James Chudley conducted user research for an ecommerce site selling frozen meals to elderly customers by visiting customers in their homes rather than using a lab. This provided invaluable insights into the real-world challenges customers faced using computers and the site. It allowed the client to understand users' experiences firsthand and provided an engaging, memorable experience for the client compared to traditional lab research. While more complicated to plan than lab research, home visits can provide more natural, empathetic insights into how users interact with products in their actual environments.
How Rapid Feedback improves the design process (Luke Jones, cxpartners)cxpartners
Working closely with clients helps get feedback as quickly and smoothly as possible. In this presentation Luke Jones explains how on a recent cxpartners project he improved collaboration by using the 'Rapid Feedback' method.
Designing a human centred mindset to lead at the edgeZaana Jaclyn
Workshop delivered by Huddle Academy for ALIA Online 2015, February 2, Sydney, Australia.
Workshop outline: Customer expectations are continually increasing, demanding more personalised and customised services and experiences. As a result, understanding your customers and designing services and experiences for them is critical in drawing them to engage with your organisation. Simultaneously it is essential to understand the people in your organisation and enable them to be adaptive to changing needs and to provide them with enjoyable and meaningful work experiences. This means being in service to your customers as well as the people who work in your organisation.
This one day workshop is for those who are seeking to be more effective leaders through developing a human centred mindset. It will focus on building your understanding of the value and principles of being human centred. These principles include putting people first through being empathic, curious, collaborative, and courageous. You will learn methods for how you can better understand your customers and your organisation for the benefit of designing and delivering amazing services and experiences. We will do this through a range of practical hands on activities where you will have the opportunity to experience a set of tools you can apply within your workplace.
Developing design thinking practice in complex organisationsZaana Jaclyn
Seminar given at Boras University, 22 November 2012 and Linkoping University, 29 November 2012. This seminar content is based on my phd research & preliminary findings.
(Note: special thanks to Kate Davis for allowing me to adapt her slide template).
Understanding design thinking in practice: a qualitative study of design led ...Zaana Jaclyn
PhD dissertation.
Abstract
Design thinking is a collaborative and human centred approach to solving problems. Over the past decade design thinking has evolved considerably, particularly with regard to innovation within the sectors of design and business. Despite this sharp rise to popularity there remains limited understanding of how design thinking is applied in practice and little empirical investigation into this subject. Without this understanding further informed application and development of the approach will be hampered.
The ‘design led professional’ is an individual who uses design approaches in their work practices whose education and experience however may not necessarily be in design. The central aim of this thesis is to understand how the ‘design led professional’ applies design thinking in practice with large organisations where the focus is on designing intangible products such as systems, services and experiences. The thesis addresses the research problem through the exploration of the question: How does the design led professional understand and enact design thinking in practice? This question is explored within the context of the design led professional working with large organisations.
A qualitative research approach was adopted, which involved ethnographic methods of semi structured interviews, artefact analysis and participant observation. Data was collected across three studies: an expert interview study, a retrospective case study and a participatory case study. The constant comparative grounded theory method was used to analyse and synthesise data.
Research findings, contextualised within relevant literature, reveal the composition of design thinking in practice: as constrained by the approach taken in applying design thinking; the maturity of the design led professional and the environment in which design thinking is conducted.
On this basis two models are proposed in the conclusion as a foundation for further application and development. The first presents a scale of design thinking maturity based upon two perspectives of design thinking as a way of work and a way of life. The second model maps the interdependent relationship between the three components of design thinking in practice of the approach, the design led professional and the environment in which it is conducted.
The evidence generated through this research provides a framework to assist the public and those who practice design thinking to better understand and articulate design thinking. In addition it provides a foundation for further empirical research that explores the realistic application of design thinking in practice and the critical role of the design led professional.
How Rapid Feedback improves the design process (Luke Jones, cxpartners)cxpartners
Working closely with clients helps get feedback as quickly and smoothly as possible. In this presentation Luke Jones explains how on a recent cxpartners project he improved collaboration by using the 'Rapid Feedback' method.
