PowerPoint Presentation

How to Make User Experience Research Robust When Youre Working AgileJust Enough for InnovationNovember 2015Josie Scott

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User Experience Design is the work of creating a digital space that is immediately usable and recognizable to the people who use them. This is only possible through a deep knowledge of their goals, motivations, and needs.

UX Research is pivotal!

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Serendipity Brings Me Here

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CareerVolunteer (Mostly)Professional Organizations

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I have been lucky because everything Ive done brought me here, today. Every step of the way, something I learned contributed to where I am today.

It begins with the journalism program that taught me a skill that will never fail me. Trained/learned from some top folks, starting at DTE Energy and Theo Mandel. Thats where I caught the bug, I think. I attended great conferences, and had great people teach me. Even my Masters degree program was eclectic enough to teach me to research and gather data properly.

During my UX career:Worked as a volunteer with Sarah to develop a training program to conduct usability testing for the uninitiated. Trained hundreds with the LEO kit.Worked for six years conducting research for TechSmith's Morae. I learned how all sorts of folks conduct their programs. -- we went agile as I worked therewe had to pioneer agile methods Morae really supports that.

Now, I'm working with a great team, focused on innovation for a giant in the financial industry. At Synchrony Financial, we have a focus on Innovation. We are moving Agile as well.

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A Commitment to Innovation

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Who here is involved with Agile? Lean?

These are incredibly powerful, and empowering statements. They created a dilemma for us: How do we support these new principles with research that we can put our names to? We have roles and our participants have rights, and we need to safeguard them.

Honestly, Agile caused the entire UX world to conduct a pretty deep self-examination.

Who remembers the old ways of analog video? Logging with excel (which, in itself was a step forward). Painful tracking of each event, hoping we get it live.

No matter what you were doing, you quoted months sometimes, to do all the analysis. You just cant do that with agile. We needed to respond to change.

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Agile PrinciplesIndividuals and interactions over processes and toolsWorking software over comprehensive documentationCollaboration over contract negotiationResponding to change over following a plan

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Who here is involved with Agile? Lean?

These are incredibly powerful, and empowering statements. They created a dilemma for us: How do we support these new principles with research that we can put our names to? We have roles and our participants have rights, and we need to safeguard them.

Honestly, Agile caused the entire UX world to conduct a pretty deep self-examination.

Who remembers the old ways of analog video? Logging with excel (which, in itself was a step forward). Painful tracking of each event, hoping we get it live.

No matter what you were doing, you quoted months sometimes, to do all the analysis. You just cant do that with agile. We needed to respond to change.

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Agile Process The Great UX/Agile Dilemma:

How do we design in Agile?

No Design/Everyone DesignsBig Design Up Front (ie, Waterfall)Sprint Ahead Design

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Agile ProcessNo Design/Everyone DesignsPROS

Very Agile

Fast, responsive and in sync with the project

Allows developers to be creativeCONS

Chaotic design

Inconsistent

Not focused on users

Frequently: NO RESEARCH!

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Agile ProcessBig Design Up Front (BDUP)

PROS

Consistent design

Allows time for research

Requires fewer decisions

CONS

Not very Agile

Time-consuming

Non-collaborative; over the wall design

No failure allowed

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Agile ProcessSprint Ahead DesignPROS

Consistent design

Allows time for research

Iterative

Flexible and CollaborativeCONS

Stretches Agile

Asynchronous

Not everyone designs

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Here's what I learned:Lots of FlavorsNeed to move fast; time is off the essence.Old system: 2-3 months per study. Analog analysis. Wait! Agile means:Can't wait for lengthy studiesCan't do BDUPCan't take our time with findingsNeed to share everything: "everyone is responsible for design."

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What About Research???They need answers. We have methods:Observation/InterviewsPersonasInnovation GamesCard SortsDiary Studies and SurveysUsability Testing

How do we support Agile?

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Who remembers the old ways of analog video? Logging with excel (which, in itself was a step forward). Painful tracking of each error, each action, each adjustmentoften live.

No matter what you were doing, you quoted months sometimes, to do all the analysis. You just cant do that with agile. You cant write big reports to throw over the wall, either. We needed to respond to change.# /GE /

Heres What They Need

Upfront research; Persona developmentSmall validation test End ValidationSmall validation testSmall validation tests

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Answer: Just Enough Testing -- JET

Regular Research Event ~Once a month

8-10 users over 1 to 3 daysLower fidelity mockups even paperUsually focused on single interactionAny user-focused activityPossible update mid-testWe all watch/participate scorecardRapid Debrief/action planJust enough reporting

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JET Process Timeline

MONDAYTUESDAYWEDNESDAYTHURSDAYFRIDAYWEEK 6Compadres meet and determine hypothesis to test.WEEK 5WEEK 4WEEK 3 WEEK 2Researcher: Test run throughWEEK 1Team Set up/Test day 1 /DebriefTeamTest day 2/Debrief

Researcher prepares prototypes, products and equipment. Researcher creates test plan, organizes recruiter and facilities.

Researcher posts videos, report

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Answer: Just Enough Testing -- JET

Individuals and interactions WorkingprototypesCollaboration Responding to change

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Dispelling Myths

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Oh, the Places We Go with JET

12 JETs so far:

Online and channel funnelsFunctions like geolocation Forms innovationNavigation, card sorting50 questions so far!

Multiple platforms (PC to tablet to phone)Analysis may include:TimingErrorsWork (number of swipes)Sats & Qualitative

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Analysis remains robust. We can measure all the usual measures.

My secret sauce: Moraewhich does so much.# /GE /

Questions?

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Analysis remains robust. We can measure all the usual measures.

My secret sauce: Moraewhich does so much.# /GE /

Thank you!