1.
Mastering Startups
UCL TE MSc
“How to get what you need
when you get out of the building”
Ian Collingwood
@johnnyforeigner
ian@uxdna.co.uk
With grateful thanks to Johanna Kollman
@johannakoll

2.
Introductions
What are we talking about?
How does this fit into startup culture?
Who are your customers?
Where will you find them?
Planning your interviews
Interview techniques
Keeping notes
Making sense of it all
Putting it to work on your startup

3.
Introductions

4.
Who am I?
- Founder of UXdna Limited
(UK, Spain & Brazil)
- Specialise in Design Thinking
- Startup focused, but also work with
enterprise clients
- Seedcamp, TechHub, TEDx
Leancamp, TheNextWeb,
LeanStartUpMachine, IADAS etc

5.
Who are you?
- Technologists
- Business people
- Designers
- UXers
- Something else-rs

6.
Where are you from?
- UK
- Europe
- BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China)
- USA
- Somewhere else

7.
What are you working on?
- Studying
- Running a startup (full-time / part-time)
- “Intrapreneur”
- Something else

8.
Do you know what these terms mean...?
- UX
- UI
- UCD
- Lean Startup

9.
What are we talking
about today?

10.
Industry Jargon

11.
Industry Jargon
UX

12.
Industry Jargon
UX
User Experience

13.
Industry Jargon
UX UI
User Experience

14.
Industry Jargon
UX UI
User Experience User Interface

15.
Industry Jargon
UX UI
User Experience User Interface
UCD

16.
Industry Jargon
UX UI
User Experience User Interface
UCD
User Centred
Design

17.
http://home.howstuffworks.com/hammer.htm

18.
http://home.howstuffworks.com/hammer.htm

19.
90,000-40,000 BC (Late Mousterian period) 5,500 - 2,500 BC (Late Archaic period)
Dordogne, France Montana, USA
2,500 -1,500 BC (Late Neolithic Period)
Cumbria, UK
http://imgur.com/gallery/Ky0BP http://finds.org.uk/database/search/results/objecttype/axe+hammer/broadperiod/BRONZE+AGE
http://www.stoneageartifacts.com/html/Artifact-Hand%20Axes.html http://www.iceageartifacts.com/axes_celts_tools.htm

20.
The UCD Cycle
ISO 13407

21.
20,000 BC (Late Gadgeterian period)
Basel, Switzerland
http://imgur.com/gallery/Ky0BP

22.
Applying the User Centred Design
cycle improves our chances of
UCD Cycle delivering a good User Experience
Usability
IA
IxD
UX
(User Experience) UI
Visual Design Content
Strategy

23.
How does this fit
with startup
culture?

24.
Remember this?

25.
Look familiar?

26.
Look familiar?

27.
Eric & Steve say...
“Get out of the building!”

28.
UX people are good at getting out of
the building

29.
UX people are good at getting out of
the building

30.
UX people are good at getting out of
the building
Quantitative

31.
UX people are good at getting out of
the building
Quantitative Qualitative

32.
UX people are good at getting out of
the building
Quantitative Qualitative
Generative

33.
UX people are good at getting out of
the building
Quantitative Qualitative
Generative
Evaluative

34.
UX people are good at getting out of
the building
Quantitative Qualitative
Depth Interviews
Contextual Inquiry
Surveys Ethnography
Generative Interviews Diary Studies
Participatory Design (Co-creation)
Mental Models
Web Analytics
Multi-variant Testing Usability Testing
Remote Card Sorting Moderated Card Sorting
Evaluative Clicktale / CrazyEgg (et al) Wizard of Oz Testing
Treejack (et al) Desirability Toolkit
Chalkmark / 5-Second Test (et al) R.I.T.
Usertesting.com (et al)

35.
UX people are good at getting out of
the building
Quantitative Qualitative
Depth Interviews
Contextual Inquiry
Surveys Ethnography
Generative Interviews Diary Studies
Participatory Design (Co-creation)
Mental Models
Web Analytics
Multi-variant Testing Usability Testing
Remote Card Sorting Moderated Card Sorting
Evaluative Clicktale / CrazyEgg (et al) Wizard of Oz Testing
Treejack (et al) Desirability Toolkit
Chalkmark / 5-Second Test (et al) R.I.T.
Usertesting.com (et al)

36.
UX people are good at getting out of
the building
Quantitative Qualitative
Depth Interviews
Contextual Inquiry
Surveys Ethnography
Generative Interviews Diary Studies
Participatory Design (Co-creation)
Mental Models
Web Analytics
Multi-variant Testing Usability Testing
Remote Card Sorting Moderated Card Sorting
Evaluative Clicktale / CrazyEgg (et al) Wizard of Oz Testing
Treejack (et al) Desirability Toolkit
Chalkmark / 5-Second Test (et al) R.I.T.
Usertesting.com (et al)

