Re: [IxDA Discuss] Research methods when you only have 2-3 hours or 2-3 days
I appreciate the question and the answers already provided. I would find a champion within the organization. A design is being created towards the reaching of a goal, e.g., increased market share, repeat customers, sales, shareholder value, or decreased costs. There is a historic reason that the design is being created or changed that prompts the project. Follow the money. All other things being equal (they never are), I would do some user testing of a prototype with 2-4 representative users. Then I would use the results of that testing to argue for using 10% of the total budget for more research and testing. I would also point out that small changes can yield big results in the metrics listed above. Josephine M. Giaimo, MS User Experience Research Consultant JG Interactive Designs Voice: (732) 448-0021 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=43514 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Research methods when you only have 2-3 hours or 2-3 days
See what Forrester and other Industry Analysts and News sources have available as well as conduct competitive research. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=43514 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Research methods when you only have 2-3 hours or 2-3 days
Good morning Todd. We've been to adding mini-research projects to kickoff meetings. When you are on a budget, a kickoff meeting is a good opportunity to explore stakeholder expectations of user needs. Not an alternative to real user research, but certainly can help clarify what direction the user research should focus on, and in the case where user research is out of scope or timeline, well, at least its something. Some of the activities we're doing lately include: Modified prototyping exercise (modified for time, thanks for sharing those templates again) Group card sorting for prioritization purposes 5 Second Test with scoring for initial mood-board creation & evaluation of fit for "look & feel" Open discussion of past project failures, primarily with client side veterans. This is a fun one. Looking forward to your talk next week at UPenn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=43514 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Research methods when you only have 2-3 hours or 2-3 days
I grab some time with the stakeholder at the beginning to get a sense of the context of the goal. Who the users might be, what they need to accomplish, what they don%u2019t need to do, etc. are the main points to get down. They may not have all the answers but it%u2019s a start. I also turn to resources already in hand. I may have past work/research lying around, personas, mental models that I can turn to internally for reference. Next step is to scour the web for other data points (Safari, UX related sites and yes Twitter.) If time permits, I also quickly browse through my local city and university libraries (very lucky to have two high quality libraries) and my own collection of books. I mine out the data and research that are appropriate for the work at hand. After all that is done, slam it into a presentation, maybe do some initial sketches and recap with the team and stakeholders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=43514 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Research methods when you only have 2-3 hours or 2-3 days
I've recently used user shadowing as a technique to quickly capture user pain points and interaction with the current system. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=43514 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Research methods when you only have 2-3 hours or 2-3 days
Here are a few methods; The bridge method Futures workshops Claims analysis Q-sorting Reality mapping/CUTA/CARD Predictive task analysis/supergoaling Free listing Chauncey On Wed, Jul 8, 2009 at 8:23 AM, Todd Zaki Warfel wrote: > So, yesterday I asked what your favorite methods for rapid research were. > Nobody responded. Does that mean that no one here is using research to > inform your designs? Are you guys all just winging it? > > Do you just skip the research phase if your client tells you "we don't have > time."? I realize this group is geared more towards design or organizing > information, but how do you inform your decisions? Have we gotten so > complacent that we just go with our gut or based on our past knowledge? > > Come on people. If you only have a few hours or a few days to produce some > research, what method(s) do you use? > > Cheers! > > Todd Zaki Warfel > Principal Design Researcher > Messagefirst | Designing Information. Beautifully. > -- > Contact Info > Voice: (215) 825-7423 > Email: t...@messagefirst.com > AIM: twar...@mac.com > Blog: http://toddwarfel.com > Twitter: zakiwarfel > -- > In theory, theory and practice are the same. > In practice, they are not. > > > > > > Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! > To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org > Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe > List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines > List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help > Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Research methods when you only have 2-3 hours or 2-3 days
