User Observation

User Observation Design insights through watching Chris Bernard, User Experience Evangelist, Microsoft How can user observation help you be more insightful. What techniques can be used for this. This presentation covers methods used at the Institute of Design and with a class project that was done for Bose. February 2008

Topics for discussion
Our session goals
Design methods defined
A design methods toolkit
A sampling of methods
A sample application: user research
Discussion on level of effort, skills required
Listing of resources and where to learn more
User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09

Our goals for today’s session
Know what design methods are and why they are valuable
Know where they can bring extra value and differentiation to what you do
Know where to apply them
Know where to go to learn more about methods and the active design, development and business community that supports them

Design methods defined
The goal of design methods is to gain key insights or unique essential truths that can create more holistic solutions to improve products and services as well as create better experiences for users. Insight is derived from a process that is structured and linear but also flexible and iterative.
User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Source: Nate Burgos and Adam Kallish, WikiPedia

Design methods encompass a broad area that focuses on:
Redefining the specifications of design solutions which can lead to better guidelines for traditional design activities (graphic, industrial, architectural, web, etc.);

(Incremental Innovations, Best Practices, Asset or Component-based Solutions)

Exploring possibilities and constraints by focusing critical thinking skills to research and define problem spaces for existing products or services—or the creation of new categories;

(Breakthrough Innovations)

Managing the process of exploring , defining , creating artifacts continually over time

Managing the process of exploring , defining , creating artifacts continually over time
Prototyping scenarios and solutions that incrementally or significantly address the problem

Incremental innovation
Builds on an existing product or model
Creates incremental improvements that can differentiate

Breakthrough innovation
Combine multiple factors (such as product design, branding and service)
Can create new value propositions (time savings)

Disruptive innovations
Are usually ‘platform’ based and are a ‘collection’ of innovations that may fall out of the typical ‘offering’ category
User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Source: Doblin Group

What is a ‘typical’ design method process? User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Source: Vijay Kumar, Institute of Design

The process is iterative User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Source: Vijay Kumar, Institute of Design

… And typically uses a toolkit-based approach User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Source: Vijay Kumar, Institute of Design

A focus on knowing users User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Source: Vijay Kumar, Institute of Design

How a toolkit is applied: Knowing users User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Source: Vijay Kumar & Patrick Whitney, Institute of Design

Collecting data around insights and needs User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Source: Vijay Kumar & Patrick Whitney, Institute of Design

Collecting data around insights and needs User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Source: Vijay Kumar & Patrick Whitney, Institute of Design Frameworks can be used to sort, massage and prioritize data

POEMS Framework
The POEMS framework is a structure that classifies data against modes that can impact the object or item being created and the human factors of an individual interacting with the object or item being created.
User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Source: Vijay Kumar, Institute of Design

Insights and needs to patterns User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Source: Vijay Kumar & Patrick Whitney, Institute of Design

Patterns to criteria User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Source: Vijay Kumar & Patrick Whitney, Institute of Design

From criteria to concepts User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Source: Vijay Kumar & Patrick Whitney, Institute of Design

From criteria to concepts (Let’s not move too fast) User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Source: Vijay Kumar & Patrick Whitney, Institute of Design

How can we make it relevant to what we do? User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09
Project Vision
User Profiles & Scenarios
Feature Map
Information Architecture
Visual Design
Graphic Production
Design Style Guide
Content Assessment
Content Matrix
Content Plan / Strategy
Accessibility Review
Usability Test Plan
Usability Test Report
User Support Materials
Usability / Accessibility
Content
Visual Design

Design methods can be used to augment our traditional requirements definition in a more meaningful way and provide traceability and validation for design decisions that is more accurate than JRDs and stakeholder interviews User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09
Project Vision
User Profiles & Scenarios
Feature Map
Visual Design
Graphic Production
Design Style Guide
Content Assessment
Content Matrix
Content Plan / Strategy
Accessibility Review
Usability Test Plan
Usability Test Report
User Support Materials
Usability / Accessibility
Content
Visual Design

Design methods can also be used to figure out the what and not just the how of solving a problem User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Case Study for Bose: Enhancing the buying experience for the Personal Amplification System Source: Chris Bernard, Institute of Design

Project topics
Understanding of the product
Traditional amplification
Bose Personal Amplification (PAS)
Understanding the customer
Plans, methods, and analysis
Findings
Synthesis
Recommendations
User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Source: Chris Bernard, Institute of Design

