The workshop focuses on user research best practices for government design teams, emphasizing the importance of collecting data from real users to improve usability. It outlines a five-step process for conducting usability tests, including setting research goals and asking users to think aloud during interactions. Various useful phrases and tips are provided to facilitate effective communication with participants and document insights gathered during the testing process.

2. USER
RESEARCH
101
WORKSHOP
For Governments
CYD HARRELL
UX Evangelist,
Code for America.
KAVI HARSHAWAT
2014 Fellow,
Code for America

3. “The best tool for resolving disputes within a
design team, for making design decisions
based on data rather than opinion, is sitting
next to someone who is a real person who
wants to accomplish something as they use
your design to do it.”
--Dana Chisnell, August 2, 2010

4. #1

5. NOT AT ALL

6. 5 steps to usability
1. Grab a human
2. Set up to see their screen and hear them talk
3. Ask what they need from your (process,
website, app)
4. Have them actually try it and narrate for you
5. Zip your lip and take notes
Tip: Watch what they do, more than what they say

7. We shall begin...
with a little experiment

8. MODERATOR Instructions
 Your participant has a sheet of paper and a link
 Goal: find out what’s hardest about presenting
physical task instructions online
 Hint: ask them to give you a play by play of
what they are doing
 Follow along with your own paper
 NO helping, even if you could.

9. OK, how’d that go?

10. Some helpful tips…

11. Start at the end
 Before you do any work, set
goals for your research
 Form questions to help you get
to your answer

12. Beforehand
 Biases or assumptions
 Scripting
 Decisions about capture

13. Ethics
 Don’t scare them with what you
call it
 Keep confidentiality
 Help them get what they need
afterwards

14. BRAIN SURGERY? NOPE!

15. Scripting (let’s use BART)
 “Please use your credit card to
buy a ticket from Civic Center to
Lake Merritt”

16. Scripting (let’s use BART)
 “Where are you going today?”
 “How would you go about getting
a ticket?”

17. Useful Phrases 1: the approach
Hi, would you like to participate in a
study today?
I’m working to improve XXXX for citizens
and I’m collecting feedback.

18. Useful Phrases 2: reassurance
“This isn’t a test of you, it’s a test of the
system”
“There are no right or wrong answers”
“Positive and negative feedback is
equally valuable”
“Nothing you say is going to hurt my
feelings”

19. Useful Phrases 3: instructions
“I just need you to be yourself and act as
you naturally would”
“One little thing I’d like you to do
differently is talk aloud as you use this
today”

20. Useful Phrases 4, 5, 6, 7: keeping the
conversation going
“mm-hm” “oh interesting” “sure, I hear
you” “right” “ok” “uh-huh”
(lather, rinse, repeat)

21. Useful Phrases 8: probes
“Can you tell me a little more about
that?”
“When you did X a minute ago, can you
tell me how you made that choice?”
“Talk me through what happened there.”

22. Useful Phrases 9: ratings
“If you had to give this a letter grade, you
know A, B, C, D, F like we used to get in
school, what would you give it?”

23. Useful Phrases 10: self-explanatory
“Thank you so much, I really appreciate
your taking the time to talk to me.”

24. Tracking it all
After every interview
 1-sentence description of the
person
 #1 surprise
 Summary of 2-3 things they said

25. Recruiting
 The right person is someone
who cares
 Look official and friendly
 Explain exactly how much of
their time you need

26. Recruiting can be easy!
 Find a place where people are already
waiting
 Offer them an incentive
 Ask them questions!

27. Research Participants
 Team members.
 Friends, not on your team.
 People who fits your demographics.
 Target customers with recent
experience in the problem space.
 Target customers with current needs.
 Target customer with a need this hour.

28. Questions?
@CYDHARRELL @KAVIH