Decisions for impact

Steve Fadden, Ph.D.Director, Analytics UX Research, Salesforce

Lecturer, School of Information, UC Berkeley

Presentation given at UX India 2016 - Impact by Design, October 22, 2016, Hyderabad, India

Why do products fail?

Images: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MessagePad; https://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%A1jl:Gridpad-320-100.jpg; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Coke; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Pepsi; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SONY_BETAMAX_PORTABLE.jpg; ; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Bob

Bad decisions

Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:FEMA_-_37218_-_Resident_pushing_a_car_through_flood_waters_in_Texas.jpg

Poor understanding

Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_education

Design requires decisions

Images: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Waterfall_model_(1).svg ; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Software_Development_Spiral.svg ; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extreme_programming ; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrum_(software_development)

Decide: Which is longer?

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%BCller-Lyer_illusion

“We're blind to our blindness.

We have very little idea of how little we know.

We're not designed to know how little we know.

Daniel KahnemanQuote/Image:http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/were-blind-to-our-blindness-we-have-very-little-idea-of-how-little-we-know-were-not-designed-to-6267089.html ; http://taubcenter.org.il/wp-content/files_mf/daniel_kahneman33.jpg

System 1

FastInstinctEmotionPatterns

Subconscious

2 approaches to decisions

System 2

SlowEffortful

DeliberateLogical

ConsciousReference: Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Decide: Which continues?

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poggendorff_illusion

AnchoringAvailability

SubstitutionOptimism

Loss aversionFraming

Sunk cost

Every decision is subject to bias

Reference: Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

“….biases invariably creep

Into any team’s reasoning — and often dangerously distort

its thinking.

Daniel Kahneman

Quote/Image: https://hbr.org/2011/06/the-big-idea-before-you-make-that-big-decision ; http://taubcenter.org.il/wp-content/files_mf/daniel_kahneman33.jpg

“When you know better,

you do better.

Maya Angelou

Quote/Image:http://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2014/05/31/the-maya-angelou-quote-that-will-radically-improve-your-business/ ; https://cy.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_Angelou

Take time to work against biases

Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Baby_turtle.jpg

“Creativity is to discover a

question that has never been asked.

Kenya Hara

Quote/Image: http://www.luminaire.com/illuminate/637/ ; http://www.azquotes.com/quote/1199081

Adopt design thinking mindset

Image: http://dschool.stanford.edu/redesigningtheater/files/2012/08/design-thinking2.jpg

“The mission of design thinking is

to translate observationsinto insights and

insights into products and services that will improve lives.

Tim BrownQuote/Image: Brown, T. (2009). Change by Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation; https://www.flickr.com/photos/scobleizer/2213171156

Generative Formative Summative

Research informs successes & failures

Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Light_bulb_(yellow)_icon.svg ; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Korean_Traffic_sign_(Left_Turn_and_Right_Turn).svg ; https://pixabay.com/en/photos/graph/?image_type=vector

Formative research

● Ideas, stories, flows, designs● Any fidelity level● Improvement focus● Better decision-making● “Lightweight” techniques → faster decisions

Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Korean_Traffic_sign_(Left_Turn_and_Right_Turn).svg

“Failure is nota bad thing,

as long as you fail fastand learn fast.

Navdeep Bains

Quote/Image: http://m.chinadaily.com.cn/en/2016-06/27/content_25868192.htm; http://www.ryerson.ca/ryersontoday/data/news/2013/01/navdeep_bains/

“Fail faster

tosucceed sooner.

David Kelley

Quote/Image: https://ssir.org/articles/entry/fail_faster_succeed_sooner ; https://churchill.imgix.net/images/profiles/Kelley_David.jpg?auto=format&h=512&w=512&q=30

Method 1: Understanding Problems

Critical Incident Questions

Reference: http://www.usabilitynet.org/tools/criticalincidents.htm

“Consider the last time you had to share something online. How long ago did this happen? What did you share? Describe the steps you took to share, and highlight any surprises or problems (if any) that happened.”

Sample Prompt

Method 2: Investigating Concepts

Scenario Commenting

“Consider the data export concept presented on the next 4 slides. As you read through the concept, comment on anything you find to be confusing, problematic, useful, or appealing about the concept.”

Sample Prompt

Method 3: Identifying Expectations

“Greeking” technique

Reference: Tullis, T. (1998). A method for evaluating web page design concepts. CHI 98 conference summary on human factors in computing systems

“You are exploring colleges, and need to make sure the courses look interesting and financial support is available.”

