An overview of the approach and some of the design methods and tools we use at Mad*Pow. Presented at the 2012 Healthcare Experience Design Conference by Michael Hawley, Megan Grocki and myself.

1. Research and Design Methods
Michael Hawley
Megan Grocki
Adam Connor
@madpow

2. Analysis Paralysis Stuck in a Agreeing on
Infusing Research Creative Rut Design Decisions
Into Design Finding Budget
For Research
Too Many Cooks In The CEO iPad
the Kitchen Christmas Gift Effect Uniting a Team Around
Too Many Ideas a Common Vision
Decision by Committee Loudest Customer
Complaint Syndrome The Swoop and Poop
@madpow

3. Research
Experience
Visioning
Design Studio
@madpow

4. Why Research?
@hawleymichael @madpow

5. Why Research? Design is Decision Making
Copy Trends
Experiment, Learn and Adjust
Intuition or Preferences
Informed by Research
@madpow

6. @hawleymichael @madpow

7. When All Else Fails, Do It Anyway
@hawleymichael @madpow

8. Research Buzz Word Bingo
Affinity Desirability
Laddering Likert Scales Tree Testing
Diagraming Studies
Rapid Iterative
Card Sorting Eyetracking A//B Testing Field Studies
Testing
Contextual Heuristic First-click
Site Surveys Mental Models
Inquiry Reviews testing
Galvanic Skin
Repertory Grid Focus Groups Intercepts Collaging
Response
Unmoderated Customer
Diary Studies Task Analysis Cultural Probes
Testing Feedback Panels
Design
Triading Mood Maps 5-Second Test Web Analytics
Ethnography
@hawleymichael @madpow

9. Step 1: What Question You Are Answering?
User Task/Workflow Concept Business Usability
@hawleymichael @madpow

10. Step 2: What Data Source Do You Have?
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/user-research-methods.html
@hawleymichael @madpow

11. Step 3: Where Are You In the Design Process?
Strategy and Inspiration Optimization and Refinement Benchmarking and Assessment
Research Early feasibility, thinking about Still looking for opportunities, but Measuring design against prior
Goal walking in the user’s shoes also narrowing down scope, versions and competition.
looking for improvements to Validating ROI or identifying future
structure, and minimizing risk opportunities.
Methods Ethnography, contextual Card sorting, online usability A/B testing, SUMMI and SUS,
inquiry, diary studies, surveys, testing, surveys, desirability vertical benchmarking, ongoing
comparative studies, studies, naming studies user community commentary
participatory activities
Interactive Low-fidelity artifact testing, Mid-fidelity artifact testing, pre- High-fidelity usability testing, strict
Assessment exploratory, looking for defined tasks, still plenty of set of tasks, statistical
reactions moderator interaction. Iterative if considerations for post-task ad
possible. post-test questionnaires.
@hawleymichael @madpow

12. Don’t Forget: Business Realities
ê Agile Versus Waterfall
ê Innovation versus Refinement/Improvement
ê Marketing vs. Transactional vs. Informational Experiences
ê Skepticism of User-Centered Design
ê Stakeholder Influence
ê Team Member Engagement and Observation
ê Time & Budget
ê Access to Participants
@hawleymichael @madpow

13. Research Approach
User- Genius
Centered Research Design
Design Inspired
Design
@hawleymichael @madpow

14. Research
Experience
Visioning
Design Studio
@madpow

15. What do we do with the research?
ICE BREAKING
ê Personas include a narrative,
but sometimes we need more
detail than a snapshot can show
ê Journey models help us write
and illustrate a story of
interactions and relationships
@megangrocki @madpow

16. Bringing the audience to life
ICE BREAKING
ê Paradigm shift from systems
of transaction to systems of
engagement
ê It’s easy to get lost in data, but
we can’t forget about the
human elements
span numerous channels.
@megangrocki @madpow