Designing a human centred mindset to lead at the edgeZaana Jaclyn
Workshop delivered by Huddle Academy for ALIA Online 2015, February 2, Sydney, Australia.
Workshop outline: Customer expectations are continually increasing, demanding more personalised and customised services and experiences. As a result, understanding your customers and designing services and experiences for them is critical in drawing them to engage with your organisation. Simultaneously it is essential to understand the people in your organisation and enable them to be adaptive to changing needs and to provide them with enjoyable and meaningful work experiences. This means being in service to your customers as well as the people who work in your organisation.
This one day workshop is for those who are seeking to be more effective leaders through developing a human centred mindset. It will focus on building your understanding of the value and principles of being human centred. These principles include putting people first through being empathic, curious, collaborative, and courageous. You will learn methods for how you can better understand your customers and your organisation for the benefit of designing and delivering amazing services and experiences. We will do this through a range of practical hands on activities where you will have the opportunity to experience a set of tools you can apply within your workplace.
Developing design thinking practice in complex organisationsZaana Jaclyn
Seminar given at Boras University, 22 November 2012 and Linkoping University, 29 November 2012. This seminar content is based on my phd research & preliminary findings.
(Note: special thanks to Kate Davis for allowing me to adapt her slide template).
Understanding design thinking in practice: a qualitative study of design led ...Zaana Jaclyn
PhD dissertation.
Abstract
Design thinking is a collaborative and human centred approach to solving problems. Over the past decade design thinking has evolved considerably, particularly with regard to innovation within the sectors of design and business. Despite this sharp rise to popularity there remains limited understanding of how design thinking is applied in practice and little empirical investigation into this subject. Without this understanding further informed application and development of the approach will be hampered.
The ‘design led professional’ is an individual who uses design approaches in their work practices whose education and experience however may not necessarily be in design. The central aim of this thesis is to understand how the ‘design led professional’ applies design thinking in practice with large organisations where the focus is on designing intangible products such as systems, services and experiences. The thesis addresses the research problem through the exploration of the question: How does the design led professional understand and enact design thinking in practice? This question is explored within the context of the design led professional working with large organisations.
A qualitative research approach was adopted, which involved ethnographic methods of semi structured interviews, artefact analysis and participant observation. Data was collected across three studies: an expert interview study, a retrospective case study and a participatory case study. The constant comparative grounded theory method was used to analyse and synthesise data.
Research findings, contextualised within relevant literature, reveal the composition of design thinking in practice: as constrained by the approach taken in applying design thinking; the maturity of the design led professional and the environment in which design thinking is conducted.
On this basis two models are proposed in the conclusion as a foundation for further application and development. The first presents a scale of design thinking maturity based upon two perspectives of design thinking as a way of work and a way of life. The second model maps the interdependent relationship between the three components of design thinking in practice of the approach, the design led professional and the environment in which it is conducted.
The evidence generated through this research provides a framework to assist the public and those who practice design thinking to better understand and articulate design thinking. In addition it provides a foundation for further empirical research that explores the realistic application of design thinking in practice and the critical role of the design led professional.
Wireframes are an important step in the creative process & Design Thinking. It's one of the first times that your team actually sees the product come together. The presentation explores the basics of wireframes and how they fit into the process of Human-centered Design.
This deck was part of workshop held by General Assembly on the Intro to Wireframing on 2-10-2015
We’ll explore critique as both an activity and an aspect of any communication or collaboration. Attendees will walk away with:
A clearer understanding of critique is and why asking for “feedback” is problematic.
Methods for gathering useful feedback from clients and teammates.
Ideas on how to introduce team members to the idea of critique and get everyone using it.
An understanding of where critique fits within the design processes and how to incorporate it into projects.
This presentation was given at a Professional Development Inservice day for teachers of grades K-1. This was an introductory session into Design Thinking in education. For more information email thoma.1@napls.us
Centre for Entrepreneurship (C4E) of the University of Cyprus and Berklee Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship (ICE) present the:
Why are some designs better than others, and what can you do about it? (The workshop)
If you've ever described a poster as heavy, a website as dense, an app as clumsy or an object as whimsical, you probably already know the answer. Recent psychology research is showing that experiential metaphors are key emotional drivers that impact our perception of the world. Applying these findings to design confirms what designers have learned throughout their careers—good design is subconscious first and rational second. Michael will share stories from this research and the IDEO portfolio then share tools to help you be more consciously subconscious.
from concept to capability: developing design thinking in a professional serv...Zaana Jaclyn
paper delivered at the Design Research Society Conference (DRS) 2012, 1-4 July, Bangkok, Thailand.
