10 Tips for Conducting Better User Research

Jonathan LupoVP/Information ArchitectureEmpathy Labhttp://empathylab.blogspot.com

End-User Research is Important

• When considering enhancements, optimizations, or planning new content development, a business should aim to better understand the informational needs, tasks, and behaviors of its consumers across all digital channels.

• Here are 10 tips to keep in mind when designing a behavioral research study.

1. Recruit active information-seekers• Launch a Google cost-per-click

advertisement that solicits participation when relevant keywords queries to the research topic are used.

• A list of customers who have opted into receiving email communications is also a great platform for recruiting participants to a research study.

CPC Recruitment

Email Recruitment

Research Population

2. Analyze existing consumer research• Look to the marketing or the

customer service department of a business to understand what is already known about target consumer segments.

• Identify gaps in knowledge about consumers, or seek to update outdated research.

Existing Knowledge

Outdated Knowledge

Gaps in Knowledge

3. Formulate hypotheses

• Business stakeholders will volunteer hypotheses about their target customer segments. Secondary research may also suggest certain motivations, tasks, and behaviors.

• Design a study with some informed hypotheses to help make lines of questioning more relevant from the get-go.

Line-of-questioning

Provisional Personas

Secondary Research

Stakeholder Hypotheses

4. Develop a comprehensive list of questions• Think through and document

every possible line-of-questioning and probing follow-up question.

• The study guide isn't a script but it should assist the research facilitator in case a line of questioning reaches a dead-end.

• The idea is to keep the subject talking about the subject and maintaining a calm and natural atmosphere

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5. Ask open-ended questions

• Questions that naturally result in a "yes" or "no" response do not lend themselves to a dialogue. Ask questions that require subjects to be descriptive and engage in a conversation.

Open-Ended Question

Topic

Topic

Topic

Topic Topic

Closed-Ended Question

Yes

No

6. Do not ask participants to speculate• The goal of behavioral research is to understand and observe behavior.• Asking a participant what they might do in a given situation or what they

think they might want on a web site leads them to speculate on their behavior. Speculation leads to false and biased data.

7. Perform research in context

• Behavior is best observed in the context of where it naturally occurs.• Performing a study in the context of which a task is normally performed

aids end-user recall of the task in question.

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8. Videotape participants and environment• Nothing proves a point like a video clip of participants performing

relevant tasks. • Obtain participants' consent prior to videotaping them.

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• Facilitating a research study requires concentration and focus. • The interviewer must make sure that all important lines-of-questioning

are brought up in the interview, the conversation is natural, and questions are not "leading" the participant to a biased result.

• The facilitator should not be the one taking notes or handling the technical equipment (such as a video camera or audio recording device).

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9. Bring a research assistant

• True collaboration in Design requires the Information Architect and Visual Designer to both understand and empathize with end-user needs.

• The right research partner depends on the type of project for which the research is being conducted.

10. Have a designer, copywriter, or strategist assist with the research

• Jonathan Lupo• VP/Information Architecture• Empathy Lab• http://empathylab.blogspot.com