Research techniques:Getting out of the building

UX BristolJuly 2013

John Waterworth@jwaterworth

2

There Are No Facts Inside Your Building, So Get Outside

Steve Blank

Getting out of the building

Customer Development Manifesto at http://steveblank.com/category/customer-development-manifesto/Photograph of Steve Blank from steveblank.fi

3

Product cycle

Ideas

ProductInsight

Test assumptions

Evaluate products

Understand people

4

Research in pairs

InterviewerFocus on the participant

Ask main questions and run any activities

AssistantManage any setup and recordings

Take notes during the session

Ask supplementary questions

Switch roles

5

Research cycle

1. Decide what you want to learn2. Prepare your interview structure3. Find people to talk to4. Interview them5. Analyse and draw conclusions6. Debrief and share

Adapted from Lean UX Workshop by Jeff Gothelf and Josh Seiden of Proof Innovation Labs.

6

Research cycle

1. Decide what you want to learn2. Prepare your interview structure3. Find people to talk to4. Interview them5. Analyse and draw conclusions6. Debrief and share

Adapted from Lean UX Workshop by Jeff Gothelf and Josh Seiden of Proof Innovation Labs.

7

Decide what you want to learn

QuestionsWhat strategies do people use to remember their user names and passwords?

HypothesesUsers prefer to use Facebook or Twitter login than to create a separate user name and password for each service

8

Practice

ObjectiveForm teams and decide what you want to learn from you interviews

Steps1. Get into groups of three

2. Decide who will interview whom

3. Decide subject for interviews

5 Minutes

9

Research cycle

1. Decide what you want to learn2. Prepare your interview structure3. Find people to talk to4. Interview them5. Analyse and draw conclusions6. Debrief and share

Adapted from Lean UX Workshop by Jeff Gothelf and Josh Seiden of Proof Innovation Labs.

10

Interview structure

Break into topicsEach has its own objective

Related to a question or hypothesis

Decide best approach to learn

Semi-structuredHelp with timing and priority

Provide a sense of flow

Help you to be flexible

11

Talking

Learning about themBehaviour, aspirations, preferencesNot asking what they want

Guided conversationHave objectives and overall structure

Steering and focusing

Not following a script

Listening, really listening!

12

Not just talking

ObservationHow do they do it now?Product, comparator, materials

ActivitiesArrange words in groups, lists, targetCreate a diary, annotate a diagram

HomeworkKeep a diary, take photos, bring examples

13

Discussion guide

Research aidAgenda for the session, not a script

Helps your mental rehearsal

Stakeholders can contribute

Provides some consistency

Provides a record

ContentsSection per topic, with objective and time

Fixed text you need to read out

Starter questions for each topic

14

Practice

ObjectiveCreate a discussion guide for a 7 to 8 minute interview

Steps1. Decide your topics

2. Decide how to approach each topic

3. Write down some starter questions

5 Minutes

15

Research cycle

1. Decide what you want to learn2. Prepare your interview structure3. Find people to talk to4. Interview them5. Analyse and draw conclusions6. Debrief and share

Ada[ted from Lean UX Workshop by Jeff Gothelf and Josh Seiden of Proof Innovation Labs.

16

Giving good interview

Be clearAsk simple questions they can understand

If you need to, give background information then ask the question

Listen, really listenReceive, Appreciate, Summarise, Ask

Show that you understand what they say

Show that you value what they say

Helps you to dig deeper

17

More good interview

Be flexibleDon’t plough on regardless if the interview isn’t working

Follow the participant’s lead in order, timing and approach

Be humanChat about the weather, traffic, etc.

Offer drinks and biscuits

Nod, smile, frown, laugh, commiserate

Be surprised, be concerned, be interested

18

Getting them talking

Open, neutral questionsHow do you … to …?

What do you think about …?

How do these compare …?

Stories and examplesHave you ever …?

Can you tell me about the last time that …?

What did you do when …?

When … how do you …?

19

Keeping them talking

Focus inIn what way …?

Can you tell me more about …?

You said … why/how/when/what/who …?

EchoingConfusing?

Helpful?

Bananas?

20

Bad questions

ClosedDo you buy groceries online?

How do you buy your groceries?

LeadingDo you buy your groceries from Tesco?

Where do you buy your groceries?

SpeculationWhat would you do if Ocado …?

Has … ever happened? What did you do?

21

Digging deeper

NeedsExpressed, implied and latent needs

Means end chain Product attributes, consequences of use and personal values

Five whysRoot cause analysis

22

Too many whys

InterrogationCan sound accusative

Particularly after a sensitive admission

Can be repetitive

Rephrase or softenWhat makes X important?

Can you say why X is important to you?

Apologise for laddering

23

Emotion

Don’t ask directlyHow did you feel when …?

Do you enjoy …?

Pick up on emotional wordsYou said X was frustrating. In what way?

You said Y was amazing. What made it amazing?

Shows that you appreciate the emotional content of what they say, but without leading them

24

Take your time

Go at their paceUse your early questions to gauge their thinking and answering times

Don’t make them feel pressured

More you talk, less they talkDon’t rush to the next question

A little silence is OK

They may be just about to say something absolutely amazing

25

Collect the evidence

Starter kitCamera, notebook and voice recorder

Note takingAim for a telegram style

Frustrated by X because no Y

Recording times for verbatim quotes

It’s hardListening, writing, thinking!

Get better with practice

26

Practice

ObjectiveTake each role in a paired interview

Steps1. A and B interview C (7-8 minutes)

2. Critique the interview (1-2 minutes)

3. Rotate until you’ve all tried all roles

30 minutes

27

Further reading

28

Recap

Don'tTry to wing it

Ask closed, leading questions

Ask for requirements and features

Interrogate people

Work through your script

Constrain them to specific answers

Get the answers you want

Make people feel more nervous

Try to remember what people said

Try to remember what you saw

DoCreate a flexible discussion guide

Ask open, neutral questions

Ask for stories and examples

Listen, really listen

Steer the conversation

Encourage people to talk openly

Understand their point of view

Help people to relax and enjoy it

Take good notes

Collect photos, screenshots and physical materials