Full paper available at: http://qut.academia.edu/ZaanaHoward/Papers
An introduction to human-centered design including characteristics of HCD, industry terminology, and methodology. Includes case study, criticisms, and an evaluation of human-centered design. Created for non-UX professionals for an in-office workshop.
Evaluating the Impact of Design Thinking in ActionDavid Allan Chin
Design thinking offers a problem-solving approach widely adopted by the most innovative companies and organizations - but how do we truly measure its impact?
Professor Jeanne Liedtka of the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business reports on the results of research conducted at UVA over the past 6 years of over 30 organizations using design thinking in practice.
This presentation shared during a MURAL webinar hosted by Jeanne Liedtka on 12/24/18.
Design Thinking is a design methodology that provides a solution-based approach to solving problems. It’s extremely useful in tackling complex problems that are ill-defined or unknown, by understanding the human needs involved, by re-framing the problem in human-centric ways, by creating many ideas in brainstorming sessions, and by adopting a hands-on approach in prototyping and testing.
Sketching As a Communication and Collaboration Tool.Aaron Irizarry
Product teams often consist of team members with various disciplines and approaches to product design, this can often present communication hurdles with team members (designers, devs, product managers, marketing,research, etc) as well as kinks in team collaboration. In this talk, Aaron will provide tools, tips, and insights into using sketching to help improve communication and collaboration within product teams.
Introduction to Design Thinking:
“Design Thinking” has rapidly moved to the forefront of the current management process as a fresh take not just on how to rethink key products and services, but also how to reframe everyday processes and projects. In an effort to create a cross-company culture of innovation and collaboration, businesses all over the world are taking a page from design firms, and realizing the rewards. Check out what is all about.
www.merixstudio.com
A summary of the basic principles of design thinking, human centered innovation and its application to strategy. Created by Natalie Nixon of Figure 8 Thinking.
Visual Testing: It's Not What You Look At, It's What You SeeMike Lyles
My testing presentation on visual testing - more on the things that we miss when we pay too close attention or fall prey to "inattentional blindness". Discussion on how the brain plays tricks on testers.
Wireframes are an important step in the creative process & Design Thinking. It's one of the first times that your team actually sees the product come together. The presentation explores the basics of wireframes and how they fit into the process of Human-centered Design.
This deck was part of workshop held by General Assembly on the Intro to Wireframing on 2-10-2015
We’ll explore critique as both an activity and an aspect of any communication or collaboration. Attendees will walk away with:
A clearer understanding of critique is and why asking for “feedback” is problematic.
Methods for gathering useful feedback from clients and teammates.
Ideas on how to introduce team members to the idea of critique and get everyone using it.
An understanding of where critique fits within the design processes and how to incorporate it into projects.
This presentation was given at a Professional Development Inservice day for teachers of grades K-1. This was an introductory session into Design Thinking in education. For more information email thoma.1@napls.us
Centre for Entrepreneurship (C4E) of the University of Cyprus and Berklee Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship (ICE) present the:
Why are some designs better than others, and what can you do about it? (The workshop)
If you've ever described a poster as heavy, a website as dense, an app as clumsy or an object as whimsical, you probably already know the answer. Recent psychology research is showing that experiential metaphors are key emotional drivers that impact our perception of the world. Applying these findings to design confirms what designers have learned throughout their careers—good design is subconscious first and rational second. Michael will share stories from this research and the IDEO portfolio then share tools to help you be more consciously subconscious.
from concept to capability: developing design thinking in a professional serv...Zaana Jaclyn
paper delivered at the Design Research Society Conference (DRS) 2012, 1-4 July, Bangkok, Thailand.
