Witness Wednesdays

Informing Agile Software Development with

Continuous User Insight

REBECCA DESTELLO & JUSTIN MARXATLAS INFORMATICS

Rebecca DestelloManager, Research & Insights, Atlas Informatics@rebeccadestello

Justin MarxProduct Designer, Atlas Informatics

@jandrewmarx

Atlas Recall is a searchable photographic memory for your digital life — if you saw it, you can search

it and share with anyone, from anywhere.

atlas.co

“By the time I’ve gotten research results, I’m working on the next feature.”

“It’s hard to write stable production code when you keep changing things.”

“High quality research takes more time than you think.”

DESIGNERS TELL RESEARCHERS:

RESEARCHERS TELL DESIGNERS:

DEVELOPERS TELL EVERYONE:

The opportunity to iteratively validate assumptions

DESIGNERS NEED...

Validation that’s fast enough to keep up with Agile development

A body of research upon which to base future assumptions

Active engagement from the team to identify problems and

recommend solutions

RESEARCHERS NEED...

Organizational buy-in of their research findings

A validated, coherent design that allows them to plan ahead with confidence

DEVELOPERS NEED...

Minimal re-work so they can focus on building the next thing

Witness Wednesdays

RITE + Agile usability testing

WE SOLVE THIS WITH

WITNESS WEDNESDAYS ARE

A fast-moving approach to providing continuous insight that lines up with

Agile workflows

A method that emphasizes team involvement in the research process, increasing buy-in and engagement

WHY ATLAS TOOK THIS APPROACH

Research came in after the product was already built and in private beta

First usability study demonstrated an urgent need for an onboarding experience

Design team wanted to learn what was needed to help users understand how to use our product

Urgent need to get ahead of the development cycle and validate features before they’re built

WHEN TO CONSIDER THIS APPROACH

You want to load up the design team with user insight

WHEN TO CONSIDER THIS APPROACH

The research program has fallen behind the development cycle

WHEN TO CONSIDER THIS APPROACH

You need to get the larger organization on board with user research

WHEN TO CONSIDER THIS APPROACH

Your team is suffering from analysis paralysis

Process

1. PREP THE ORGANIZATION

Get researchers, designers and stakeholders together to define the study’s subject, scope, and

expected outcome

Get commitments from key people to attend observation throughout the study

2. TAKE CARE OF THE LOGISTICS

Determine the recurring day for participant sessions (Wednesdays work well)

Recruit 5 participants per week

Secure the session venue and technology

Determine the study’s duration

3. CONDUCT THE STUDY

Researchers and designers collaborate to plan the study and accompanying prototype

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri

Researchers begin writing the script, designers begin building the prototype

3. CONDUCT THE STUDY

Researchers finish the script, designers finish the prototype, then review together

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri

Prep the participant session room and technology

3. CONDUCT THE STUDY

Researchers conduct participant sessions

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri

As much of the organization as possible observes participant sessions

Researchers debrief with observers after each participant session

Consider low-risk iterations after the third participant

3. CONDUCT THE STUDY

Researchers generate a brief email report to the organization outlining the findings

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri

Researchers, designers and stakeholders discuss the results and ideate on solutions to top line issues

3. CONDUCT THE STUDY

Discussion and ideation continues, if needed

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri

Given time, researchers begin work on the next week’s script, while designers begin work

on the next prototype

3. CONDUCT THE STUDY

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri

Repeat for as many times as you planned, then evaluate extending the study

Is this right for you?

WHERE ARE YOU IN THE PRODUCT CYCLE?

Initial product or feature ideation

Post-release optimization

Leading up to release

CONS

Taxing on the organization

Analysis is not as thorough

Subtle issues can be harder to discover

Easy to blow through research budget

PROS

Helps get research and design ahead of the development cycle

Rapidly builds understanding around a product or feature

Encourages the organization to build on MVPs

PROS

Encourages experimentalism, because the risk is low

Instills a culture of validation and iteration

Biggest pro: Smashes the perception that research takes too long

Questions?

REBECCA DESTELLOrebecca@atlas.co@rebeccadestello

JUSTIN MARXmarx@atlas.co@jandrewmarx