How the Bose personal amplification system differs from traditional amplification User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Public Address or PA speakers Source: Chris Bernard, Institute of Design

How the Bose personal amplification system differs from traditional amplification User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Instrument Amplifiers Source: Chris Bernard, Institute of Design

How the Bose personal amplification system differs from traditional amplification User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Monitors or Wedge Speakers Source: Chris Bernard, Institute of Design

How the Bose personal amplification system differs from traditional amplification User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Mixing Board Source: Chris Bernard, Institute of Design

How the Bose personal amplification system differs from traditional amplification User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Source: Chris Bernard, Institute of Design 1 2 3

Protocol: Plan User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Information about the consumer electronics industry and “music-based” products. BOSE Bose background information PAS Musicians’ experience with BOSE and PAS; strengths and weaknesses of PAS; purchasing What do we know about musicians? Apple store; B&O store; ABT store; Bose experience; purchasing experience; set-up experience; performing experience; experience with other musical products What is important to musicians? How can we better sell the Personal Amplification System to musicians? Phase 1 - Secondary Research Phase 2 - Primary Research Secondary Research Phase 3 - Analysis Phase 4 - Synthesis Recommendations Source: Chris Bernard, Institute of Design

Protocol: Methods & analytics
Ethnographic methods
Survey: 14 respondents
Interview: 3 musicians
Videotape
Digital Camera: 4 stores Apple, B&O, ABT, Guitar Center)
1 household
1 concert
Field Notes
Participatory methods
Shadowing methods

Protocol: The Journey User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Areas of focus Source: Chris Bernard, Institute of Design

Themes
‘ The collector’
‘ Worship your hero’
‘ This isn’t art, it’s my job’
‘ Extreme hobbyist’
AEIOU Defined
Activities
Environments
Interactions
Objects
Users
ELITO Defined
Metaphor
Observation
Judgment
Value
Concept

Themes User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Source: Chris Bernard, Institute of Design Key Metaphor Observation Judgments Value Concept or Criteria Worship your hero People buy gear because their heros or performers they like use it. If they are a 'purist' they may reject the Bose approach outright. Connection musicians to more musicians Make this product what your 'hero' uses. Some of this gear is old so they go on eBay to get it. Adoption of the PAS may depend on age and technographic. Flexibility, you can mimic all of your 'heros.' Make it easier to worship. This is stuff buy and don't rent. Back to basics. There is new technology that can mimic the sound of 'classic' equipment. Like the Line 6 PodXT and the Varilex Guitars.

Themes User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Source: Chris Bernard, Institute of Design Key Metaphor Observation Judgments Value Concept or Criteria This isn't art, it's my job (Cynical professional or Institutional User) People play in churches Some people want it cheap. Money matters. Simplicity on the equipment site/easy setup Develop your audience People play in schools Comes apart without tools Portable The PAS would be considerably easier for a new beginner. Connect audience to musicians Difference practice and performance environment. Flexibility People play Gospel

Themes User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Source: Chris Bernard, Institute of Design Key Metaphor Observation Judgments Value Concept or Criteria This isn't art, it's my job Some people play multiple venues Comes apart without any tools Sound quality, clarity Music sponsorship Some people play multiple music genres The artists are not in control of the traditional set up Simplicity on the equipment side/easy set-up Jam session in retail environment The PAS would be considerable easier to set up for a show for a beginner And big starts won't use it. Portable Focus general business musicians Musicians and audience hear two different sounds. One system for electric and acoustic guitars. Connecting musicians Doesn't take up a lot of space. Connecting audience to musicians You can play it quiet. Connecting musicians and audience New tech that mimic classic sound. Audiovisual consistency/Eys and ears and harmony Existing equipment can be too loud, vicious cycle.

Themes User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Source: Chris Bernard, Institute of Design Key Metaphor Observation Judgments Value Concept or Criteria Extreme hobbyist People play multiple music genres Some people are more about the technology than the music Connecting musicians Endorsement by the "Heros." New technology Some people want it cheap -money matter. Flexibility Underlying tactic/Work of mouth Sometimes you want to mess with your gear, sometimes you want to Play! One system for electronic and acoustic guitars Simplicity on the equipment side/easy set-up Jam session in specific retail environment. Most people own as opposed to renting Comes apart without any tools People purchase equipment on ebay and guitar center. You can play it quiet New technology that can mimic classic sound Musicians like to play around with equipment in the purchase environment

Who decides how the sound is?
Musicians or…
Venues (i.e ‘techs’ or sound engineers)

Who decides how the sound is?
Is is likely that venues that targeted musicians play in will adopt this system?

