This document discusses user research for startups. It defines user research as understanding past and current user behaviors to predict future behaviors. User research should be conducted to gain empathy for users, understand their motivations, values, needs, and behaviors. The document provides tips for recruiting the right participants by writing a screener, promoting it on relevant online and offline communities, and targeting people through personal networks. The next steps discussed are understanding participants through interview scripts, conducting interviews, and collecting notes and artifacts.

1. Conducting
User Research
for Startups
Part 1
@dianeloviglio
August 2012

2. Architecture & Anthropology
Startup Founder
UX Researcher
Startup Advisor

3. Gaining empathy for ...

4. Agenda
What is User Research?
Why do User Research?
How do I recruit the right people?

5. What is User Research?
Understanding past and
current behaviors in order
to use them as a proxy for
future behaviors.

6. Why do User Research?
gain empathy
Ethnography Usability
their motivations
their values
their needs
their behaviors

7. What problem is your
startup solving?

8. What do you want to know
about your current or
potential users?

9. How do I recruit the right people?
Write a Screener
Promote your Screener

10. Write a Screener
Give a description,
without giving away
too much info.
Include incentive.
Start with easy questions.
Always add “Other”.

11. Don’t make any questions required.

12. Don’t use branching logic.
Ask at least one open-ended
question.
Keep it to 10 questions.

13. Only collect this info if it’s relevant

14. Include exact times and locations.

15. Ask for first name, email and cell as
last questions.

16. Write a screener

17. Promote Your Screener
Use your current
customer list.

18. Promote Your Screener Find places where
people hang out in
real life.

19. Promote Your Screener Find places where
people hang out
online.

20. Promote Your Screener Use @ and # to talk
to your competitors’
customers.

21. Promote Your Screener Find conversations
people are already
having around your
topic.

22. Promote Your Screener
Target people and
spread it through your
personal networks.

23. Pick 3 places to promote
your screener

24. Agenda for next time
How to understand those people?
Write an interview script
Conduct an interview
Take notes and collect artifacts

25. Conducting
User Research
for Startups
Part 1
@dianeloviglio
August 2012