This deck was presented at ReCon 2018-- an annual conference for UX researchers held in NYC.

1. Visual Data Collection: Collecting data
through a straw (instead of a firehose)
Michael Morgan
Sr. UX Researcher
Bloomberg L.P.
https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/view-image.php?image=268080&picture=plastic-straws

2. Agenda
● About me
● We collect LOTS of data (and so…)
● Note-taking tools and techniques
● Method details: Visual data collection (or, “VDC” for short)
● Let’s try it out!

3. About Me
● Experience: IT industry for 20 years; UX research for 10.
● Writings: UX research methods and strategy.
Columnist for UX Matters. Contributor to Boxes and Arrows,
UX Collective, JTBD.info Sr. UX Researcher, Bloomberg LP

4. https://pixabay.com/en/write-plan-desk-notes-pen-writing-593333/
https://pixabay.com/en/coffee-write-table-notebook-writing-cup--1246511/
https://pixabay.com/en/computer-laptop-technology-office-3368242/
We collect LOTS of data

5. https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/07/21/23/14/bag-2527318_960_720.png
By Ildar Sagdejev (Specious) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)],
from Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2011-02-12_Fire_hydrant_flushing_2.jpg

6. https://pixabay.com/en/session-science-
pictogram-fatigue-1989711/
https://pixabay.com/en/dog-boxer-boxer-dog-
pet-dog-look-snout-d-1639528/
https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/08/16/16/
10/stopwatch-2648253_960_720.jpg

7. Visual Data Collection (or, VDC for short)
 Stay focused on your research goals
 Deliver reporting faster
 More easily traceable notes
Another satisfied stakeholder
https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2018/09/10/19/21/bulldog-
3667825__340.jpg

8. Note-taking tools and techniques
Spreadsheets
Airtable
Note-taking
(free-form)
Less
structure
More
structure
Physical tools
“Power tools”
Content of this slide adapted from:
https://www.wqusability.com/handouts/notes&analysis.pdf
https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2016/01/15/09/01/paper-
1141308__340.jpg
https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2015/07/17/22/42/whiteboard-
849810__340.jpg

9. https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2015/01/08/11/57/pieces-
of-the-puzzle-592798__340.jpg

10. Note-taking tools and techniques (cont’d)
Topical note https://www.nngroup.com/articles/group-
notetaking/
Affinity diagram (aka KJ Method)
https://uxdict.io/design-thinking-methods-affinity-diagrams-357bd8671ad4

11. Note-taking tools and techniques (cont’d)
Chronological logs
https://www.nngroup.com/articles/group
-notetaking/
Path analysis
https://www.wqusability.com/handouts/notes&analysis.pdf

12. What is Visual Data Collection (“VDC”)?
A technique for logging data that includes a visual depiction of the stimuli being
tested with corresponding questions and consistent use of annotations.
A visual depiction of
the stimulus (usually
screenshots of the
prototype)
Pre-defined questions
and responses
• What search term do they use?
• Do they understand what “Roll
the Dice” means?
• Do they mention the ghost text?

13. What is Visual Data Collection (“VDC”)? (cont’d)
Annotation key

14. Visual Data Collection Guide: a working example
Task: Search for the latest news on your favorite celebrity.
Home screen
• What search term do they use?
Bruce Willis
• Do they understand what “Roll
the Dice” means?
They had no idea
• Do they mention the ghost text?
No
Search results screen
• How many results do they
expect to view?
…
Annotation Key
A visual depiction of the
stimulus (usually screenshots of
the prototype)
Pre-defined questions and
responses
Bruce Willis

15. Tally sheet: making connections across participants
Participant 1 Participant 3
Tally Sheet

16. Challenges with the VDC method
• Prototypes or applications with multiple “happy paths”
become difficult to design guides for.
• With larger sample sizes, you may run out of writing
space on your tally sheets.
• Subject matter without a UI (e.g. exploratory questions)
may require further detail, transcription and coding.

17. Fun activity time!

18. Video Demo
Scenario:
The product and design team for a
meal ordering website called
Meal Pilot is interested in conducting
some UX research with potential
customers using an early-phase
prototype.
Participants are asked to complete the
following task:
Today’s Thursday. Order a sushi meal
for Friday’s lunch. Pick it up between
1:15pm-130pm.

19. Prototype walkthrough “happy path”
https://bloombergux.invisionapp.com/

20. Video Demo
Scenario:
The product and design team for a
meal ordering website called
Meal Pilot is interested in conducting
some UX research with potential
customers using an early-phase
prototype.
Participants are asked to complete the
following task:
Today’s Thursday. Order a sushi meal
for Friday’s lunch. Pick it up between
1:15pm-130pm.

21. Time to try it yourself!
Your job will be to take notes using the Visual Data Collection method.
Data collection guides along with annotation keys and pencils are at each of the
tables.

22. Discussion & Share
Discuss with your partner
● Pair off and compare results!
● Walk-through each other’s notes
● See if you captured similar things
Discuss with your table
● What did you like about the experience? Dislike?
● When would you use this technique? When would you not?

23. Future directions
● Can this method be useful for summative studies? (usability testing)
● How about research where the stimulus does not have a UI?
(e.g. conversational UIs)
● Can this method prove to be a sustainable way to do research?

24. Thanks!
Email: michael.a.morgan@gmail.com
Twitter: @mmorganux
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-morgan-mba-ms-cua-945945/
bloomberg.com/ux