Full paper available at: http://qut.academia.edu/ZaanaHoward/Papers
An introduction to human-centered design including characteristics of HCD, industry terminology, and methodology. Includes case study, criticisms, and an evaluation of human-centered design. Created for non-UX professionals for an in-office workshop.
Evaluating the Impact of Design Thinking in ActionDavid Allan Chin
Design thinking offers a problem-solving approach widely adopted by the most innovative companies and organizations - but how do we truly measure its impact?
Professor Jeanne Liedtka of the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business reports on the results of research conducted at UVA over the past 6 years of over 30 organizations using design thinking in practice.
This presentation shared during a MURAL webinar hosted by Jeanne Liedtka on 12/24/18.
Design Thinking is a design methodology that provides a solution-based approach to solving problems. It’s extremely useful in tackling complex problems that are ill-defined or unknown, by understanding the human needs involved, by re-framing the problem in human-centric ways, by creating many ideas in brainstorming sessions, and by adopting a hands-on approach in prototyping and testing.
Sketching As a Communication and Collaboration Tool.Aaron Irizarry
Product teams often consist of team members with various disciplines and approaches to product design, this can often present communication hurdles with team members (designers, devs, product managers, marketing,research, etc) as well as kinks in team collaboration. In this talk, Aaron will provide tools, tips, and insights into using sketching to help improve communication and collaboration within product teams.
Introduction to Design Thinking:
“Design Thinking” has rapidly moved to the forefront of the current management process as a fresh take not just on how to rethink key products and services, but also how to reframe everyday processes and projects. In an effort to create a cross-company culture of innovation and collaboration, businesses all over the world are taking a page from design firms, and realizing the rewards. Check out what is all about.
www.merixstudio.com
A summary of the basic principles of design thinking, human centered innovation and its application to strategy. Created by Natalie Nixon of Figure 8 Thinking.
Visual Testing: It's Not What You Look At, It's What You SeeMike Lyles
My testing presentation on visual testing - more on the things that we miss when we pay too close attention or fall prey to "inattentional blindness". Discussion on how the brain plays tricks on testers.
Jon Dodd - How to spot good from bad research for any customer interaction |...Unboxed
In this talk from Bunnyfoot founder Dr Jon Dodd at Unboxed 2019 (held at the Curzon cinema on the 16th of October), he explained how to determine if your customer research was giving you good data.
Jon showed how accurate customer testing is a vital part of user-centred design and how the data from it reduces knowledge gap between customer and management expectations. It can help any marketing campaign - but only if we understand our limitations and what good data looks like.
Why it's time for a new kind of quantitative researchVaughan Flood
Traditional quantitative research is no longer fit for purpose. Using fresh software, and driven by the principle of ‘asking nicely’, clients and respondents both benefit from a fresh approach.
Scrum and sprints can be boring!!! The grind of daily stand ups, sprint planning, reviews, demos and retrospective can be daunting after few sprints. Is there a way to make the SCRUM team energized by deviating from normal process and yet make the stakeholders or Product Owner at least happy. The answer is ‘Flash Mob Sprint’. The idea came from flash mob, where bunch of normal looking people enters the dancing arena one by one and shaking their legs and body to the tunes. While it looks natural for viewers, there are many hours of preparation behind a successful Flash Mob. Let’s bring the same concept and add some sports flavor to software development.
Multipying the power of your agile team with DesignPhil Barrett
The presentation covers
Why software teams need design (with a nice little case study)
How good designers help your team work better (some things good designers do)
How to navigate the change (a few ways to think about changing your team's culture and process to make design successful and value-adding)
An Immersive Ethnography Technique for deep understandingRay Poynter
Presented by Chris Hauck, President of HauckEye
NewMR Event: Qualitative Research in 2021
Presentation Description
Over my long career, I have been lucky enough to work with really creative researchers who have taught me to be fearless and creative. On a project for a US based restaurant chain, I worked with my videographer to record interviews without the knowledge of those around us, focused on the research participants who are in the know, and my own brand of sneaky ethnography was born. After Covid, I’ll take this approach back out on the road to explore all sorts of restaurants, hotels, retail establishment, auto dealerships and so much more. If you can go do it, I can study it! And have fun too.
