Design as Experiment: Writing

Awesome UX Hypotheses

PDX UX

Wednesday, June 25 2014

Julie Booth - @uxsuccess

2

When I was in 5th grade I learned about the “scientific method”

We make an "educated guess."

We write a hypothesis.

We set out to prove or disprove the hypothesis.

3

Hypothesis"Everything you do—every action you take in product development, in marketing, every conversation you have—is an experiment. If you can conceptualize your work not as building features, not as launching campaigns, but as running experiments, you can get radically more done with less effort."— Eric Ries, Author of The Lean Startup http://theleanstartup.com/

4

A good hypothesis• Clear• Written as a simple

statement• Defines variables

• Participants (who)• Variables (what’s involved)• Prediction of an outcome

(evidence)

• Testable

"If _____[I do this] _____, then _____[this]_____ will happen."

5

Lean LearningWrite

Hypothesis

Make MVP

Run Experiment

Act on Evidence

Assumption

Hypothesis

Experiment

Evidence

(something accepted as true without proof)

(the belief you need to test)

(the procedure undertaken to test)

(the indicator of outcome)

6

Break in to Teams of 3-6 People

7

Users

Needs

Uses

Features

Our UX Experiment Stack

UI, IA, IxD

Think

Make

Check

Concept goes here

Customer/Problem Hypotheses:

What assumptions about your customers and their problems do you have that, if you are incorrect, your product will fail?

Solution/Outcome Hypotheses:

What features will yield positive outcomes for the customer and the business?

http://www.slideshare.net/intelleto/lean-ux-meetupvegashypotheses201307

8

User/Needs (aka: Customer/Problem) HypothesesWe believe [this statement about our customers is true] for [this reason], we will know we are [right/wrong] when we see the following feedback: [qualitative and/or quantitative and/or KPI change].

We believe busy parents will pay for their kids to use the project center for the upcoming science fair because they have no time or energy to help their kid come up with an award-winning entry, we will know we are right when 10 interested parents respond to ads placed on the bulletin board and call us asking about our service by next week.

What is the smallest thing you can do to prove the need is there?

How will you know you’ve succeeded?

9

What assumptions do you have about your customers do you have that IF THEY ARE WRONG will doom your product idea?

Find the riskiest one.

We believe [this statement about our customers is true] for [this reason], we will know we are [right/wrong] when we see the following feedback: [qualitative and/or quantitative and/or KPI change].

Try it! – 5 Min

10

Solutions Thinking “UXrs” are really good at testing hypotheses about how capabilities provide value through use.

11

Solution/Outcome HypothesesWhat assumptions about how people will use your product do you have that, if you are incorrect, your product will fail?

We believe [this statement about feature use providing value is true], we will know we are [right/wrong] when we see the following feedback: [qualitative and/or quantitative and/or KPI change]

We believe Julie will use our science journal feature on her tablet because it is easier to use and more convenient then writing in a paper lab book. We will know this after we test 25 representative users comparing our prototype with a paper lab book and +15 participants express a preference for the tablet.

What is the smallest thing you can do to prove that this capability will provide value through use?

How will you know you’ve succeeded?

12

Try it! (15 minutes)What assumptions do you have about features that will yield positive outcomes for the customer and the business?

Write down 1

We believe [this statement about feature use providing value is true], we will know we are [right/wrong] when we see the following feedback: [qualitative and/or quantitative and/or KPI change]

13

Report outs!!

14

What Next?• Choose one of your hypothesis • Build something that you can test.• Make sure you have a defined indicator of

result• Test• Iterate

Thank you for a really fun time

jb@juliebooth.com

503.312.8685

@uxsuccess

Back up

15

16

Some Resources• Book: Lean UX: Applying Lean Principles to Improve User Experience Jeff Gothelf

(Author), Josh Seiden (Editor)• Book: UX for Lean Startups: Faster, Smarter User Experience Research and Design by

Laura Klein• The 10 Principles of Successful Lean Product Teams - luxr.co article• https://experiments.javelin.com/• http://www.startuplessonslearned.com/2009/08/minimum-viable-product-guide.html

t.

