Carrying out user research does not mean simply talking to people, users. There are certain things to consider and skills that are important to make sure it is done effectively. There are various methods and tools that can be used to conduct user research, but they are each appropriate in different contexts and all can be enhanced by being well planned and well applied.

1. user experience agency

2. User Research Tools

3. Different user research tools can be
more appropriate and useful in different
situations.
But, how do you make sure they are
useful? How do you get the most out of
the method you choose to use?
It’s not just what you ask, but how you
ask it, that results in useful insights from
customers.
User Research Tools

4. Research
Interviews

5. What is a user research interview?
An interview is usually just with one participant, to gather information on their
opinions and experience. They can be done face-to-face or over the
telephone, depending on what is practical.
What are the benefits of interviewing?
• Although time-consuming, you can obtain rich, in-depth information
• They allow for clarification of both questions and responses
• They allow for digression based on participants’ responses that are not pre-
empted by the researcher.
Interviews

6. How to ensure interviews are useful:
 Ask open-ended questions: give users the opportunity to expand on answers and
express their opinions
 Have a predetermined set of questions as guidance. A pre-set list of questions ensures
the researcher asks what they want to know and helps keep within a time limit. But
remember it is for guidance…
 Probe questions: you don’t have to stick to the plan. Open-ended questions allow for
tangents to emerge from participants, not pre-empted by the researcher. Allowing for
digression and probing responses can elicit more useful, unexpected insights.
Interviews

7. Research
Focus Groups

8. What is a focus group?
A focus group is an informal discussion around the relevant topic,
to gather information from customers or stakeholders.
What are the benefits of a focus group?
• They are easy to organise
• You can obtain several viewpoints at once
• They allow for clarification of both questions and responses
• They allow for discussion and digression
Focus Groups

9. How to ensure Focus Groups are useful:
 What is your objective? Consider what you really need to get out of the focus group;
what do you really want to know? This will lead into what you need to ask. But…
 Don’t necessarily have too much to ask. Having pre-determined questions are a useful
guide and prompt but there are several opinions to obtain and discussion and diversion
will naturally emerge. To help this…
 Ask open-ended questions. Consider, too, how you ask them: don’t lead your
participants. The way you ask a question can strongly influence how people respond, so
ask broad, neutral questions to remain impartial and allow your participants to think of
their own opinion.
 Probe when unexpected responses emerge. Allow participants to discuss their ideas and
opinions to obtain some really useful insights.
Focus Groups

10. How to ensure it is useful: the role of the moderator
The success of the previous guidelines are facilitated by the facilitator themselves.
Moderating skills play an important role in conducting useful focus groups.
 You don’t have all day.  Encourage participation
Participants can usually from everyone. Some
be expected to contribute people are more vocal
for 2-3 hours maximum in than others; facilitate a
a Focus Group. comfortable, relaxed
With open-ended questions setting and keep a balance
and tangents, discussions can between those talking to
become lengthy and time make sure you really get
goes quickly! The moderator various opinions, not just
needs to manage time and those who speak the
keep focus. most.
Focus Groups

11. Research
Questionnaires

12. What is a questionnaire in user research?
Why use it?
Paper-based or online surveys are used:
• To gather information from a lot of people
• For a less time-consuming method;
participants can complete in their own time
• Capturing measurable insights
But,
• There is no opportunity for clarification of
questions by participants, or further
understanding of responses by the
researcher.
Questionnaires

13. Making questionnaires useful:
 Closed questions can produce quicker responses
and provide measurable, comparable data.
 Open-ended questions can provide richer
information to add depth and understanding, but
too many can be onerous.
 Use Likert scales where appropriate. They can
provide a quick, clear insight of users’
perceptions, through measurable, comparable
data.
 Give participants the opportunity to write
comments. They may have something interesting
to add that the researcher has not considered and
is not addressed by the questions.
Questionnaires

14. Research
Card Sorting

15. What is card sorting?
Users are asked to divide cards with keywords written on them into groups that make
sense to them. There are two methods for doing this:
o Ask users to group the cards into categories they define themselves.
o Ask users to divide the cards into groups, under categories or headings given by the
researcher.
What are the benefits of card sorting?
• It is a quick, inexpensive method of getting valuable insights into users’ perceptions.
• It actively involves users in the research
• Several viewpoints can be obtained in a short amount
of time, if the sorting is repeated.
Card Sorting

16. How to ensure card sorting is useful:
Card sorting is a simple task, as long as
participants understand what is being asked
of them. However, one key way to make
card sorting useful is to:
 Repeat the exercise. By doing the same
card sort multiple times, commonalities
and differences between users’
perceptions can be highlighted.
Common themes will quickly demonstrate
particular groups or categories that people
identify in a given context.
Card Sorting

17. Research
User Testing

18. What is user testing? What are the benefits?
User testing involves getting actual end • You can obtain real user insights and
users to try out and give feedback on a new opinions
design/system. • It helps to identify real problems in the
It can be done in two ways: use phase
• Statistics can be produced and analysed
o Remotely: users can use a prototype and to find out more about completion
complete an evaluation survey after successes and errors in use.
o Lab testing: in a testing area, under a • It gives quick insights into what
time limit, users are asked to complete improvements could be made.
scenarios or think aloud while
completing tasks. The researcher will
observe, usually discreetly via camera or
two-way mirror.
User Testing

19. How do you make user testing useful? The key ways to ensure user testing is useful
User testing is a useful evaluation tool. The are:
researcher has less input in the planning of  Observational skills: see how
this method, in terms of influencing its well, quickly & easily the user operates.
success, other than the set-up must be (Lab)
functioning and enough time should be  Using the data: apply the findings
allocated for the user to complete a appropriately, to make beneficial
session.
changes as a result.
In remote testing situations, observation is
not possible by the researcher. For this
reason, lab testing is more advantageous.
To enhance remote testing, audio recording
would provide better feedback, but this is
less likely to be practical than just
completing an evaluation survey.
User Testing

20. Engaging with users as much as possible is crucial in the development of
improvements and new designs, but it’s not just important to involve users.
The design and application of the research methods and how the research is
conducted has a great influence on whether the involvement of the users
produces useful outcomes, for beneficial changes and improvements.
Make sure you get the right people, asking the right questions, in the right way.
Last word…

21. Thank you!
Natalie Moore
natalie@zabisco.com
0115 9484 454