a ux strategy for persona research
DESCRIPTION
Research into your users’ personas can provide deep insights into their needs and validate your product design. This research doesn’t have to take months; it can often be done in two weeks, during sprint 0. Unfortunately, many companies using agile methods don’t invest in personas and a UX strategy because they think they have no time or believe they already know enough about their users. We typically spend months to years developing a software product. Don’t we owe it to our users and ourselves to devote some time to researching and understanding them? Nellie LeMonier describes persona research methods and techniques for conducting quick guerrilla research. She discusses how to ensure your research results are shared throughout the software team so that everyone has a common understanding of what your users care about and what they need. Nellie uses case studies to illustrate the benefits and consequences for projects conducted both with and without persona research. Join Nellie to get a UX strategy for your project!TRANSCRIPT
BT10 Session 6/6/2013 3:45 PM
"A UX Strategy for Persona Research"
Presented by:
Nellie LeMonier Perforce Software, Inc.
Brought to you by:
340 Corporate Way, Suite 300, Orange Park, FL 32073 888‐268‐8770 ∙ 904‐278‐0524 ∙ [email protected] ∙ www.sqe.com
Nellie LeMonier Perforce Software, Inc.
A user experience researcher and designer since 1998, Nellie LeMonier began her career at Accenture working with clients in diverse industries—from high-tech emerging e-commerce companies to replacement systems for low-tech welfare programs. Currently at Perforce Software, Nellie passionately designs user experiences that align with customers’ mental models. When not doing things UX, Nellie participates on the board of directors of the Breast Cancer Emergency Fund (bcef.org), a San Francisco-based non-profit organization that provides quick and compassionate financial assistance to people undergoing breast cancer treatment.
A UX Strategy for A UX Strategy for P R hP R hPersona ResearchPersona Research
Nellie LeMonierPerforce Software
UX Design
NellieNellie LeMonierLeMonier
UX Research & Design Perforce Software
Alameda, California
@nellielemonier@[email protected]
What is User Experience What is User Experience (UX)?(UX)?
Interaction Design
User Visual ResearchDesign
UX or UIUX or UI
Engineering & UXEngineering & UX
Agile & UXAgile & UX
Lean UXLean UXLean UXLean UX
Why this talk?Why this talk?
Research is importantResearch is important…
Do not develop a product without research.
Persona OriginsPersona Origins
Personas: Alan Cooper for Software D l t ( 1995)Development (~1995)
Customer Prints: by Angus Jenkinsonf C t S t ti / for Customer Segmentation / Marketing (~1993)
Why Personas? Why Personas? The BenefitsThe Benefits
Sh d d dShared understandingCoherent storyReduce conjectureBuild empathy
f h “ h ”Define the “right” requirementSave Development Effort ($)
What is a Persona?What is a Persona?
Personification of the roles Role, professional backgroundIdentity and personalityTechnical expertiseGoals & cares
A Persona ExampleA Persona Example
Business DomainBusiness Domain
Personas are specificpLibrary of personas (when appropriate)Personas are part of an ecosystem
When are PersonasWhen are PersonasCreated? Created?
EarlyBefore you startAs you go
How are Personas created?How are Personas created?
Hypothesis
ResearchStakeholder Review
AnalysisRefine Hypothesis
Research is important…
Do not develop a product without research.
Hypothesis
ResearchStakeholder Review
Research
AnalysisRefine Hypothesis
Stakeholder ReviewResearch
How are Personas Researched? How are Personas Researched?
Contextual inquiry or User observationContextual inquiry or User observationSurveysPhone interviewsMarket researchDomain researchDomain research
Without research…Without research…
What could possibly go wrong?
Case Study: Case Study:
Content Management System Content Management System (CMS)(CMS)(CMS)(CMS)
Developers came up with the personasNo research was done to create theseNo research was done to create these
CMS Case CMS Case StudyStudy
Larry Moe CurlyLarryEnd User
These were made up
MoeSys Admin
CurlyContent Manager
What was RIGHT with Larry, Moe What was RIGHT with Larry, Moe and Curly?and Curly?
Comic reliefUnited the teamGa e them a common con ersationGave them a common conversationTasks for personas were defined
What was WRONG with Larry, Moe What was WRONG with Larry, Moe and Curly ?and Curly ?
No motivating factors definedNo domain expertise definedDid not reduce conjectureCurly couldn’t type
1. Larry, Moe and Curly were retired (RIP)2. Research domain: internal interviews (1 day)
CMS Personas CMS Personas –– Take 2 Take 2
( y)3. Research specific roles through interviews
(1 week)1. Synthesize new Personas (1 week)
CMS Personas CMS Personas –– Take 2 Take 2
Aaron Maya EdAaronFront End Developer
MayaContent Editor
EdSite Administrator
Take 2 Take 2 ConclusionsConclusions
1. Clear motivations 2. Tasks are defined3. Expertise known4. Unifies product
tteam
What was WRONG (PART 2) with What was WRONG (PART 2) with Larry, Moe and Curly ?Larry, Moe and Curly ?
