Getting Started with User Research

Getting Started with User Testing A LearnFWD talk Diane Loviglio, Jinghua Zhang, Mozilla User Research Oct. 31, 2011

A product solution needs to consider: User Desirability Technology Business Liability Feasibility

User research cares: User Desirability Technology Business Liability Feasibility

a product development cycle, leanPhase 1: Phase 2: Phase 3: Phase 4:exploring the generating making it refining theproblem ideas real solution

a product development cycle, lean Phase 1: Phase 2: Phase 3: Phase 4: exploring the generating making it refining the problem ideas real solutionQualitative user research Qualitative Qualitative •ﬁeld observation •brainstorm workshops •in-depth interview •content audit •usability test •diary study •comparative analysis •mood board •case study •card sorting QuantitativeQuantitative user research •cognitive walk-through •A/B test •survey •heuristic evaluation •multi-variate test •log study •usage metrics

For startups, it doesn’t need to be that complicated ...

If you need to answer:"Does our product/service as spec’d solve a(potential) user problem or fulﬁll a(potential) user need? " •in-depth interview"Is our solution compelling enough thatpeople want to use it today? " •usability test

HOW-TO:conducting 15-minute user tests by yourself.

To conduct a user test, you need: Some prototypes a moderator - yourselfa “potential” user a way to record what’s happening a clear test purpose!

A clear test purpose: •What questions are you answering? •What do you think your answers are now?

a “potential” user

a “potential” user- someone that most likely is going tobe interested in your product/service- can articulate- offer some incentive- respect on his/her time & privacy

Find participants: • Craigslist, Twitter/FB • NDA, consent form • ~ $1 per minute? • a screener? a “potential” user- someone that most likely is going tobe interested in your product/service- can articulate- offer some incentive- respect on his/her time & privacy

Get the Right PeopleExerciseYou’re developing a competitor to Open Table.Which different types of people would you want to talk with? PS. How many participants do you need?

Some prototypes

Some prototypes- something that people can walkthrough- something conveys your test focus- some tasks people can do with theprototype

Prepare your prototype: • yours or competitors • low-ﬁ or high-ﬁ • paper or digital Some prototypes • static or interactive- something that people can walkthrough- something conveys your test focus- some tasks people can do with theprototype

• paper notes and (or) a camera?• if the camera will change userbehaviors?• camera: future use, to convince otherteam members? a way to record what’s happening

a moderator - yourself- you are there to learn, not toteach, not to negotiate.- you need to let users talk and dothings, but lead the direction whenneeded.

Observe Their Current BehaviorsExerciseYou’re developing a competitor to Open Table.Where and when would you observe your potential users’behavior?

Understand WhyStart questions with...Who, What, Where, When, Why and HowWould you? Do you think? Are you? This is based on hypotheticals!e.g. How did you ﬁgure out how to get here? Did you use Google Maps?e.g. What would you change about your shopping experience? Would you like bigger aisles?ExerciseYou’re developing a competitor to Open Table.What questions would you ask to understand why yourpotential user is behaving the way they are?

Let Them Talk You Through Your ProductExerciseYou’re developing a competitor to Open Table.What tasks would you give them?

A clear test purpose: •What questions are you answering? •What do you think your answers are now?

Getting Started with User Testing Diane Loviglio (diane@mozilla.com) Jinghua Zhang (jinghua@mozilla.com) Mozilla User Research

Getting Started with User Research

by Diane Loviglio

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