the ux playbook: tools, tips, & tricks

presents

The UX Playbook: Tools, Tips, & Tricks

AMY BUCHER @ab_phd

Amy BucherAmy Bucher is a behavioral scientist and strategist with expertise in qualitative and quantitative methods, program design, behavioral research, and market research. With a PhD in Psychology, she designs and writes tailored web-based health coaching programs that effectively motivate and support behavior change for users. Her areas of focus include problem definition and solution development, systematic and creative research to support strategic actions, and communication across multiple formats and audience types.

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

User  Research  Tools,  Tricks,  &  Tips  

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  amy.bucher@gmail.com

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

Questions  you  can  answer  with  research

• Do  people  want  to  use  my  product?  • Do  people  know  HOW  to  use  it?  • Who  is  the  target  audience  for  this  product?  • Does  my  product  work?  • How  will  people  use  it?  • What  enhancements  should  I  make,  and  in  what  order?

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

When?

Ideation

DevelopmentLive  Product

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

But  be  careful!

• People  are  nice  !

• People  are  liars  !

• Not  all  people  are  your  target  customer  !

• The  big  question:  So  what?

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

Types  of  Data

Qualitative• Words  • Thematic  analyses  • Good  way  to  gather  general  

or  broad  information  • Rule  of  thumb:  Fewer  

participants

Quantitative• Numbers  • Statistical  analyses  • Good  way  to  gather  specific  

or  targeted  information  • Rule  of  thumb:  More  

participants

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

Getting  participants

Personal  network Online Locally

Professional  research  partner

Less  $                       More  $

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

DO  PEOPLE  WANT  TO  USE  THIS  PRODUCT?

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

A/B  Tests

Version  A Version  B

Metrics

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

LaunchRock  Version  A

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

LaunchRock  Version  B

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

DO  PEOPLE  KNOW  HOW  TO  USE  THIS  PRODUCT?

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

Choose  evaluators

Define  tasks  to  be  performed  with  product

Observe  users  complete  tasks

Heuristic  Evaluation

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

How  many  users  do  you  need?

0

25

50

75

100

0 4 8 11 15

Number  of  evaluators

Percen

t  of  e

rrors  d

etected

4-­‐6

Nielsen,  J.,  and  Landauer,  T.  K.  (1993).  A  mathematical  model  of  the  finding  of  usability  problems.  Proceedings  of  ACM  INTERCHI'93  Conference  (Amsterdam,  The  Netherlands)  pp.  206-­‐213.

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

• Enroll  in  the  weight  management  program  !

• Start  the  program  activities

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

Finding:  Multiple  programs  fit  people’s  schema  for  “weight  management”

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

WHAT  IS  MY  TARGET  MARKET?

We  Understand  What  Motivates  UsersActivating  individuals  based  on  attitudes  and  approach  to  health

I’m  already  stretched  taking  care  of  work  and  family.  For  me  to  focus  on  my  own  well-­‐being,  it  has  to  be  a  company  goal  that  I  have  team  accountability  for.        

Motivated    Team  Player

Help!    It’s  scary  to  think  about  how  much  I  need  to  do  and  whether  I  can  even  do  it.  Frankly,  I  don’t  even  know  what  the  first  step  should  be.    

Skeptical  Starter

I’m  already  on  the  fitness  bandwagon.  It’d  be  great  if  my  company  provided  me  some  resources,  but  my  challenge  is  simply  consistency.

Energized  Champion

What  and  when  I  do  is  up  to  me  and  it  will  be  on  my  own  terms.  It’s  not  something  I  want  my  employer  /  coworkers  concerning  themselves  with.

Free  Agent

There  are  much  bigger  issues  to  be  dealt  with  before  I  can  even  think  about  health  &  wellness.    

Committed  Multi-­‐Tasker

Sharing  the  journey  really    keeps  everyone’s  momentum    up.  We  learn  from,  help  and    encourage  each  other,  and  we  have  fun  along  the  way.    