Watch the recording via NewMR.org/play-again
You know what they say happens to you and me when we assume. Let's not get caught in that trap. Find methods to help you challenge assumptions and uncover better ideas. These quick workflow fixes can help you address where you should ask more questions, find different answers, work better as a team, and - ultimately - create better products and services. We will walk through a series of activities that can be applied to your creative development process to build more functional, engaging, and user-centered work and help your teams be more productive, goal-oriented, and inquisitive. These activities will vary in complexity - some as quick as 5 minutes, some more in-depth that require a couple of hours of work - but all are geared at helping you find something actionable that you can add to your toolkit.
Harvesting user insights revolve conf v09Darren Kall
An awareness talk about a low-invasive UX technique for non-scientists to participate in gathering user insights. Not a substitute for professional data gathering but a way to add first-hand experience for ANYONE on a product team. Everyone who plays a role in design decision making should have first hand direct observation of real people doing real tasks in the real world!
You know what they say happens to you and me when we assume. Let's not get caught in that trap. Find methods to help you challenge assumptions and uncover better ideas. These quick workflow fixes can help you address where you should ask more questions, find different answers, work better as a team, and - ultimately - create better products and services. We will walk through a series of activities that can be applied to your creative development process to build more functional, engaging, and user-centered work and help your teams be more productive, goal-oriented, and inquisitive. These activities will vary in complexity - some as quick as 5 minutes, some more in-depth that require a couple of hours of work - but all are geared at helping you find something actionable that you can add to your toolkit.
Designing with Empathy: How user research can help you make better productsKatie McCurdy
[Talk presented at UX Burlington in June, 2015]
You're under the gun. You have deadlines, developers are waiting on you, and even though you know you should probably talk to your intended users at some point, it just doesn't feel possible to fit into your workflow. And hey, if Henry Ford had asked his customers what they wanted, they would have said 'a faster horse,' right?
Ouch! There are a lot of misunderstandings about what user research actually is, how to do it, its cost, and the value it brings to the product design process. In this talk, Katie covers these basics and presents some specific, interface-level examples of how up-front user research and mid-project usability testing have helped improve designs and create products that people love. You'll walk away with tips for advocating for and incorporating user research into your next project in a cost-effective way, and you’ll understand the powerful difference between building empathy with your customers, and ‘doing what they say.’
Highlights from Just Enough Research by Erika Hall - User Experience Abu Dhab...Jonathan Steingiesser
The User Experience (UX) Abu Dhabi Meetup is a monthly gathering for UX practioners, UX fanatics and anyone curious about User Experience Design. All are welcome! UX Abu Dhabi is sponsored by UX UAE which looks to grow User Experience awareness and practice in the UAE and MENA.
This presentation was created for the October 2014 meetup and has highlights from the book Just Enough Research by Erika Hall .
In an ever changing economic environment, it is essential that analysts demonstrate added value by developing creative and imaginative solutions to our everyday business challenges. Creativity, as the root of innovation needs to be nurtured and encouraged in any business, yet it is all too often neglected. It is true that some analysts are naturally more creative than others, however there are tools and techniques that can be learned and practiced by all analysts that will drive out better business solutions when applied. This thought provoking and interactive session will explore a range of creative techniques and methods of ensuring that the most suitable innovation is achieved as a result, arming delegates with tools, approaches and a re-invigorated creative outlook to take back to the workplace.
Designing with the Body: Learning to Physically PrototypeDavid Sherwin
This is a 75-minute workshop about physically prototyping products, services, and experiences. Workshop attendees selected a design challenge, which was structured in a way to teach them about the value of prototyping their design ideas earlier in the overall design process—especially for highly complex problems. I facilitated this workshop twice at AIGA Seattle's "Into the Woods" conference at Sleeping Lady Lodge in Leavenworth, WA on October 15-16, 2010.
The elements of product success for designers and developersNick Myers
All software, whether it's for consumers or workers, needs to meet the ever growing demands people have in today’s world. Greater user expectations and influence are forcing companies to create and deliver better products, but not every organization has a rich heritage in software creation like tech giants Apple and Google. Most companies need to be more customer-focused, become design specialists, and transform their cultures as they shift to become both software makers and innovators.