“Indicate where you would click to access a list of courses?”

Sample Prompt

Method 4: Uncovering Impressions

First Impression Testing

First Impressions

● Impressions are formed by 50ms

● Primarily based on visual appeal

● Do not change with additional viewing time

● Are not influenced by actual usability issues

Reference: Phillips, C. & Chaparro, B.S. (2009). Visual Appeal vs. Usability: Which One Influences User Perceptions of a Website More? http://usabilitynews.org/visual-appeal-vs-usability-which-one-influences-user-perceptions-of-a-website-more/

“You will be shown an interface for 5 seconds. After viewing the interface, indicate your response to the following questions.”

Sample Prompt

Mark how you feel about the interface you just saw. The interface is:

Very VeryAttractive - - - - - - - - - Unattractive

Method 5: Assessing Sentiment

Semantic Differentials

Sample Prompt

“Mark how you feel about this experience.”

Powerful - - - - - SimplisticAttractive - - - - - UnattractiveValuable - - - - - Not valuableSatisfying - - - - - FrustratingFast - - - - - SlowIntuitive - - - - - RigidEasy - - - - - Difficult

Reference: Johnson, F. 2012. Using semantic differentials for an evaluative view of the search engine as an interactive system, EuroHCIR2012.

Method 6: Prioritizing Needs

Kano Questions

Reference: http://uxmag.com/articles/leveraging-the-kano-model-for-optimal-results

Sample Prompts

Scenario: “Imagine you are using a mobile app to find a restaurant.”

Question 1: “How would you feel if the app allowed you to filter results by distance?”

Question 2: “How would you feel if the app did not allow you to filter results by distance?”

Question 3: “How important is this function to you?”

Results inform value present & absent

:( if present :) if present

:) if absent

:( if absent

Method 7: Evaluating Usability

RITE Testing

Reference: Medlock, M.C., Wixon, D., Terrano, M., Romero, R., & Fulton, B. (2002). Using the RITE method to improve products; a definition and a case study, Presented at the Usability Professionals Association.

Rapid Iterative Testing & Evaluation

(RITE)

Identify critical problems and fix them on the fly

● Representative users, actual tasks, interactive interface

● Involve key decision makers (PM, design, development)

● Agree on critical problems and make changes to interface after each session

activity

1. Consider each image

2. System 1 answer?

3. System 2 answer?

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%BCller-Lyer_illusion

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poggendorff_illusion

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poggendorff_illusion

Consider your process

1. Initial perception?

2. Thought process?

3. Individual and group approach?

analyze and discuss as a team

Image: http://archipelagoblog.blogspot.com/2013/12/rules-yes-rules.html

Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_illusion

“You can draw the wrong

conclusions from a three- question survey just as easily as you can from

terabytes of data.Susan Etlinger

Quote/Image: http://www.kqed.org/news/story/2016/09/09/208823/how_do_we_approach_big_data_with_a_critical_eye ; https://speakerpedia.com/speakers/susan-etlinger

Aim to understand big picture

Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jigsaw_puzzle_01_by_Scouten.jpg

“Having more data in our lives reminds us that data doesn’t

create meaning - we do.

Susan Etlinger

Quote/Image: http://www.npr.org/2016/09/09/492297311/how-do-we-approach-big-data-with-a-critical-eye ; https://speakerpedia.com/speakers/susan-etlinger

“Remember, the universal

language is not texted, emailed, or spoken. It is felt.

Angela Ahrendts

Quote/Image: http://www.businessinsider.sg/best-angela-ahrendts-quotes-apple-svp-retail-2014-6/#p5xxBuL36aoEDFPY.99 ; https://www.fastcompany.com/3023591/angela-ahrendts-a-new-season-at-apple

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did,

but people will never forgethow you made them feel.

Maya Angelou

Quote/Image:http://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2014/05/31/the-maya-angelou-quote-that-will-radically-improve-your-business/ ; https://cy.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_Angelou

AnchoringAvailability

SubstitutionOptimism

Loss aversionFraming

Sunk cost

So, remember our biases

Reference: Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

“The more we learn

the more we realize how little we know.

R. Buckminster Fuller

Quote/Image: http://quoteur.com/the-more-we-learn-the-more-we-realize-how-little-we-know/ ; https://bfi.org/about-fuller/biography

“Failure will never overtake me

if my definition to succeedis strong enough.

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

Quote/Image: http://theincredibleindia.in/failure-will-never-overtake-me/ ; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._P._J._Abdul_Kalam

Thank You!

Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jnyemb/4408191030