Booster  Clubber

Source:  Wellness  &  Prevention,  Inc.  Landmark  Study  of  National  Employers,  2009

SAMP

LE

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

Survey  Questions

• Setting  user  expectations  • Validity  and  reliability  – Types  and  considerations  – Using  existing  instrumentation  – Knowing  when  it  matters  

• Design  consistency  • Avoiding  confounds  • Reverse  scoring

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

User  Expectations

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

Type of va lidity W ha t does it m ea n W ha t inform a tion is needed

I nterna l What you did in a study caused the results of the study ! manipulations affected outcomes

Ruling out alternative causes; replication with different populations and settings

Fa ce Do the questions appear or look like they relate to the construct of interest?

Intuition; does it look right to you?

Cri t er ion Does your measure predict real-world outcomes related to the behavior of interest?

Data on actual behavior; does it correspond to scores on your measure?

Externa l The degree to which a measure’s conclusions hold for other people at other places and times; generalizability

Random sampling; generalizing carefully (not making broad claims); replications of study in multiple settings

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

Design  Consistency

How  much  do  you  like  our  product?  !!I  am  likely  to  recommend  your  product  to  my  friends.

How  much  do  you  like  our  product?  !!How  likely  are  you  to  recommend  our  product  to  your  friends?

Not  at  all           Very  much     1            2          3          4          5          6          7

Not  at  all           Very  much     1            2          3          4          5          6          7

Not  at  all           Very  much     1            2          3          4          5          6          7

Yes                                    No     1            2          3          4          5      

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

Avoiding  Confounds

How  much  do  you  like  our  product  and  think  you  would  recommend  it  to  your  friends?Not  at  all           Very  much     1            2          3          4          5          6          7

How  much  do  you  like  our  product?  !!How  likely  are  you  to  recommend  our  product  to  your  friends?

Not  at  all           Very  much     1            2          3          4          5          6          7

Not  at  all           Very  much     1            2          3          4          5          6          7

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

Reverse  Scoring

• I  would  recommend  Product  X.  !

• I  like  Product  X.  !

• Product  X  helped  me  lose  weight.  !

• Product  X  is  different  from  anything  else  ever.

• I  would  not  recommend  Product  X.  !

• I  do  not  like  Product  X.  !

• Product  X  did  not  help  me  lose  weight.  !

• There  are  many  products  like  Product  X.

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

WHAT  ENHANCEMENTS  SHOULD  COME  NEXT?

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

“Paper”  Prototyping

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)http://www.klasharris.com/

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)http://blog.shamess.info/

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

http://ctumaghap.wordpress.com/

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

Balsamiq  Mockups

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

HOW  WILL  PEOPLE  ACTUALLY  USE  THIS  PRODUCT?

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

Observational  Research

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

Products  of  Observation

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

HOW  SHOULD  I  MARKET  THIS  PRODUCT?

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

Experience  Mapping

Start Then Then

ThenThenThen

Then Then Now

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

“Feelings  Toolkits”

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

Plotting  Claims

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

IDEA  GENERATION

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

Focus  Groups

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

The  cast

!!!!!!

• Moderator  • Participants

!!!!!!

• Observers

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

Optimizing  Your  Group

• Recruitment  criteria  !

• Moderator/facilitator  guide  !

• Props  or  stimuli

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

DOES  THIS  PRODUCT  WORK?

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

In-­‐Depth  Interviews  (IDIs)

• Usually  a  single  respondent  • Use  open-­‐ended  questions  • Have  a  semi-­‐structured  format  • Seek  understanding  • Audio-­‐  or  video-­‐recorded

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

Advantages  of  IDIs  vs.  Focus  Groups

Build  rapport Probe  more  deeply

Discuss  sensitive  topicsLess  expensive

Less  directive

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

I  NEED  TO  FIX  SOMETHING!  PRIORITIZING  IMPROVEMENTS

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

What  is  the    smallest    

action  that  matters?  

!

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

Amy  Bucher,  Ph.D.  (amy.bucher@gmail.com)

Additional  Resources

• Balsamiq  Mockups:  http://balsamiq.com/  • LaunchRock:  http://launchrock.co/  • Unbounce:  http://unbounce.com/  • GreenBook:  http://www.greenbook.org/  • Stanford  D-­‐School:  http://dschool.stanford.edu/use-­‐our-­‐methods/  

• Usability.gov:  http://www.usability.gov/what-­‐and-­‐why/user-­‐research.html  

Course Title  Course Title

INSTRUCTOR NAME