Myers, head of design services at Cooper, will share the elements of product success that companies need to possess and be market leaders: user insight, design, and organization. Myers will share principles and techniques that successful innovative companies use to truly understand their customers. He’ll also discuss the methods effective designers use to support their customers and create breakthrough ideas and delightful experiences. And he’ll finish by sharing the magic formula organizations need to deliver ground-breaking experiences to market.
This talk was given at UX Day.
In a booming field with its origins in academia, why do Human Computer Interaction (HCI, UX) practitioners and academics not engage? @gilescolborne's talk from CHI 2019 tries to answer that question, discusses why previous attempts have failed, and shows how we can learn from other people's successes.
Putting people at the centre of design at the samaritanscxpartners
Francis Bacon, Digital Programme Lead, Samaritans & Neil Schwarz, Experience Director, cxpartners
“How can we combine technology with compassion to evolve for the future and save more lives?” Francis & Neil will discuss designing an online messaging service for people in deep crisis - sharing the challenges to customer centricity within this project and the learnings.
Giles Colborne, Co Founder & CEO, cxpartners
The customer centricity challenge:
Everyone says they want to be customer centric, but it’s hard to pin down what that means. We’ve been talking to business leaders and thought leaders to find out what works, what doesn’t, and why organisations should make it their strategic priority.
‘Compromise’ is the worst word in design. We value elegance, simplicity, and vision. But if we’re working with stakeholders, there are always differences of opinion, give-and-take, and conflicts. So, do we have to choose between being arseholes or being mediocre? This talk will share some stories and techniques about how to do work you’re proud of and still look at yourself in the mirror.
Practical Steps in Determining Your Product Vision (Product Tank Bristol - Oc...cxpartners
In this talk that I gave at ProductTank Bristol I created a product vision for a global health insurance client, including a new workshop format that you can use yourself to determine your own product vision statement.
How to do the work you want to do - AKA neglect selling skills at your peril!...cxpartners
You need well-honed technical skills alongside super soft skills to be a good UXer. But to do great, impactful work you have to convince people to back you - often in highly political or complex scenarios.
We'll discuss how consultative selling skills help you form powerful arguments that cut through organisation inertia and open avenues of work that have been previously blocked, so you get to determine your own future and do the work you want to do.
A talk on how to use customer insights to guide your digital transformation programmes, presented by @chudders at eCommerceSW at the Paintworks in Bristol on 19th October, 2017.
Research analysis: getting more from your datacxpartners
Analysis is an under-appreciated part of the research process, but it's actually where the magic happens. Good analysis takes the data as a starting point, and goes beyond it to discover the insights that others will have missed. These slides go through a core method for analysing qualitative data, allowing you to slot in techniques and activities for specific research objectives as required
This is the story of how Bristol City Council is changing its approach to delivering care to vulnerable people.
Presented by Amy McGuinness of cxpartners alongside Tracy Dodds and Sonia Moore of Bristol City Council at Service Design in Government 2016.
Psychology and the Perfect Design by @mrjoecxpartners
In this talk, Joe will take you on a journey to find the holy grail we are all looking for: the “perfect” design. We’ll look at a practical strategy that uses psychology to produce the ideal design for those tricky user experience design problems we face everyday.
What exactly is the perfect design? Well, that’s what you will find out in the session. We’ll look at the three aspects that define the perfect design and how you can make it work in your projects.
How to build a failsafe mobile usability testing set upcxpartners
When conducting mobile web usability testing (with a standard setup) you need your web host, internet, local network and test device to work as they should.
But technology fails, and people fail. So how do you build a set-up that won't fail? (For under £100!)
Dive into the innovative world of smart garages with our insightful presentation, "Exploring the Future of Smart Garages." This comprehensive guide covers the latest advancements in garage technology, including automated systems, smart security features, energy efficiency solutions, and seamless integration with smart home ecosystems. Learn how these technologies are transforming traditional garages into high-tech, efficient spaces that enhance convenience, safety, and sustainability.
