User research full fat to lean

USER RESEARCH: FROM FULL FAT TO LEAN BEN BYWATER

INPUTS 10 INTERVIEWS 30 SURVEY RESPONDENTS

(me) Client-side

Agency-side

75% had 10+ years experience.

6 survey respondents were also interviewees.

FORCES AT PLAY AGILE SQUEEZING TIME MORE ‘IN HOUSE’ UX MORE COLLABORATION CONTINOUS DELIVERY LEAN UX MINDSET MORE MOBILE NEW TECH & PACE OF CHANGE MORE DATA

HOW WE’RE RESPONDING BEING MORE PRAGMATIC HUSTLING FOR THE BIG PICTURE ADAPTING SERVICE OFFERINGS USING MORE INP[UTS MEASURING UX MORE GETTING OUT OF THE LAB & MAKING SENSE OF THE DATA SOCIALISING & MANAGING INSIGHTS BETTER

BEING MORE PRAGMATIC

http://blog.mailchimp.com/remote-usability-testing-on-mobile-devices/


INSIGHT RESOURCE


BEING MORE PRAGMATIC THINKING ABOUT 5 YEARS AGO, IS THERE MORE, LESS OR THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME TO DO THE RESEARCH?

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LESS

SAME

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BEING MORE PRAGMATIC THINKING ABOUT THE LAST 5 YEARS, ARE YOU HAVING MORE, LESS OR THE SAME AMOUNT OF INFLUENCE ON THE FINAL PRODUCT OR SERVICE?

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I FIND MYSELF PUSHING PEOPLE TO BE A BIT LESS IDEALISTIC AND A BIT MORE PRAGMATIC ABOUT WHAT THEIR TIME IS BEST SPENT ON.

RESEARCH MANAGER, CLIENT-‐SIDE

“



THE LEAN MOVEMENT HAS DRASTICALLY CHANGED ATTITUDES. WE ARE ALL MORE ‘TRY AND LEARN’ THAN 5 YEARS AGO WHEN WE WANTED TO LEARN, THEN CAREFULLY LEARN. THE ADVENT OF THE MVP IS CAUSING US TO EVOLVE.

RESEARCH MANAGER, AGENCY-‐SIDE

“



LEAN START-‐UP IS THE BANE OF MY LIFE! RESEARCH MANAGER, CLIENT-‐SIDE

“



BEST PRAGMATIC METHOD AWARD: USER TESTING!


HUSTLING FOR THE BIG PICTURE

http://1hdwallpapers.com/wallpapers/big_city_view.jpg



THINKING ABOUT THE LAST 5 YEARS, ARE YOU DOING MORE, LESS OR THE SAME AMOUNT OF STRATEGIC ‘UP-‐STREAM’ TYPE RESEARCH?

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LESS

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CASE STUDY: A REVOLT



WE REBELLED! AND IN THE END THE PRODUCT OWNER TOLD THE HEAD OF DIGITAL “WE JUST CAN’T DO IT LIKE THAT. IT DOESN’T WORK… BASICALLY F*@% OFF WITH YOUR THEORY”… AND HE’S A NICE GUY SO HE SAID “DO IT HOW YOU WANT IF IT WORKS BETTER”. SO WE DID A ‘THIN SLICE’... TO MAKE SURE THE END TO END WORKED AND NOW WE ARE GOING INTO DEEP DIVES.

USER RESEARCHER, CLIENT-‐SIDE

“



CASE STUDY: FIELD STUDIO



BEST BIG PICTURE APPROACH AWARD: LEAN SLICES

ADAPTING SERVICE OFFERINGS

PIC BY TIM GEOGHEGAN



AS COMPANIES HAVE GOTTEN SMARTER ABOUT DESIGN, AND RECOGNISED IT’S A COMPETENCY THEY NEED INTERNALLY, THEY’VE BECOME LESS COMFORTABLE OUTSOURCING IT.

“ PETER MERLHOLZ, ADAPTIVE PATH CO-‐FOUNDER



AS COMPANIES HAVE GOTTEN SMARTER ABOUT DESIGN, AND RECOGNISED IT’S A COMPETENCY THEY NEED INTERNALLY, THEY’VE BECOME LESS COMFORTABLE OUTSOURCING IT.

“ PETER MERLHOLZ, ADAPTIVE PATH CO-‐FOUNDER

(IN SILICON VALLEY, ANYWAY)



CASE STUDY: COACHING BY AN AGENCY



I CAN LEAVE [THE CLIENT TEAM] TO IRON OUT THE INTERFACE LEVEL USABILITY THINGS, HAVING GOT THE BIGGER ISSUES OUT OF THE WAY... USABILITY IS BEING COMMODITISED.