I'm with Marc, we work introduce clients to the process and the benefits therein and if we disagree too deeply we walk away---Otherwise you're being setup for failure (even clients are ignorant that they're causing this) at least for large, complex projects ( . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=43514 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Research methods when you only have 2-3 hours or 2-3 days
Hello, Will you hate me for starting my reply with "it depends?" You haven't narrowed the question to a particular stage of the product cycle, for example. So I'll assume in this group you're talking about detailed design of a web site or piece of software (as opposed to opportunity discovery or concept exploration on the front end, or evaluation on the back end). If context of use is important: Put the priority on getting out there. Use friends and family, pull strings, whatever it takes to get first-hand exposure to the slice of life you're about to affect with your choices. This is especially true if you're designing for a particular activity or task. You HAVE to watch it being done. If variety of use is important: Sometimes you're trying to address a bewildering or unknown variety of uses. If I only had a few days, I would either get out on the street / into the context and do intercept interviews, preferably with some prop or stimulus to focus the conversation, or gather a couple of groups for a facilitated session. Not a focus group, but group elicitation activities or even role play. There are certainly many other "if"s to consider, but maybe most important: When time is really ridiculously short, then don't fool yourself that you'll be able to get reliable, actionable data and translate it into useful insights and frameworks. Your time is probably better spent building a bridge between the team and the people whose lives they are about to affect. A bridge of empathy and desire to please, built from personal knowledge and experience. Take the 2-3 days or 2-3 hours and get everybody out of the office, out into the world to meet people and talk to them. Or at the very very least, shoot some video and show it to the team. Then facilitate them toward a statement that describes the intention they all buy in to about the difference their work will make for those people. Or just say no: To answer your last question, "Do you just skip the research phase if the client says we don't have time?" I try to have a conversation. "Let's step back for a second. Are you prepared to absorb the cost later of building and shipping the wrong thing? Because that is the risk you are raising by skipping the investment in research now." If that conversation fails to lead anywhere, as a consultant I then have the option of turning down the project. I say no. I won't design something without first understanding the people, activities and contexts I am affecting. If I was on an internal team,... well that's another thread. ;-) - Marc -Todd Zaki Warfel wrote: So, yesterday I asked what your favorite methods for rapid research were. Nobody responded. Does that mean that no one here is using research to inform your designs? Are you guys all just winging it? Do you just skip the research phase if your client tells you "we don't have time."? I realize this group is geared more towards design or organizing information, but how do you inform your decisions? Have we gotten so complacent that we just go with our gut or based on our past knowledge? Come on people. If you only have a few hours or a few days to produce some research, what method(s) do you use? Cheers! Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Research methods when you only have 2-3 hours or 2-3 days
The coffee shop is one version of the man on the street approach, which can be done on the subway, in the park etc. It does take some gumption, but more than that it takes the feeling that this HAS to be done. Once you convince yourself you have no other choice, you will get it done. I will stake a place out for a bit and get comfortable (and caffeinated). When I decide it is time to perform, I choose a target mostly on gut (in addition to visible target user characteristics) and follow the three second rule: decide if they are a good candidate in 3 seconds or move on. If you observe carefully, you can tell if someone is more or less likely to be in a relaxed and flexible mood. Just straight to the point "Hi, my name is X, and I am designing X. I need feedback from everyday people like you to help make it better. If you'll go through it with me for ten minutes while you drink your coffee, I'll buy your coffee." If they say yes, bring them to your table. The approach is often awkward, and you will certainly hear a lot of 'no', but the outcome is rewarding. You can do a couple people here and there without much issue, but if you plan to spend hours there, you might talk to management. Sometimes getting a pair of people is also fun. It is easier with mobile apps. Having a camera-person (in public spaces) to make it more like a news interview can help people 'get it'. -Jesse __ Jesse S. Zolna, Ph.D. From: Jason Robb To: disc...