Ideal for homeowners, tech enthusiasts, and industry professionals, this presentation provides valuable insights into the trends, benefits, and future developments in smart garage technology. Stay ahead of the curve with our expert analysis and practical tips on implementing smart garage solutions.
Expert Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Drafting ServicesResDraft
Whether you’re looking to create a guest house, a rental unit, or a private retreat, our experienced team will design a space that complements your existing home and maximizes your investment. We provide personalized, comprehensive expert accessory dwelling unit (ADU)drafting solutions tailored to your needs, ensuring a seamless process from concept to completion.
White wonder, Work developed by Eva TschoppMansi Shah
White Wonder by Eva Tschopp
A tale about our culture around the use of fertilizers and pesticides visiting small farms around Ahmedabad in Matar and Shilaj.
Can AI do good? at 'offtheCanvas' India HCI preludeAlan Dix
Invited talk at 'offtheCanvas' IndiaHCI prelude, 29th June 2024.
https://www.alandix.com/academic/talks/offtheCanvas-IndiaHCI2024/
The world is being changed fundamentally by AI and we are constantly faced with newspaper headlines about its harmful effects. However, there is also the potential to both ameliorate theses harms and use the new abilities of AI to transform society for the good. Can you make the difference?
Can AI do good? at 'offtheCanvas' India HCI prelude
Get out of the lab and into the real world
1. 1
Get out of the lab
and into the
REAL WORLD
James Chudley
This is a case study taken from
a client project I worked on last
year. I hope it will change the
way you think about your user
research.
2. 2
I work at cxpartners
@chudders
I run large UCD and research
projects at cxpartners, a UX
consultancy based in Bristol.
3. 3
I’m fortunate to work with companies like
@chudders
I’m lucky to get to work with
the great and the good, helping
the to design great digital
products.
5. 5
Let me tell you a story
@chudders
I was asked by a client to
benchmark the usability of their
ecommerce site. They sold
frozen ready meals to
customers of an average age of
83.
6. 6
A day with a delivery driver
@chudders
I spent a day with a delivery driver
and got to meet all sorts of
customers. It made me wonder if
any of them would order online
due to their age and health.
7. 7
Default position isn’t going to work
I usually conduct my user
research in some sort of lab
environment. It’s a convenient
and reliable method that works
well.
8. 8
What the hell am I going to do?!
There was no way I could get 83
years olds to come into the lab,
what the hell was I going to
do?!
9. 9
...so I worried about
Their computers won’t
work properly
My client won’t be
able to see anything
How am I going to
record stuff?
What about
rabid dogs?
Is it ok to go into a 80
year olds house?
How can I do this within
the budgeted time?
How will
recruitment work?
10. 10
...so what happened?
The research was a truly
wonderful and memorable
experience. My client came
with me and we got a great
insight into her customers lives.
11. 11
Recruitment worked in a similar way to lab research
How will recruitment work?
My client recruited people via a
survey and we got our recruiter
to screen them as we usually
would for lab research.
12. 12
My client got a perfect viewing experience
My client won’t be able to see anything
My client came with me so had
a better experience than she
would have had in the lab.
13. 13
Their computers didn’t work properly, this was good
Their computers won’t work properly
@chudders
We saw all sorts of issues with
peoples computers that had an
impact upon how they used the
website. This was fascinating!
14. 14
You can get to more people in a day than you think
How can this work within the budgeted time?
With a bit of careful pre-
planning we worked out a great
route with google maps that
got us to 4 people per day.
15. 15
I didn’t get eaten, which was good
What about rabid dogs?
@chudders
People who had dogs and other
pets just kept them out of our
way.
16. 16
How am I going to record
stuff?
I didn’t record anything and it didn’t matter
How am I going to
record everything?
@chudders
I abandoned trying to record
things, my client was there so it
didn’t matter too much and I
got good notes.
17. 17
People welcomed us into their homes
Is it ok to go into a 80 year olds house?
People expected us and were
very welcoming. They really
enjoyed the novelty of ‘someone
from the website’ taking the
time to hear their views.
19. 19
Go in mixed pairs
Going in pairs is safer, and if
you are in mixed pairs its less
threatening than two males for
example.