“ USER RESEARCH, AGENCY-‐SIDE



BEST ADAPTATION AWARD: COACHING IN HOUSE UX

USING MORE INPUTS

http://conwaycustom.com.au/workshop/586/

USING MORE INPUTS


I TEND TO HAVE TO CONSIDER MORE RESEARCH SOURCES PER PROJECT [THESE DAYS]. FOR EXAMPLE, STATS, ANALYTICS, MARKET RESEARCH DATA MINING, UX RESEARCH, DESK RESEARCH, INTERVIEWS WITH OTHER AGENCIES, TEAMS AND SOURCES.

“ USER RESEARCHER, AGENCY-‐SIDE

USING MORE INPUTS


THINKING ABOUT THE LAST 5 YEARS, ARE YOU DOING MORE, FEWER OR THE SAME NUMBER OF RESEARCH METHODS AND INPUTS?

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LESS

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USING MORE INPUTS


MY PERCEPTION IS THAT USER RESEARCH AND CONSUMER INSIGHT OR MARKET RESEARCH ARE GOOD AT DIFFERENT THINGS AT THE MOMENT… WHAT I AM EXCITED ABOUT AT THE MOMENT IS THERE IS A LOT OF STUFF THAT IS CUTTING EDGE IN CONSUMER INSIGHT THAT I AM NOT HEARING ABOUT IN USER RESEARCH BUT IS ENTIRELY APPLICABLE.

“ USER RESEARCHER, AGENCY-‐SIDE

USING MORE INPUTS


CASE STUDY: CAMPFIRE (LONG TERM COMMUNITIES)

USING MORE INPUTS


BEST NEW INPUT AWARD: LONG TERM COMMUNITIES

MEASURING UX MORE

http://www.prodality.com/measurement-the-key-to-startup-success/

MEASURING UX MORE


THE MEASUREMENT OF UX EFFECTIVENESS WITH ANALYTICS IS BIG NOW.

“ USER RESERCHER, FREELANCE

MEASURING UX MORE


CASE STUDY: BOARD ROOM CATNIP

MEASURING UX MORE


IT WAS LIKE TOTAL CATNIP TO THEM BECAUSE … IT LET US JUMP FROM THE BIG PICTURE OF ‘THIS SERVICE HAS THIS ONE BIG CHALLENGE’ TO THE MINUTE DETAIL OF [HOW WE WERE FIXING IT].

“ USER RESERCHER, FREELANCE

GETTING OUT OF THE LAB & MAKING SENSE OF THE DATA

http://www.travelization.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/elephant-going-trought-jungle-wallpapers-1366x768.jpg



IF THE COST OF EXTRACTING OUTWEIGHS THE VALUE OF EXTRACTION YOU’RE NOT GOING TO BOTHER. I PREDICT A DOUBLING DOWN OF QUALITATIVE AS THE MORE HOLISTIC APPROCH THAT GIVES YOU MOST OF WHAT YOU WANT IN A WAY THAT’S ACTIONABLE… IN THE SHORT AND MEDIUM TERM I PREDICT A GOLDEN AGE OF ETHNOGRAPHY.

“ HEAD OF RESEARCH, AGENCY-‐SIDE



CASE STUDY: MORE DATA = MORE ETHNO

SOCIALISING AND MANAGING INSIGHTS BETTER

http://www.bowmast.com/case-study-craft-brewing/



THE CORE RESEARCH PRACTICES ARE EXACTLY THE SAME [AS THEY WERE 5 YEARS AGO]. IT’S THE ANCILLARY STUFF THAT HAS CHANGED… THE BIG THING IS MAKING IS HAPPEN IN THE TEAM & KEEPING IT USER-‐CENTRED. 75% OF MY JOB IS COMMUNICATION.

“ HEAD OF RESEARCH, CLIENT-‐SIDE



WHAT TAKES MOST OF YOUR TIME AND ENERGY WITH USER RESEARCH?

ELICITING RESEARCH NEEDS FROM CLIENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS

PLANNING AND CONDUCTING THE RESEARCH

5 YEARS AGO TODAY

COMMUNICATING AND SOCIALISING THE INSIGHTS FROM THE RESEARCH

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THINKING ABOUT THE LAST 5 YEARS, ARE YOU GETTING BETTER, WORSE OR IS THERE NO CHANGE IN ‘MANAGING INSIGHT’?

BETTER

WORSE

SAME

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http://www.bowmast.com/case-study-craft-brewing/ 0% 50% 100%

THE BEST WAY TO MANAGE INSIGHT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT LOTS OF PEOPLE TAKE PART IN THE RESEARCH SO THAT THEY ALL GET IT . “

HEAD OF RESEARCH, CLIENT-‐SIDE



THE BEST REPORT IS NO REPORT… THE BEST RESEARCH PROJECT IS NOT HAVING TO DO THE RESEARCH PROJECT. “

HEAD OF RESEARCH, AGENCY-‐SIDE



BEST ‘INSIGHT HOLDER’ (OTHER THAN PEOPLE): VIDEO!

THANKS @JAMMINJARJAM

Design

User research full fat to lean