This document discusses 7 methods for conducting user research: field studies, desirability studies, surveys and polls, usability studies, remote testing, A/B testing, and researching without users. It provides an overview of when each method should be used, how to implement it, and tips/tools for each. The document emphasizes that user research is important because designers are not users, and it should be conducted at different stages of the product development process to inform, optimize, and assess the user experience.

1. More Than Usability
7 User Research Methods to Cover
Every Corner.

2. HI, I’M RAZAN
UX RESEARCHER & DESIGNER –
@razsadeq
STYLIGHT

3. IN THIS TALK
The role of user research in product development
User Research methods and tools to improve
products and services

4. Why Research?
It’s important because you are not your user.

5. WHY RESEARCH
2.77 Billion
internet users
510 Million
active websites

6. USER VALUE
Does this website give me value?
Is it easy to use?
Is it pleasant to use?

7. WHEN SHOULD I RESEARCH
At the beginning? At the end?

8. w
UX is not a part of the process..
UX is the process.
WHEN SHOULD I RESEARCH

9. WHEN SHOULD I RESEARCH
PLANNING
Inspire, explore,
choose new directions
and opportunities
DEVELOPMENT
Inform and optimise
UX in order to reduce
risk and improve
usability
ASSESS
Measure product
performance against
itself or its
competition

10. TERMINOLOGY
UX DESIGN is the discipline: what we do. Designing
a joyful, effective, efficient, services and products.

11. TERMINOLOGY
USER-CENTRED DESIGN is a process: how we do it.
It generally includes research, ideation, prototyping,
testing, and iteration as required.

12. TERMINOLOGY
USER RESEARCH is a set of techniques implemented
to understand users needs, desires, and behaviours to
create and improve the user experience.

13. OUR FAVOURITE 7 METHODS OF USER RESEARCH
FIELD
STUDY
DESIRABILITY
STUDIES
SURVEYS
& POLLS
USABILITY
STUDIES
REMOTE
TESTING
A/B
TESTING
RESEARCHING
WITHOUT USERS

14. 3 DIMENSIONS
Attitudinal vs. Behavioural
Natural use vs. Scripted use vs. No Use
Quantitative vs. Qualitative

15. BE WARE OF DATA TYPES
Expectations
Reactions
Confusion
Comprehension
Behavior
Page Views
Bounce Rate
Time On Site
Yes/No
True/False
QUANTITATIVE QUALITATIVE

16. BE WARE OF DATA TYPES
QUANTITATIVE QUALITATIVE
Numbers can tell you
what people do
& when they do it
Research will tell you
how they do it
& why they do it

17. Preparation 1: Plan your UX research
Title
Background
Goals
Research questions
Methodology
Participants
Schedule
Interview Script

18. Preparation 2: GET THE MINDSET
Assume a beginner’s mindset
Be Proactive
Be Curious
Question Everything
Don’t judge
Communicate your research

19. FIELD
STUDY

20. FIELD STUDY (1)
WHAT IS IT?
• It’s going where your users are to understand first-
hand how they actually do things.
• It’s a discovery process, it’s learning and not testing.

21. FIELD STUDY (2)
WHEN TO USE?
• To develop innovative concepts that guide future
product development.
• To identify opportunities for enhancing an existing
product.

22. FIELD STUDY (3)
HOW TO USE IT?
• Get representative audience
• Brainstorm 3-5 questions
• Ask plenty of whys and let them show you how.
• Observe what they don’t say, play detective.
• Translate the research results into affinity diagrams
and sequence models.

23. FIELD STUDY (4)
TIPS & TOOLS
• On recruiting users
• Try to go as a team of 2~3
• Do not interrupt
• do not asked questions that create any bias.
• Silence is ok.
• Don’t forget to reward.

24. SURVEYS
& POLLS

25. SURVEYS & POLLS (1)
WHAT IS IT?
• It’s typically a set of questions used to assess a
participant’s preferences, attitudes, characteristics and
opinions on a given topic.

26. WHEN TO USE?
• Learning about people’s general preferences in a certain
area.
• Gathering feedback on a live product or during a pilot.
• Quantifying results from qualitative research activities
such as contextual enquiry or interviews.
SURVEYS & POLLS (2)

27. HOW TO USE IT?
SURVEYS & POLLS (3)
• Prepare a survey
• Send out to users
• Sit back, relax, and see the data roll in.
• Visualise and communicate

28. TIPS & TOOLS
• Add a screener test to check who is representative.
• Google forms with easy visualisation tools
• SurveyMonkey / SurveyGismo
• Facebook / Twitter
SURVEYS & POLLS (4)

29. DESIRABILITY
STUDIES

30. DESIRABILITY STUDIES (1)
WHAT IS IT?
• A mix of quantitative and qualitative methods that
allow you to assess users’ attitudes toward the
functional and/or visual appeal of the website.

