Usability Test Now

Basic user research is easy, fast, and highly effective. Some form of user experience research can be done with any product. This chapter focuses on a usability test, which is a fast and easy user research technique. The usability test reveals whether the audience can use the product. It helps to identify the problems people face in the site and reveals difficult interfaces and confusing language. Normally usability tests are done as part of a large research series and involve preparation and analysis. It is designed to achieve almost immediate feedback on product, with minimal overhead. There are four steps in the process of conducting usability test—(1) defining the audience and their goals, (2) creating tasks that address those goals, (3) getting the right people, and (4) watching them try to perform the tasks.

Automatically Gathered Information: Usage Data and Customer Feedback

This chapter outlines how to analyze and use data that are collected about user behavior on an ongoing basis, through usage data logging systems and customer feedback channels. The first part of the chapter describes the types of tools available for collecting data about digital experiences, the data they make available, and how to use those data in conjunction with qualitative user research. The second part covers the sources of customer feedback, how to read and use that feedback, and how to move from collecting feedback to collaborating with interested customers.

Automatically Gathered Information

This chapter outlines how to analyze and use data that are collected about user behavior on an ongoing basis, through usage data logging systems and customer feedback channels. The first part of the chapter describes the types of tools available for collecting data about digital experiences, the data they make available, and how to use those data in conjunction with qualitative user research. The second part covers the sources of customer feedback, how to read and use that feedback, and how to move from collecting feedback to collaborating with interested customers.

More Than Words

This chapter discusses techniques for externalizing participants’ schemas, or mental frameworks of the world. It organizes these techniques into three groups: dialogic, generative, and associative. It explains how to perform the dialogic technique of photo elicitation, the generative technique of mapping, and the associative technique of card sorting. In particular, it details both qualitative and quantitative methods for deriving design recommendations from card sorts.