“In the best teams we studied, every single team member spends an average of two hours every six weeks watching people use the product (or a competitor’s product).” Jared Spool
START WITH RESEARCH OBJECTIVES We want to know how students go about researching their choice of university. PRIMARY SECONDARY What problems do they encounter using our website and our competitors websites?
DISCUSSION GUIDE TIPS •Condense the guide to an A4 sheet. •Start broad, e.g.: “So… tell me about your work.” •Group your questions into themes. •Order themes in a way that narrows over time. •Put your really important theme near the end. •Uncover details to test later.
SETTING TASKS You have 200+ books in your fiction collection, currently in boxes strewn around your living room. Find a way to organize them. GOOD TASK BAD TASK Search for a bookcase
IMPROVISED VS. PRESCRIBED You’re traveling from home to visit your _____ in ______. Find the cheapest route on public transport. IMPROVISED BAD TASK You have 200+ books in your fiction collection, currently in boxes strewn around your living room. Find a way to organize them.
TIPS • “You applied to Birmingham Uni…?” (parrot talk) • “Tell me more about…” • “Describe the steps you’re going through here” • “Before you click, what do you think will happen next?”
INTERVIEW TIPS • Remind them that you’re testing the system, not them • Don’t keep people waiting around • Set them at ease: make it seem informal • Remunerate them in advance so they understand it’s not contingent on their performance
Ryan The Undecided “I sort of know *roughly* what I want to do. Roughly.” Summary 18 year old Ryan lives in Brighton. He’s a little unsure about what to study; he’s looked at a lot of sport-related courses but he hasn't got any closer to choosing. He hasn’t been to any open days; his family haven’t been involved much as they didn’t go to Uni. His initial choices of Uni are based on what his friends have told him, but he’s leaving the whole process to the last minute. Goals RATIONAL: Find a good course and university. EMOTIONAL: Get a bit of distance and independence from his family. Challenges • Lorem Ipsum • Lorem Ipsum • Lorem Ipsum
Choose subject Shortlist Refine Prioritise The course selection funnel Evaluate Eliminate A P P L Y Behaviours Lorem Ipsum • Lorem Ipsum • Lorem Ipsum • Lorem Ipsum • Lorem Ipsum Lorem Ipsum • Lorem Ipsum • Lorem Ipsum Opportunities Lorem Ipsum • Lorem Ipsum • Lorem Ipsum • Lorem Ipsum • Lorem Ipsum What should I study? Where could I go? Which ones do I like? What’s my best option? Low Med High Digital Opportunity Undecided Visionary • Lorem Ipsum • Lorem Ipsum Elimination criteria • Lorem Ipsum • Lorem Ipsum • Lorem Ipsum Evaluation criteria • Lorem Ipsum • Lorem Ipsum • Lorem Ipsum Lorem Ipsum Lorem Ipsum • Lorem Ipsum • Lorem Ipsum
PARTING THOUGHTS… • User research is a team sport. • Don’t ask permission; find the time. • Watch what they do, not what they say. • Uncover mental models. • Favour guerrilla over science, action over academia. • Resolve differences with testing. • Make raw findings visible and tangible. • Never conflate value testing with usability testing.