@ixda.org Sent: Wednesday, July 8, 2009 10:32:24 AM Subject: Re: [IxDA Discuss] Research methods when you only have 2-3 hours or 2-3 days Todd et al., Awesome! I'm so glad you asked this question... The current state of my company culture allows me literally no time for testing people outside of our organization. So when we want to test some new idea, we usually try it on our own internal resources, student advisers and the dev team. Recruiting in a coffee shop is an awesome idea. I wonder if I could get the gumption to try it. What does this process look like? "Hey I'll buy your coffee if you try our site, it'll take 10 minutes"... a lot of people are going for coffee to break. How successful has this method been for you, Jesse? Cheers, Jason R. -- Jason Robb Experience Design & Implementation http://jasonrobb.com http://uxboston.com http://uiscraps.tumblr.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=43514 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Research methods when you only have 2-3 hours or 2-3 days
Todd, We use structured interviews, focus groups, and visits with SMEs / end users -- questionnaires only if it's a repeated thing and they're already designed, otherwise free response generally yields richer data and are less tedious to design and analyze. If reporting / analytics are available (historical data) of course we leverage that as well as conduct lit reviews of similar work; even do a web search for blogs / reviews about customer experiences with our products / services or competitors products / services. A quick visit to the store / site / etc. (e.g. mystery shopping) also works too, if I need context to design. If you mean testing, paper prototypes or roundtable / woz type testing with the design team (e.g. test verbiage). All or some part of these can be turned around in a 1-2 days or even a few hours! phil From: Todd Zaki Warfel To: Fabian A Cc: IXDA list Sent: Wednesday, July 8, 2009 9:04:47 AM Subject: Re: [IxDA Discuss] Research methods when you only have 2-3 hours or 2-3 days So, you create a questionnaire and hit local venues.? On Jul 8, 2009, at 8:54 AM, Fabian A wrote: > Depending what is the product the client is trying to communicate... it could > be getting information from a local retail store and just do a questionnaire > about their customers and questions about the product. Questions can range > from expectations what they see important on the website, or what would help > them in getting their task done on a website. that would take about a few > hours... that would build up at least persona(s) of their customers. > > thats one.. > > Fabian Cheers! Todd Zaki Warfel Principal Design Researcher Messagefirst | Designing Information. Beautifully. -- Contact Info Voice:(215) 825-7423 Email:t...@messagefirst.com AIM:twar...@mac.com Blog:http://toddwarfel.com Twitter:zakiwarfel -- In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not. Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Research methods when you only have 2-3 hours or 2-3 days
I personally feel really uncomfortable making any kind of design decisions without a minimal effort at research, to me it just feels like guessing. When I am not given enough time, I do much of what has already been listed: -competitive analysis -get marketing data (better than nothing) -talk to customer service reps, talk to sales people (aka the people who actually interact with the customers daily) -check out analytics/logs -figure out who in my network fits the target audience and call them up Jason, regarding recruiting at Starbucks, just hop a squat a table and put up a sign that says FREE coffee (in big letters) for 10 minutes of your time (or something similar). You might also want to let the employees at Starbucks know what you are doing, don't want to get thrown out for "soliciting" :) Good luck! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=43514 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Research methods when you only have 2-3 hours or 2-3 days
Todd et al., Awesome! I'm so glad you asked this question... The current state of my company culture allows me literally no time for testing people outside of our organization. So when we want to test some new idea, we usually try it on our own internal resources, student advisers and the dev team. Recruiting in a coffee shop is an awesome idea. I wonder if I could get the gumption to try it. What does this process look like? "Hey I'll buy your coffee if you try our site, it'll take 10 minutes"... a lot of people are going for coffee to break. How successful has this method been for you, Jesse? Cheers, Jason R. -- Jason Robb Experience Design & Implementation http://jasonrobb.com http://uxboston.com http://uiscraps.tumblr.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=43514 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Research methods when you only have 2-3 hours or 2-3 days
