Avoiding Vapor Research Sean McKay - Big Design 2018

Avoiding Vapor Research
Sean McKay
Sept 21, 2018
SEAN MCKAY | ©2018 Handrail, LLC#AvoidVaporResearch

What are
we seeing?

What the…
Who the…
Why?

Human Understand
Products

Original Source: Unknown (but thank you!)

WHY?
HOW
WHAT

WHAT ARE THEY
DOING?
HOW ARE THEY
BEHAVING?
WHY?

“Big Data”
WHAT ARE THEY
DOING?
HOW ARE THEY
BEHAVING?
Quantitative

WHY?
“Deep Data”
Qualitative

Goals
Needs
Motivations
Reasoning
Actions
Reactions
Intent

Human Understanding
Products

To the
WHY
&
BEYOND!

Research / Strategy / Design / Develop / Measure

Inspiring great design through
human understanding

Meaningful to the user
Human
+
Effective for business

Opportunity

Multimedia
Interactive Media
Computer Human
Interaction
Experience Design
Design Thinking
Graphic Design
Interaction Design
Information
Architecture
Interface Design
Human Centered
Design
User Experience Customer
Experience
Web
Design
User Research

User Research

Human Understanding

https://www.ibm.com/design/thinking/static/media/Enterprise-Design-Thinking-Report.8ab1e9e1.pdf

Vapor Research

va·por re·search
ˈvāpər/ˈrēˌsərCH/
Noun
1. Research that lacks credibility or value.
2.Research that vanishes.

Top 5 Causes of Vapor Research
1. Research is lost or misplaced
2. Ineffective sharing and socializing
3. Lack of supporting evidence
4. Inappropriate timing
5. Bias in the organization

Fundamentals to
Avoid Vapor Research

Build Trust

Stakeholders
Sponsors
Teams
Managers
Leadership
Critics & Rivals
“Cross Silo”

Researchers
Designers
UX Team
Product Owners
Dev Teams
Customer Support
Marketing

Develop “Org Empathy”
• Seek to understand goals & motivations
• Identify decision making styles and adapt
• Influence through small successes

Collaborate

“Democratize Research!”
“Big Tent Research!”
“Everyone should be doing it!”

• Create shared understanding
• Build relationships and alliances
• Use collaborative language
Meaningful Involvement

Rigor, Transparency
& Consistency

• Demonstrate Qualitative Rigor
• Be open and transparent
• Be consistent and make it repeatable
Rigor, Transparency, & Consistency

Research Process

“Backbone”
Plan Collect Analyze & Synthesize Share & Store

A goal
Without a plan
Is a WISH

1. Create a detailed plan
Planning Essentials

RESEARCH PLAN

2. Test with the right people
Planning Essentials

2. Test with the right people
3. Prepare for anything
Planning Essentials

an Collect Analyze &

Collect moments
things.not

1. Proper facilitation
Collection Essentials

Proper Facilitation
• Interview Guide
• Privacy & Consent
• Record session + notetaker(s)
• Maintain a consistent structure
• Build a rapport with participant
• Manage Timing Sessions
• Good follow-up or probing questions
• Debrief after each session

1. Proper facilitation
2. Collaborative process
3. Shared centralized results
Collection Essentials

ect Analyze & Synthesize Share

• Behaviors/Attitudes
• Needs/Goals
• Data Points/Quotes
• Sort/Group
• Relationships
• Themes

1. Take (make) the time
2. Involve multiple perspectives
3. Identify & capture meaningful insights
Analyze/Synthesize Essentials

• Based research data/findings (not assumptions)
• An expression of a current understanding
• Simple and concise language that includes context
• Based in needs, goals, reasoning, mental models
Meaningful Findings & Insights

Analyze & Synthesize Share & Store

You can’t use…what you can’t find.
~ My Wife

1. Keep it relatable and actionable
Share & Store Essentials

• Keep it human
• Minimize research jargon
• Align/create personas, mental models,
journey maps, context scenarios, etc.
Relatable and Actionable
(support with evidence and data)

Plan Collect Analyze &
Synthesize
Share & Store
1. Keep it relatable and actionable
2. Align and socialize
3. Central storage, access & distribution
Share & Store Essentials

“Backbone”

Plan Collect Analyze Store & Share
Collaborate
Organized
Find & Reference
Reuse
Scale Expertise
Measure Impact
Quality
Efficiency
Consistency
Cost
Effective
Scalability Credibility
RESEARCH PRACTICE
TEAM BUSINESSPROCESS & TOOLS
ENTERPRISE INTEGRATION STRATEGY
RECRUITMENT, ONBOARDING & TRAINING
VALUEBUDGET
SUSTAINABILITYEXPERTISE
Building a Research Practice

https://bit.ly/2Ii112c
@connectfive
@handrailux
sean@handrailux.com
Research Resources
/seanmckay

Avoiding Vapor Research Sean McKay - Big Design 2018

Avoiding Vapor Research Sean McKay - Big Design 2018

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