Slides from the 'Let the Guerrilla Loose' presentation by Marty Dunlop at UX Cambridge. 7/9/2017

1. LET THE GUERRILLA
LOOSE
Marty Dunlop

2. INTRODUCTION
Leader
IxDA Scotland
Principal Consultant
XP | Consultants
Founder
RedMenu
Interaction
Designer

3. INTRODUCTION
• Building a strategy toward a user centered service
• Creating a new product or service
All work has included the need for user research
and all have not had the time and/or budget

4. Guerrilla
“Referring to actions or activities
performed in an impromptu way, often
without authorization”

5. Guerrilla research
“A proactive measure to take,
embedded with your target user base,
without a timesheet.”

6. What is required?

7. Permission?

8. Permission?

9. A script?

10. A script?

11. Planning?

12. Planning?

13. Funding?

14. Funding?

15. Funding?Permission? Planning?A script?

16. Funding?Permission? Planning?A script?
Passion

17. Funding?Permission? Planning?A script?
Passion
Time is merely a seasoning

18. The (De)evolution
of research

19. THE (DE)EVOLUTION OF RESEARCH
Originally
Well planned out, scientific
experiments with in depth
briefings
Step back
Well planned out sessions,
inviting a big group to a workshop
or (bored)room sessions
Result
Proactive, in the moment,
information gathering.

20. THE (DE)EVOLUTION OF RESEARCH
Time
Assumptions

21. THE (DE)EVOLUTION OF RESEARCH
Time
Assumptions
Guerrilla zone

22. Guerrilla activities

23. GUERRILLA ACTIVITIES
From the seat
Reviewing analytics information
(ex Google)
Quick, concise surveys
(ex Typeform, Fivesecondtest)
Phone interviews
From the feet
Get out in the middle of your target
user group and talk
Email individuals (if known) and go
for a coffee
Organise a meetup, post on social
media (targeted) and offer
refreshments for a couple hour
event

24. Different levels

25. DIFFERENT LEVELS
CAPUCHIN
Just walk around the office/client space and recruit
people for ‘5 minute’ session
Email colleagues a simple question or an image/doc to
review very quickly
Post to social media (if possible) with a poll for
options/specified thoughts

26. DIFFERENT LEVELS
CHIMP
Get out there in the middle of your target user group
with a notebook, pen and an endearingly cheerful face
Contact pre established community groups and ask to
visit/join them (ex shared interest groups, study groups)

27. DIFFERENT LEVELS
SILVERBACK
Organise a meetup style event.
The venue should be within the target user group domain.
Email out to pre existing channels.
Approach users by visiting their environment
(ex Students at the student café or quad)

28. When

29. WHEN
Therapy
When you’ve had enough of
your project team for one
day
Necessity
As soon as you’re told there’s no
time or budget for research. It will
only get more difficult to conduct
research
Quick validation
When you just need that
wee bit of validation for a
single element

30. Value

31. VALUE
User morale
9/10 the users you
approach want to give their
thoughts and are surprised
that they are considered.
User centered
The rank of the project
ACTUALLY being user
centered goes up by +1.
Skeptic withdrawal
Those that proclaimed there
was no time or budget, or
that didn’t see the benefit,
now do and are ecstatic.
(sale by proof)
Evidence
You’ve been able to provide
answers where there was
questions and you’ve
validated assumptions.

32. Examples from experience

33. EXAMPLES FROM EXPERIENCE
Scot Gov
Creating digital services for important public services.

34. EXAMPLES FROM EXPERIENCE
Scot Gov
Creating digital services for important public services.
UoE
Creating engagement channels and developing the
student digital experience.

35. Lessons learned

36. LESSONS LEARNED
Just one day
Even with a busy schedule
as we all have, putting just
one day down in the diary
for a week or two later,
means that you can
dedicate focus to just
sourcing and talking to the
user base.
Be human
Everyone is human, forget
your professional stance to
a certain degree and just be
curious and strike up
conversations. People are
more open than you think,
especially when you’re not
selling something or trying
to tell them what to think.

37. Tips

38. TIPS
Take as many photos as possible
With the users consent, this can be
invaluable when recording the
environment and interactions.
(a consent form is all that is needed)
Choose to be covert or full on
There are two ways, go out there with
a sign saying you’re doing research
and a notebook and you’ll get
quantitative.
Go out and just strike up
conversations and look to really
engross in conversation with people
and you’ll get qualitative.

39. ANY QUESTIONS?
LET THE GUERRILLA LOOSE
Sections:
What is required?
The (De)evolution of research
Activities
Different levels
When to conduct
Value of output
Scot Gov example
UoE example
Lessons learned
Tips