If I have limited time, or if I don't have budget or for political reasons we can't actually talk to people, I use community/social media sites like Facebook, Myspace and Ning to find communities of people that might be relevant. Facebook has a lot of very active special interest groups that are often open to anyone to read and participate. In the past I have gotten permission form my client to post questions on community groups and web forums to ask people specific questions. I've also gotten clients to do more internal stakeholder type interviews with different groups of people who aren't directly involved in the project. These can be done over the phone and don't take much time. You do get a more internal point of view, but often it's better than nothing. It really depends on what type of project/site you are working on and who your target audience is. Kim - Original Message From: Todd Zaki Warfel To: IXDA list ; IAI Members Sent: Wednesday, July 8, 2009 8:23:28 AM Subject: [IxDA Discuss] Research methods when you only have 2-3 hours or 2-3 days So, yesterday I asked what your favorite methods for rapid research were. Nobody responded. Does that mean that no one here is using research to inform your designs? Are you guys all just winging it? Do you just skip the research phase if your client tells you "we don't have time."? I realize this group is geared more towards design or organizing information, but how do you inform your decisions? Have we gotten so complacent that we just go with our gut or based on our past knowledge? Come on people. If you only have a few hours or a few days to produce some research, what method(s) do you use? Cheers! Todd Zaki Warfel Principal Design Researcher Messagefirst | Designing Information. Beautifully. -- Contact Info Voice:(215) 825-7423 Email:t...@messagefirst.com AIM:twar...@mac.com Blog:http://toddwarfel.com Twitter:zakiwarfel -- In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not. Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Research methods when you only have 2-3 hours or 2-3 days
So, you create a questionnaire and hit local venues.? On Jul 8, 2009, at 8:54 AM, Fabian A wrote: Depending what is the product the client is trying to communicate... it could be getting information from a local retail store and just do a questionnaire about their customers and questions about the product. Questions can range from expectations what they see important on the website, or what would help them in getting their task done on a website. that would take about a few hours... that would build up at least persona(s) of their customers. thats one.. Fabian Cheers! Todd Zaki Warfel Principal Design Researcher Messagefirst | Designing Information. Beautifully. -- Contact Info Voice: (215) 825-7423 Email: t...@messagefirst.com AIM:twar...@mac.com Blog: http://toddwarfel.com Twitter:zakiwarfel -- In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not. Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Research methods when you only have 2-3 hours or 2-3 days
Surely you have some suggestions, lets hear them. Here are a few off the top of my head: Competitive analysis, analytics, ask client for existing research Find where users hang online and read what they are saying, search twitter for references ... Stakeholder interviews Survey people in my database or with a pop-up on existing site (survey can included visuals .. does not have to be all verbal) Go to Starbucks and trade coffee for opinions or to observe as they attempt a task (or man on the street interviews) Post questions on related industry/product message board, or other social media Online card sort, 5 second test, amazon turk Friends and family user testing And the most useful method: Convince them to make time for testing up front to save time and money in the long run! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=43514 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Research methods when you only have 2-3 hours or 2-3 days
What kind of research? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=43514 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
[IxDA Discuss] Research methods when you only have 2-3 hours or 2-3 days
So, yesterday I asked what your favorite methods for rapid research were. Nobody responded. Does that mean that no one here is using research to inform your designs? Are you guys all just winging it? Do you just skip the research phase if your client tells you "we don't have time."? I realize this group is geared more towards design or organizing information, but how do you inform your decisions? Have we gotten so complacent that we just go with our gut or based on our past knowledge? Come on people. If you only have a few hours or a few days to produce some research, what method(s) do you use? Cheers! Todd Zaki Warfel Principal Design Researcher Messagefirst | Designing Information. Beautifully. -- Contact Info Voice: (215) 825-7423 Email: t...@messagefirst.com AIM:twar...@mac.com Blog: http://toddwarfel.com Twitter:zakiwarfel -- In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not. Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