31. WHEN TO USE?
• You want to test the first impression of a design.
• You want to understand what emotions are triggered by
different design options.
• You want to measure visual design directions against
specific adjectives to help make a final decision
DESIRABILITY STUDIES (2)

32. HOW TO USE IT?
• Get users feedback on the different design options.
• Ask them to choose what adjectives* they associate
with each design, and ask them why.
• For a quantitative result, attach the design options in
a survey to be sent out to a large number of people
DESIRABILITY STUDIES (3)
* Modern. Fun. Accessible. Organized. Stressful. Empowering. Busy. Easy to
use. Sexy. Expensive. Confusing. Attractive. Hectic. Trustworthy… etc.

33. HOW TO USE IT?
• Present results: Venn diagram or if using paired
opposites you can present it in a meter
DESIRABILITY STUDIES (3)

34. TIPS & TOOLS
• Silverback
• Camtasia
• InvisionApp
• Solidifyapp
• Verifyapp
DESIRABILITY STUDIES (4)

35. USABILITY
STUDIES

36. USABILITY STUDIES (1)
WHAT IS IT?
• A technique used for evaluating a product by testing it
with representative users.
• It’s about testing the interactions, more than the
impression.

37. WHEN TO USE?
• You have an interactive site or mock up.
• You want to measure the efficiency, accuracy, emotional
response and recall.
• The numbers are telling you something is wrong.
• You have flaws in your website but not sure where to
start.
USABILITY STUDIES (2)

38. HOW TO USE IT?
• Based on specific scenarios, prepare a set of tasks.
• Introduce the tester to the process.
• Ask them to think aloud.
• Start Recording.
• Ask them whys, but avoid bias.
• Review the videos with your team.
USABILITY STUDIES (3)

39. TIPS & TOOLS
• Steve Krug
• Silverback / Camtasia
• ipevo ziggi hd
• whatusersdo questions
• Echo. Boomerang. Columbo.
• Don’t forget to reward.
USABILITY STUDIES (4)

40. REMOTE
TESTING

41. REMOTE TESTING (1)
WHAT IS IT?
• Usability testing done remotely with a number of
users.

42. WHEN TO USE?
• In the same circumstances you use for an in-house or
in-lab usability test
• It’s hard to recruit
• You got little time
• You got few equipments
• You want a totally fresh perspective
REMOTE TESTING (2)

43. HOW TO USE IT?
• Set tasks
• Select users
• Watch the results
REMOTE TESTING (3)

44. TIPS & TOOLS
• UserTesting.com
• trymyui.com
• whatusersdo.com
• cost: 25-50€
• Drawbacks: you can’t ask why.
REMOTE TESTING (4)

45. A/B
TESTING

46. A/B TESTING (1)
WHAT IS IT?
• Unleashing two different versions of a design on the
world and see which performs the best.

47. WHEN TO USE?
• When two options are developed, both with obvious
benefits, but with different focuses, but you are not
sure which will be more effective.
• You have metrics to test against (macro and micro
conversions)
A/B TESTING (2)

48. HOW TO USE IT?
• Develop two options, or add a feature.
• Give it to the techies.
• Let it run for a sufficient time, depending on how many
people visit your site daily.
• Roll out the better version.
A/B TESTING (3)

49. TIPS & TOOLS
• Know your site, dive into it’s analytics.
• Identify the areas to test.
• Always go for small variations. One alteration at a
time.
A/B TESTING (4)

50. RESEARCHING
WITHOUT USERS

51. WHEN TO USE?
• Decision Makers are unconvinced
• Difficult access to users
• lack of budget
• lack of time
• corporate policies
• bureaucracy
RESEARCHING WITHOUT USERS (1)

52. HOW TO USE IT?
RESEARCHING WITHOUT USERS (2)
• Play Detective : Get the most out of your team. Talk to
the sales people and customer support.
• Buy existing research : nngroup, delloit, step two
designs internet research, Baymard institute, DHL,
Papers, Publications

53. HOW TO USE IT?
RESEARCHING WITHOUT USERS (3)
• Web Diving : find forums where your users exist, social
media, visit competitors.
• Follow the trend on market-leading sites are doing.

54. OUR FAVOURITE 7 METHODS OF USER RESEARCH
FIELD
STUDY
DESIRABILITY
STUDIES
SURVEYS
& POLLS
USABILITY
STUDIES
REMOTE
TESTING
A/B
TESTING
RESEARCHING
WITHOUT USERS

55. BOTTOM LINE
Every design decision that we make is a
hypothesis; a proposal about how companies can
change people's behaviour.

56. BOTTOM LINE
be agile
design in a modular manner
and pray things will go your way.

57. THANK YOU!