1 of the users didn’t exist1 marketing persona wasn’t defined
(How can we sell to these guys?)No consensus with stakeholders
Case Study: Git Fusion ResearchCase Study: Git Fusion Research
Developer & UX came up with PersonasResearch done into domain
Case Study: Case Study: GitGit Fusion ResearchFusion Research
Requirements driven by market needPressure from lost salesInternal users of competitionDomain was somewhat known
Case Study: Case Study: GitGit FusionFusionStep 1: Persona HypothesisStep 1: Persona Hypothesis
Greg Git Developer
Evan System Administrator
VeraP4V Developer
RickRelease Engineer
TomDev Manager
Case Study: Case Study: GitGit FusionFusionStep 2: ResearchStep 2: Research
R h Pl ith G lResearch Plan with GoalsSurvey via Twitter, Forums, and Sales TeamPhone InterviewsSite VisitsRemote Screen Sharingg
Case Study: FusionCase Study: FusionStep 2.5 Share ResearchStep 2.5 Share Research
Doing research is cool, but sharing itis even cooler…
Mental ModelMental Model
Explanation of someone’s thought process on how something worksprocess on how something works
GOAL MESSAGE EXPECTATIONGOAL MESSAGE
USER
“Paul”“Paul”
About “Paul”About “Paul”
Huge Perforce fan boy& early Perforce AdminBecoming a Git/GitHub fan boy15 years dev managementmanagement
Paul: Using Paul: Using GitHubGitHubConnecting through activity feed
Paul: Using Paul: Using GitHubGitHub
Review changes of other developersCommenting on changes
Connecting through activity feed
g g
Paul: Using PerforcePaul: Using Perforce
Several barriers to achieve same functionality functionality
Review Daemon - > P4WebCode review tool - > set up, not cohesive experienceP4V -> history view more clicks to P4V history view more clicks to visually diff
Paul: Using Paul: Using SourceTreeSourceTree
Why are users choosing these Why are users choosing these tools?tools?
Align with mental model of needsEffectiveness of accessRemove barrier to informationMake development more effectiveEffective development means making more awesome software faster
Case Study: Case Study: GitGit FusionFusionStep 3: AnalysisStep 3: Analysis
Hypothesis is a little wrongSecondary persona is really primaryPrimary persona is really secondaryOther requirements and influencers
Case Study: Case Study: GitGit FusionFusionStep 4: Refine HypothesisStep 4: Refine Hypothesis
Evan System Administrator
TomDev Manager
Greg Git Developer
Case Study: FusionCase Study: FusionStep 5: Stakeholder ReviewStep 5: Stakeholder Review
Perforce Git Fusion
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Product Personas
RickRelease Engineering Manager
“The devil is in the details”
• Extensive experience delivering solutions that use diverse technologies
• Adept at meeting strict deadlines
Product Persona
• Adept at meeting strict deadlines• Wants to be the hero, failure is not an option
Who he is: Profession: Director of Release EngineeringEducation: Masters in Computer Engineering, UC Berkeley, 2001Age: 38Home Life: Married with 3 children. Volunteers with his church 2 weekends a month.Personality: Dynamic leader who loves thinking on a large scale.Technical expertise:Has deep understanding in development and configuration processes and strategies Expert in Gerrit GitHas deep understanding in development and configuration processes and strategies. Expert in Gerrit, Git, ClearQuest, OracleDB, and mySQL which he’s used to create and automate the ALM processes and his company.Goals: • Allow users to re-use code.• Ensure that everything is tested by automation.• Bugs can easily be traced and fixed.• Configure new modules.• Organize who has access to what.• Ensure users can easily follow a workflow strategy.• Understand how product dependencies work.
EvanEnterprise Version Management System Administrator
“My job is to protect my company’s crown jewels”
• Extensive experience in development and source control• First adopter of new technology• The security reliability and performance of the site are his first priorities
Product Persona
• The security, reliability and performance of the site are his first priorities
Who he is: Profession: System Admin in IT DepartmentEducation: BS Mechanical Engineering, University of Illinois, 1980Age: 54Home Life: Single. Rides motorcycles in his spare time. Into gaming.Personality: Not afraid of new technology, likes a challenge and solving problems but also appreciates products that just work as their supposed to.Technical expertise:H i d i i t ti P f Cl C d SVN Al h i di i P l d
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Has experience administrating Perforce, ClearCase, and SVN. Also has experience coding in Perl and Python.Goals: • Easily set up and configure a Git Fusion server.• Create and manage user access to Perforce, GF and Gerritt.• Ensure that systems are backed up, secure, auditable, and highly available.• Full access, when he needs it, to all systems he maintains.• Enforce SOX compliance requirements through systems he maintains.What he cares about:• Wants Perforce up and running, responsive with no down or slow time. Downtime means complaints
and idle employees
Case Case Study:GitStudy:Git FusionFusionResearch BenefitsResearch Benefits
• Business domain more defined
• Requirements for other products
• Persona accuracy
• Strengthen relationships with users
• Build the product customers want to buy
Survey to UX Survey to UX PractitionersPractitioners
UX Designer 66%
Respondent Self-Described Titles
Product Manager
Project Manager
UX Researcher
11%
15%
55%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
UX Manager/Director
Developer
9%
4%
How Many Projects Used Personas?How Many Projects Used Personas?
How Much Do You Know About How Much Do You Know About the Business Domain?the Business Domain?
Why Don’t You Take The Why Don’t You Take The Time to Research?Time to Research?
Enough knowng
Research timenot important
Someone else did the research
p
Research important,no time
Other Reasons For No Other Reasons For No Research:Research:
Lack of interest from stakeholdersL k f b d f hLack of budget for any researchOut of scopeOrganization does not value researchDoes not believe there are changes to th d in r r h d n r the domain, research was done years ago
How Long Did You Spend How Long Did You Spend Researching Personas?Researching Personas?
Share the PersonasShare the Personas
Stakeholders – Marketing / Salesg /Product ManagementProduct TeamKeep the Personas Alive
Why Personas? Why Personas? The BenefitsThe Benefits
Sh d d dShared understandingCoherent storyReduce conjectureBuild empathy
f h “ h ”Define the “right” requirementSave development effort
The (OTHER) BenefitsThe (OTHER) Benefitsof Researchof Research
Build trust with your usersBuild trust with your usersBuild a relationshipUsability testers readyExpand stakeholdersLearn of “Other” opportunitiesLearn of Other opportunitiesMake MORE $$$Make a better product
