Conducting UX research (interviews, surveys, usability testing, etc) tends to leave you with lots and lots of raw, unfiltered, unstructured data. How do we sort through that data and turn it into usable insights, recommendations, and starting points for ideation?

1. Turning findings
into insights
Lizette Spangenberg
@Lizz_s2

2. ● 9 years’ experience in
various design fields
● Senior UX/UI Designer
● MA Information Design
Exploring the ethics of scam advertising
& advertising awards shows
● PhD Information Design*
(expected 2021; i.e. masochist who likes research)
● Plays violin in an 1800’s cover band
(aka a symphony orchestra)
● Loves adventure
(summited Mt Kilimanjaro, travelled to 23 countries)
Who am I and why should you listen to me?

3. I’ve been an:
● Information designer
● Digital designer
● Art director
● Web designer
● UX/UI designer
● Experience designer
● Product designer?
● Customer Experience designer?!
● Graphic designer 🙄
@Lizz_s2
Liz Spangenberg
TITLE GOES HERE

4. Titles are weird.
In the end, what we DO, is solve problems.
@Lizz_s2

5. The formulation of a problem is far more important
than its solution which may be merely a matter of
mathematical or experimental skill.
To raise new questions, to look at old problems from
a new angle marks the real advances in science
[or design].
Albert Einstein
@Lizz_S2

6. There’s water on the floor.
@Lizz_S2

7. How do we formulate
a problem?
We do research.
@Lizz_s2

8. @Lizz_s2

9. So you’ve conducted some
research…
(interviews, focus groups, surveys & questionnaires, usability testing, A/B
testing, eyetracking, ethnographic field studies, contextual inquiries, etc)
Now what?
@Lizz_s2

10. 1. Raw data needs to be
formatted into a
usable format.
@Lizz_s2

11. 2. Research is only
valuable if it is shared.
@Lizz_s2

12. 3. Relationships need to
be established between
different sets of data.
@Lizz_s2

13. What could possibly
go WRONG?
@Lizz_S2

14. “Make it orange and
make it flash.”
A research horror story
What went wrong?
● Were not asking people WHY, making own assumptions
● Dangerous to make recommendations without insight
@Lizz_s2

15. “I dun wan it.”
A research horror story
@Lizz_s2

16. @Lizz_S2

17. “I dun wan it.”
A research story
What went wrong?
● No USER research before product development:
was there even a need or want for this solution?
● Didn’t really understand user wants and needs
before creating a solution
● Existing feedback was not being considered,
focus was on new product development
@Lizz_s2

18. How to avoid this
● Ask WHY not just WHAT
● Don’t conduct general user research without any focus
- should have clear objectives/research questions that you strive to answer.
- if you don’t know what you’re looking for, how will you know when you find it?
● Don’t separate research from design
● Don’t ignore findings
● Fully understand your users before designing a product
● Test your designs
@Lizz_s2

19. Places research can go wrong
● Between user and you
● Between you and client
● Between user and client (with you as the intermediary)
@Lizz_s2

20. You are the
communal factor.
@Lizz_S2

21. It is YOUR job to
fight for the user.
@Lizz_S2

22. Acknowledge your biases, e.g.:
● Only interviewed at one location
● Only interviewed 5 people
● Maybe didn’t interview diverse enough groups of people
● Maybe didn’t interview correct personas
@Lizz_s2

23. Has anyone had
bad experiences
while doing research?
@Lizz_s2

24. Okay, enough theory.
Let’s do something.
@Lizz_S2

25. First, let’s generate
that raw data.
@Lizz_S2

26. NOMNOM
@Lizz_S2
Lunch finder app

27. @Lizz_s2
How often do they
eat out (or order in)
for lunch?
Do people want or
order lunch or
go out?
Do people even
need a lunch
finder app?!
Is an app the
right platform?
?!

28. When conducting interviews
● Record to refer back to (with permission)
● Make people feel comfortable
● Don’t ask leading questions:
“Do you think X is good?”
“What do you think of X?”
@Lizz_s2

29. Questions to get you started
● Do you eat lunch?
● Tell me what lunchtime generally looks like for you.
● Tell me about your favourite lunch spot.
● How often do you go out for lunch with friends/colleagues?
● How do you decide what to eat for lunch?
● How do you decide where to eat lunch?
And go!
@Lizz_s2

30. So now that we have
lots of info… what
now?
@Lizz_S2

31. How DO we format
and share knowledge?
@Lizz_S2

32. Sticky notes!

33. And more
sticky notes!

34. My study
3 weeks
before
submitting
my MA
dissertation
in 2015
@Lizz_S2

35. My study
currently 6
months into
PhD research
@Lizz_S2

36. If you have a
thought/insight/question:
write it down.
On your phone, a notebook, a sticky,
a napkin, your hand, your friend’s hand…
whatever’s close by.
@Lizz_s2

37. Affinity Mapping
@Lizz_S2

38. Affinity diagrams can help you bundle
and cluster large bodies of information,
facts, ethnographic research, ideas from
brainstorms, user opinions, user needs,
insights, design issues, etc.
Interaction Design Foundation
@Lizz_s2

39. @Lizz_s2

40. Sticky note 101
A demonstration
@Lizz_S2

41. Write bite-sized pieces of data, small
documented facts, quotes, drawings,
ideas, and observations onto sticky notes.
● No scribes - each person has a pen
● One idea per sticky note
● Write with markers, not pens/pencils
● Keep on table for now
1.
@Lizz_s2

42. Stick all your notes on the wall.
● Don’t discuss what goes where
● Just stick it up
2.
@Lizz_s2

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@Lizz_s2

44. @Lizz_s2

45. Sort the stickies into related groups
based on relationships.
● No talking - just do
● Group stickies that highlight similar opportunities
or problems, that display natural relationships
● Don’t overthink: go with your gut
● Don’t discard duplicated ideas
● Don’t be afraid to change the groupings
or move a sticky
● Try to end up with 3-10 groups
3.
@Lizz_S2

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@Lizz_s2

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@Lizz_s2

48. Create header cards for the groups
● Capture the essential link among the ideas
contained in a group of cards
● Identify and name the overall group
● Should be one sentence that can be understood
by anyone (even outside your group)
4.
@Lizz_s2

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@Lizz_s2

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@Lizz_s2

51. Find relationships between groups and
write superheaders
● Identify what the groupings represent, e.g.
insights, user needs, pain points, opportunities, or
gaps that haven’t been addressed.
6.
@Lizz_s2

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@Lizz_s2

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@Lizz_s2

54. Okay, that was neat.
So now what?
@Lizz_S2

55. We create a
prioritisation matrix
(Big words that mean we decide where to start)
@Lizz_s2

56. Vote on how important different
stickies are
● Each person gets 5 stickers/votes
● Be aware of what is driving the voting system:
what values, motives and priorities are you using?
● Whose priorities are these? The user’s, the
company’s, the market’s, the stakeholders’,
or your own?
7.
@Lizz_S2

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@Lizz_s2

58. @Lizz_s2

59. Take photos of everything
and create a digital version.
● Use miro.com
● Allows for further online collaboration
● Won’t get lost and fall off the wall
like stickies inevitably do
● Continue to build on your diagram
● Add on as you get more data
8.
@Lizz_s2

60. On to ideation!
@Lizz_S2

61. Questions?
I like questions.
Mail me at Lizz_s2@hotmail.com
Tweet me @Lizz_s2
Or find me by the wine.