37.
UX people are good at getting out of
the building
Quantitative Qualitative
Depth Interviews
Contextual Inquiry
Surveys Ethnography
Generative Interviews Diary Studies
Participatory Design (Co-creation)
Mental Models
Web Analytics
Multi-variant Testing Usability Testing
Remote Card Sorting Moderated Card Sorting
Evaluative Clicktale / CrazyEgg (et al) Wizard of Oz Testing
Treejack (et al) Desirability Toolkit
Chalkmark / 5-Second Test (et al) R.I.T.
Usertesting.com (et al)

38.
UX people are good at getting out of
the building
Quantitative Qualitative
Depth Interviews
Contextual Inquiry
Surveys Ethnography
Generative Interviews Diary Studies
Participatory Design (Co-creation)
Mental Models
Web Analytics
Multi-variant Testing Usability Testing
Remote Card Sorting Moderated Card Sorting
Evaluative Clicktale / CrazyEgg (et al) Wizard of Oz Testing
Treejack (et al) Desirability Toolkit
Chalkmark / 5-Second Test (et al) R.I.T.
Usertesting.com (et al)
Adapted from material by Johanna Kollman Janice Fraser, Nate Bolt, Christian Rohrer

39.
Case Study

40.
locali.se
Problem Hypothesis:
For young foreign students who have not travelled much before, coming to study in the
UK can be a frightening and stressful experience
Solution Hypothesis:
Make planning, arrival and life in the UK simple, safe and friendly for new students”
- Freemium model
- Free detailed guides to living in the UK in multiple languages
- Premium paid services include:
- Meet & greet at the airport
- Shared taxi to college
- Accommodation-finding service, (contracts, deposit & key collection)
- Setting up utilities, council tax, bank accounts & other services
- Registering with a doctor
- Getting a mobile phone
- 24-hour Helpline in native language

41.
locali.se
Three-sided market model
- Second or third year students will provide the services to new arrivals
- Services provided via relationships with:
- Universities, overseas student bodies and welfare committees
- Banks
- Landlords & agents
- NHS
- Taxis
- Phone networks
- Revenue
- Students themselves
- Referral fees from third party suppliers
- Costs will be website development & maintenance, customer service
staff, translation, payment of other students, admin, marketing, SEO etc

42.
Who are the
customers?

43.
EXERCISE:
Describe the main customer segment(s)
for locali.se

44.
Demographics

45.
Demographics
Behaviours

46.
EXERCISE:
What kinds of Behaviours would define a
typical locali.se customer?

47.
Demographics Behaviours
eg: eg:
Female Has been accepted to study at a leading UK
19-22 years old university

48.
Demographics Behaviours
eg: eg:
Female Has been accepted to study at a leading UK
19-22 years old university

49.
Demographics Behaviours
eg: eg:
Female Has been accepted to study at a leading UK
19-22 years old university

50.
Demographics Behaviours
eg: eg:
Female Has been accepted to study at a leading UK
19-22 years old university

51.
Demographics

52.
Demographics
Behaviours

53.
Demographics
Behaviours
Needs & Goals

54.
EXERCISE:
What are the main Needs & Goals for a
typical locali.se customer?

55.
Demographics Behaviours
eg: eg:
Female Has been accepted to study at a leading UK
19-22 years old university
Needs & Goals
eg:
To reassure her parents and loved ones that she
will be safe

56.
Demographics + Behaviours + Needs &
Goals = Persona

57.
Sketch & Demographics Behaviours
Barbara Avila Is coming to the UK to study for more than 3 months
Sao Paulo, Brazil, Has never travelled abroad alone
22 years old Does not speak perfect English
Female Has not lived away from home
High educational achievement so far Does not already have a connection with anyone in the UK
Speaks some English but not high level Frequently uses internet as primary source of information
Parental income is middle-high Knows where & when they will be studying abroad
Internet native Receives all or most of their living money from parents
Stories Needs/Goals
To find out what it’s going to be like living abroad
To reassure her parents and loved ones that she will be safe
To focus on settling in to student life, not worrying about
practicalities of daily life in a foreign country
To know that she has someone meeting her when she
arrives and somewhere nice to stay when she gets there
To feel relaxed, safe and excited about her trip
Adapted from material by Johanna Kollman & Janice Fraser

58.
Sketch & Demographics Behaviours
Barbara Avila Is coming to the UK to study for more than 3 months
Sao Paulo, Brazil, Has never travelled abroad alone
22 years old Does not speak perfect English
IS
ES
Female Has not lived away from home
TH
High educational achievement so far Does not already have a connection with anyone in the UK
Speaks some English but not high level Frequently uses internet as primary source of information
PO
Parental income is middle-high Knows where & when they will be studying abroad
Internet native
HY Receives all or most of their living money from parents
Stories Needs/Goals
To find out what it’s going to be like living abroad
To reassure her parents and loved ones that she will be safe
To focus on settling in to student life, not worrying about
practicalities of daily life in a foreign country
To know that she has someone meeting her when she
arrives and somewhere nice to stay when she gets there
To feel relaxed, safe and excited about her trip
Adapted from material by Johanna Kollman & Janice Fraser