What is important to musicians?
Endorsement by heroes
Culture of having stuff

What is important to musicians?
Trust word-of-mouth
Proprietary sound

Current retail channel
Problems:
Current retail store is not helping consumers learn about the system
People don't know the difference between Bose’s personal amplification system and other amplifiers

Where is the Bose amplifier? User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 Source: Chris Bernard, Institute of Design

Recommendations
Sell to the existing market by:
Setting up demo areas
Setting up and subsidizing practice environments
Selling products on ebay

Set up demo areas
Use already established distribution channel (Guitar Center)
Educate consumers
Improved display area to showcase and explain the Bose personal amp system
Knowledgeable sales staff
Try Bose system
Demo areas to compare both systems
Allow musicians to practice with equipment

Subsidize a practice environment
“ It’s expensive to rent practice rooms, so we rent a practice room with a few other bands to split the cost and create a schedule for our practice times.”
User Observation | Design Methods 06/01/09 “ If one of the bands has equipment they are willing to share with the rest of the bands, they leave it in the practice room. In exchange for letting us use their equipment, they pay a smaller portion of the rent.” Jenny Choi & Phillip Stone of Sanawan Source: Chris Bernard, Institute of Design

Sell product on eBay
Many musicians buy equipment on eBay, but do not associate Bose with guitar amps

Redefine your market
The current Bose marketing strategy for the PAS is too Rock-focused.
The culture of the Rock musician doesn’t directly relate to the nature of the Bose PAS.
The guy in this picture is NOT the guy that would buy a PAS
Source: Chris Bernard, Institute of Design

Redefine your market
The image of rock music is exhibited in the large speakers, large spools of wire, large sound boards—the large image of rock in general seems to have become fundamental to the artist.
The PAS is solving the fundamental problems of unnecessarily large amounts of equipment. In doing so, it immediately pushes itself out of the marketing range of a mainstream Rock market.

Suggestions for how to redefine the target market:
Major venue placement
Major entertainment programming with musical acts
Musical festivals (with a focus on different genres)

Summary

Design methods summary
Design methods aren’t a replacement for your existing processes, they are a set of techniques and methods for improving the quality of the data and insights that go into existing artifacts we create everyday and drive the creation of business strategy, requirements, vision, user profiles, user scenarios and information design.

Design methods aren’t a replacement for our existing processes, they are a set of techniques and methods for improving the quality of the data and insights that go into existing artifacts we create everyday and drive the creation of business strategy, requirements, vision, user profiles, user scenarios and information design.
Design methods aren’t just for web sites or application development, they can be used to shape and define business problems and the space in which solutions can reside

Design methods aren’t a replacement for our existing processes, they are a set of techniques and methods for improving the quality of the data and insights that go into existing artifacts we create everyday and drive the creation of business strategy, requirements, vision, user profiles, user scenarios and information design.
Design methods aren’t just for web sites or application development, they can be used to shape and define business problems and the space in which solutions can reside
Design methods (when more fully developed into our practice) can enable our user experience team to work on a larger variety of projects and provide a new dimension of customer value through their ability to generate tangible and insightful solutions

So, how much does it cost?
Design methods are a collection of techniques that can be added to any project
Small, modest efforts for focused problems (i.e. how to improve a registration process) can be completed with 1 to 2 FTEs in 2 to 3 week in 4 to 6 days
Moderate efforts (i.e. how to improve an online shopping cart) require 2 to 3 FTEs and can be completed in 4 to 6 weeks
Transformational efforts that look at an entire enterprise (i.e. what business should we be in) can take 6 to 8 FTEs and require up to six months to complete

What’s the skill set?
Individuals that have the following skills can usually pick up design methods quickly
Interaction designers
Information designers
User researchers (ethnographers and anthropologists)
Analysts
User experience leaders
User interaction designers and developers

Resources
Web
Design methods in detail , Wikipedia
Design Consulting Services , IBM
Design at SAP , Hasso Plattner (Keynote)
Institute of Design
Institute of Design Strategy Conference
The D-School at Stanford
BusinessWeek Innovation Design Channel
Elito Framework
POEMS Framework
AEIOU Framework (Framework discussion around ethnography)
Related Books
Designing for Interaction , Dan Saffer
Designing Interaction , Bill Moggridge
Tools
IDEO , Method Cards
… or my blog, www.designthinkingdigest.com/

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User Observation

by chrisbernard

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