USER RESEARCH 101 WORKSHOPFor Governments

CYD HARRELLUX Evangelist, Code for America.

KAVI HARSHAWAT2014 Fellow, Code for America

“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

#1

NOT AT ALL

5 steps to usability1. 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

We shall begin...with a little experiment

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.

OK, how’d that go?

Some helpful tips…

Start at the end

Before you do any work, set goals for your research

Form questions to help you get to your answer

Beforehand

Biases or assumptions Scripting Decisions about capture

Ethics

Don’t scare them with what you call it

Keep confidentiality Help them get what they need

afterwards

BRAIN SURGERY? NOPE!

Scripting (let’s use BART)

“Please use your credit card to buy a ticket from Civic Center to Lake Merritt”

Scripting (let’s use BART)

“Where are you going today?”

“How would you go about getting a ticket?”

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.

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”

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”

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)

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.”

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?”

Useful Phrases 10: self-explanatory

“Thank you so much, I really appreciate your taking the time to talk to me.”

Tracking it all

After every interview 1-sentence description of the

person #1 surprise Summary of 2-3 things they said

Recruiting

The right person is someone who cares

Look official and friendly Explain exactly how much of

their time you need

Recruiting can be easy! Find a place where people are already

waiting Offer them an incentive Ask them questions!

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.

More R

el iab le Resul ts

Questions?

@CYDHARRELL @KAVIH