20. 20
Do a dry run (in a suitable environment)
Our dry run was invaluable to
work out who would do what
and also what it was like going
into someones home to do this
kind of research.
21. 21
Get to know people before you visit them
I called everyone beforehand to
check on logistical things and
also to get to know people.
22. 22
Have a plan for if it all goes wrong
I took a spare laptop with a wifi
dongle so we could switch to
that if their computers broke
(which they did).
23. 23
Lean on your recruiter to make it work
Our recruiters really helped
with the planning of the
sessions, they worked out some
of the tricky logistical stuff for
us.
24. 24
Keep sessions to an hour (or less)
I kept sessions to an hour as
that it what I usually do in the
lab. It felt like a suitable time to
be in someone elses homes for
too.
25. 25
Prepare for the unexpected
When going into peoples
houses you are likely to see
some ‘different’ things (like
100’s of fairies - don’t ask!) You
have to suck it up and crack on.
26. 26
If you can take photos....
If you take photos make sure
you shoot wide to get people in
their environments. If you are
in pairs then get the non
facilitator to take the photos.
27. 27
Take your client with you
I loved having my client with
me, she had a great experience
and it gave her loads of stories
to share with her colleagues.
29. 29
You see things you won’t see in the lab
@chudders
This is the whole point of this
technique. You will see their
own kit and how they use it
together with the workarounds
they employ to get stuff done.
30. 30
People are surrounded by distractions
In one home our session was
interrupted by all of these
things, another great reminder
of the realities of everyday
usage environments.
31. 31
Loads of informal time with client
I got loads of extra time to chat
through what I was seeing with
my client. I wouldn’t have got
this had I done the research in
the lab.
32. 32
It’s more natural, ‘users’ put you at
ease as opposed to other way round
Because I went to peoples
homes they made an effort to
make me comfortable. In the
lab you spend a lot of time
doing this to compensate for an
artificial environment.
33. 33
Wonderful experience, truly memorable (empathy)
The people you meet are far
more memorable because you
attach their homes with their
faces in your memory. This
makes it easier to design for
them because your level of
empathy for them is greater.
34. 34
‘This is knackering isn’t it!’
A client remarked to me recently
how tiring it is being sat in the
dark watching endless sessions,
why do we use a technique that
tires our clients out?!
35. 35
No distractions in the observation room like email etc.
There are lots of distractions in
the observation room that
make it hard to focus on the
research. My client was 100%
focussed because she was sat
next to her customers.
36. 36
Amazing experience for client
This approach provided a great
experience for my client. She
saw the problems first hand and
had already worked out her
priority list of things to fix
before we got home.
38. 38
More complicated to organise
Home visits took longer to plan
that a comparative lab study
would have taken.
39. 39
Harder to have spare participants
Luckily everyone was available
when they said they would be so
we didn’t need to use our spares.
Had certain people dropped out
we would have struggled.
40. 40
Harder to manage the clients experience
It was so much more chaotic
than testing in the lab. You lose
control over the experience
your client has (if that’s a
problem).
41. 41
Extra time to do research
We managed 4 in a day whereas
I will usually do 6 in the lab so
the research took longer as a
result.
43. 43
Going to peoples homes is not the point,
go to where they are using your stuff
as above! If you are designing
an app to score squash matches
with then test it out at the local
squash court!
44. 44
Just getting out of the office can be really useful
We are all guilty of sitting in our
own offices too much and not
venturing outdoors.
45. 45
Use a blended approach if you need to
Why not try a few home visits
combined with lab research if
it’s a struggle to convince your
decision makers.
46. 46
Just question your default approach to keep work fresh & interesting
Professionally speaking it’s
good to change the way you do
things every so often. It keeps
you fresh and ensures you are
continually learning.
47. 47
These might be helpful
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
‘Definitive and complete UX book
for practitioners and clients’
@chudders
Smashing UX Design has a
dedicated chapter on contextual
research. My photo book will
help you plan your photos so
they help you to tell stories.
48. 48
Thankyou!So please try to get out of the lab more
often and into the real world
I’ve summarised this into an
article on UX Magazine too so
do check that out.