59.
Sketch & Demographics Behaviours
Barbara Avila Is coming to the UK to study for more than 3 months
Sao Paulo, Brazil, Has never travelled abroad alone
22 years old Does not speak perfect English
IS IS
ES ES
Female Has not lived away from home
TH TH
High educational achievement so far Does not already have a connection with anyone in the UK
Speaks some English but not high level Frequently uses internet as primary source of information
PO
Parental income is middle-high PO
Knows where & when they will be studying abroad
Internet native
HY HY
Receives all or most of their living money from parents
Stories Needs/Goals
To find out what it’s going to be like living abroad
To reassure her parents and loved ones that she will be safe
To focus on settling in to student life, not worrying about
practicalities of daily life in a foreign country
To know that she has someone meeting her when she
arrives and somewhere nice to stay when she gets there
To feel relaxed, safe and excited about her trip
Adapted from material by Johanna Kollman & Janice Fraser

60.
Sketch & Demographics Behaviours
Barbara Avila Is coming to the UK to study for more than 3 months
Sao Paulo, Brazil, Has never travelled abroad alone
22 years old Does not speak perfect English
IS IS
ES ES
Female Has not lived away from home
TH TH
High educational achievement so far Does not already have a connection with anyone in the UK
Speaks some English but not high level Frequently uses internet as primary source of information
PO
Parental income is middle-high PO
Knows where & when they will be studying abroad
Internet native
HY HY
Receives all or most of their living money from parents
Stories Needs/Goals
To find out what it’s going to be like living abroad
To reassure her parents and loved ones that she will be safe
IS
To focus on settling in to student life, not worrying about
ES
practicalities of daily life in a foreign country
TH
To know that she has someone meeting her when she
PO
arrives and somewhere nice to stay when she gets there
H Y
To feel relaxed, safe and excited about her trip
Adapted from material by Johanna Kollman & Janice Fraser

61.
Where will you find
them?

62.
Screening participants
- Must fit your customer profile
- Be contactable (face-to-face or phone/
Skype)
- Be willing to spend 1-2 hours talking to
you
- Have recent, direct experience of the
problem your product will solve

63.
Where to find them
- Friends & family
- Social networks
- Landing page
- Professional recruiters (£30-80 per person)
- “Guerilla” recruiting (be careful)
Practice “snowball” recruitment
Pay an incentive if you can

64.
Planning your
interviews

65.
Deciding what you want to find out:
A Topic Map

66.
Choosing a place
to visit Working out Budgeting
who will be
coming with me
Searching for flights
Guide books
Visas and
paperwork
Topic map: Going on holiday
Topic map was first introduced to me by Janice Fraser

67.
EXERCISE:
Create a Topic Map for interviewing
locali.se target users

68.
Feelings about Speaking the
studying abroad language Finding out I’ve
been accepted
Getting ready to
Deciding to study
leave
abroad
Getting help My parents & family
Arriving in the UK
when in the UK

69.
Interview technique

70.
Interview technique:
Asking the right questions in the right way

71.
Try not to lead the participant
Ask “open” questions
- Good questions often start with
- Who, What, When, Where, How
- Not so good questions often start with
- Did, Have, Is, Are, Were, Will

72.
Focus on specific instances, not generalisations
- Good: “Tell me about the last time...”
- Bad: “What do you usually...”
Keep them talking
- “Tell me more about...”
- “What do you mean by...”
- “Help me to understand better...”
Summarise in their own words & check
understanding

73.
Don’t interrupt, but guide back onto topic
Don’t offer solutions
Don’t pitch your product
- Don’t even mention it!
Don’t ask about hypothetical situations
- “Do you think you would...?”

74.
Notes & Recordings

75.
If possible, bring someone to take notes.
- But write your own notes too.
If you are alone, record audio if possible.
- But still make plenty of notes!
Bring a notepad & at least 2 spare pens.
- Check that they work!

76.
If you do record audio or video:
- Ask permission before you start
- If possible ask them to sign a release form
giving explicit permission.
- Explain what recordings are for and how
they will be used, stored & deleted.
- Accept that you might not be able to
record, especially when interviewing
business customers.
- It’s OK. Be ready to take notes just in case.

77.
If you do record audio or video:
- Make sure you are familiar with the
device/app you are using
- Check you have plenty of disk space
- Bring spare batteries, charger &
extension lead
- Make a test recording (and listen to it!)
just before you go in to the interview to
check it’s working and set the levels

78.
Making sense of it
all

79.
As soon as you walk out the door:
- Write down the 3 most important things
you heard in the interview
- If using a note taker, do this before
discussing the interview with them
As soon as possible:
- Review your full interview notes
- Be sure to do this on the same day

80.
Find a room with a large table or smooth
walls
- Have lots of Post-it notes
- Go through notes and recordings
- Write one note per finding
- Don’t filter or analyse at this point

81.
Once you have been through the whole
interview, review your Post-it notes
Categorise each note
- What it means
- Why it matters
- Does this confirm or refute any hypothesis?
- Frequency & repetition
- At the end, try to build “Stories” that define
that user and their needs and behaviours

82.
EXERCISE:
Practice interviewing

83.
What if you’re completely wrong?
- Wrong audience?
- Wrong problem hypothesis?

84.
Over to you

85.
Thank you
ian@uxdna.co.uk
@johnnyforeigner