17. What is a journey model?
ICE BREAKING
@megangrocki @madpow

18. What is a journey model?
ICE BREAKING
@megangrocki @madpow

19. What is a journey model?
ICE BREAKING
@megangrocki @madpow

20. What is a journey model?
ICE BREAKING
@megangrocki @madpow

21. Potential vs. Reality
ICE BREAKING
ê How it could be (happy path)
ê How it really is (more realistic path)
Source: Andrea Resmini & Dan Willis
@megangrocki @madpow

22. How are journey models used?
ICE BREAKING
ê Create strategic vision prior to
detailed design
ê Build consensus with stakeholders,
showing opportunities across the
ecosystem
ê Identify key interactions to
prototype and test
@megangrocki @madpow

23. How do you make a journey model?
ICE BREAKING
ê Identify the patients or users
ê Craft realistic scenarios
ê Develop the best template type
ê Review research & fill gaps
ê Create the journey map or model
ê Share and iterate (ongoing)
ê Don’t forget to use them!
@megangrocki @madpow

24. What BREAKING in a journey?
ICE do you include
ê Goals ê Perceptions
ê Timeline ê Motives
ê Emotions ê Expectations
ê Touch Points ê Audio
ê Actions ê Video
ê Opportunities
Photo: Alinea Restaurant
@megangrocki @madpow

25. Telling the story and keeping the journey alive
ICE BREAKING
ê Shout from the rooftops!
ê Display prominently in
common work areas
ê Invite the personas and their
journey models to meetings
ê When new research is done,
update the journey model Photo: Daniel A. Norman
@megangrocki @madpow

26. Research
Experience
Visioning
Design Studio
@madpow

27. Observe /
Synthesize
Evaluate
Create / Refine
@adamconnor @madpow

28. Solution Solution Solution
Solution
Solution Solution
Observe / Solution
Evaluate
Synthesize Solution
Create / Refine
Solution
@adamconnor @madpow

29. Challenges…
ê Getting consensus from stakeholders and team members on which
concepts to eliminate, which should be refined and eventually
choosing one, can take a very long time
ê Never enough time and money to fully flesh out and evaluate every
idea with users
ê As projects progress, new requirements and constraints often emerge
@adamconnor @madpow

30. Solution Solution
Solution Solution
Observe /
Synthesize
Solution Solution
Solution
Evaluate Solution
Design Studio = +
Create /
Refine Solution
@adamconnor @madpow

31. Sketch  Present  Critique
@adamconnor @madpow

32. Sketch  Present  Critique
@adamconnor @madpow

33. Sketch  Present  Critique
@adamconnor @madpow

34. Sketch  Present  Critique
@adamconnor @madpow

35. The Setup
http://www.john.do/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/mouse-trap-1.jpg
@adamconnor @madpow

36. Materials
ê Personas
ê Scenarios
ê Business Goals
ê Design Principles
@adamconnor @madpow

37. More Materials
ê A timer
ê Paper
ê Black markers
ê Tape/drafting dots
ê Butcher paper (optional)
ê Red & green markers (optional)
@adamconnor @madpow

38. Sketch, Present, Critique
@adamconnor @madpow

39. Notes on Critique
ê Focus on how/why a design does or doesn’t satisfy a goal or user need.
ê Ask questions when necessary.
ê Presenters should clarify aspects of their design when necessary, and avoid
getting defensive.
ê Don’t get stuck on avoiding “I like...” and “I don’t like…”. Just bring it back to
the scenario, personas and goals
ê Avoid problem solving.
@adamconnor @madpow

40. And now back to sketching…
2 more rounds
ê Individuals focus on a single
solution (of their choosing)
ê Groups collaborate and define a
single solution together
@adamconnor @madpow

41. The Aftermath
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bPNyK7XTy6o
@adamconnor @madpow

42. Additional Benefits…
ê Good ideas can come from anywhere
ê Builds a shared understanding of the problem space and the different perspectives
individual team members have of it
ê Speeds up the design timeline in a project
ê Builds a shared sense of ownership and collaboration in the creation of the solution
ê Gives non-designers an opportunity to understand the ramifications that various
decisions have on aspects of the design
@adamconnor @madpow