• http://techcrunch.com/2011/10/19/dropbox-minimal-viable-product/• Lean UX: Getting Out Of The Deliverables Business - Jeff Gothelf @ Smashing UX• http://www.pinterest.com/jbbooth/lean-ux/

17

What is “MVP”• the minimum viable product is that version of a new product which

allows a team to collect the maximum amount of validated learning about customers with the least effort – Eric Ries

• http://www.startuplessonslearned.com/2009/08/minimum-viable-product-guide.htmlt.

• http://techcrunch.com/2011/10/19/dropbox-minimal-viable-product/

18http://luxr.co/10_principles_of_lean_user_experience

 Lean UX unites product development and business, through constant measurement and “learning loops”

19

• Moved to Portland 6 months ago

• Lives in SE• Works downtown• Single• 35 years old• Makes 80K • Works at a software

startup

• Goes out to lunch every day at the food carts

• Uses an iPhone and FaceTime to keep in touch with friends

• Needs to meet new people who share his interest in fusion soul food and reggae music

Taste Buds

Trevor

Why are we creating this App?So Trevor can meet fun and interesting people who share his interest and want to eat lunch at the food carts.When are we done?When Trevor can get connected to a random person who is going to have lunch at the carts, recognize them by appearance, and confirm a time and cart to meet at. What does success look like for our user?Trevor is meeting a bunch of cool people who like cart food and music. He looks forward to getting pinged by his phone to tell him who he is meeting for lunch today!

20

• Celebrated her 50th birthday last summer

• Lives in SW Portland• Married• Makes 90K• Works for an insurance

company getting claims information

• Uses a smart phone to calendar and set reminders

• Seeing a naturopath for menopause symptoms

• On the go all day long• Overwhelmed • Needs to feel like she is

keeping up with her diet, exercise, acupuncture and nutritional supplement regime

Doctor’s Orders

Doris

Why are we creating this App?Doris needs to be reminded to take her supplements before she eats her meals three times a day, and she needs a record that she’s been taking them to report back to her doctor when she sees her next month. When are we done?When Doris can get a notification that it’s time to take her supplements (which ones and how much) see that she’s taken all of her supplements for the day. What does success look like for our user?Doris is taking all of her supplements at the appropriate times during the day and can see how she’s done with taking them over time.

21

• 48 years old• Lives in Woodstock in

transitional sober housing

• Divorced• Employed Part time –

Work Release Program (also has to check in with Parole Officer weekly)

• Uses his iPhone to listen to music and watch YouTube video.

• Recently released from prison

• Working a 12 step program of recovery

• Needs some help refocusing to positive behavior when he feels overwhelmed and agitated.

Pause When Agitated

Peter

Why are we creating this App?Peter needs a distraction when he is agitated so that he can take a pause and gain control over his impulses. When are we done?When Peter can use his phone while he is at the height of anxiety to quickly see a calming distraction that reminds him to pause, breathe, and call his sponsor (or other alternative behavior)What does success look like for our user?Peter uses his phone to calm down instead of getting into trouble again.

22

• 32 years old• Lives in Hillsboro• Married• Makes 125K• Software developer for

a large corporation

• Uses a smart phone listen to music while she works.

• Uses time management software on her laptop to remind her to take a break.

• Just bought a portable stepper for her cube so she can do more exercise.

• Needs to be reminded to stop working and get on the stepper for a few minutes every hour

Burst! Training

Brinda

Why are we creating this App?Brinda needs help to take a break every hour and get in her 8 minutes of 1 minute burst stepping a day. When are we done?When Brinda can get an alert while she is listening to music on her phone that prompts her to stop work, gives her time to get on the stepper, motivates her to go as fast as she can for 60 sec, and then lets her know when she is done.What does success look like for our user?Brinda starts using her stepper

23

• 25 years old• Lives in North Portland

– shares an apartment with roommates

• In a relationship• Makes 40K a year plus

tips• Works in the hospitality

industry on the late night shift.

• Uses her iPhone for everything

• Has blackout shades in the bedroom so she can sleep during the day.

• Needs to be shocked out of sleep or she won’t get up.

• Suffers insomnia worrying about getting up on time.

Scary Mommy Alarm

Why are we creating this App?Scarlett can’t get out of bed to get to her night job. She’s been using the iPhone alarm but it is not powerful enough to rouse her, or she hits SNOOZE over and over again and falls back asleep. When are we done?When Scarlett can be woken from her phone by her mother’s voice screaming to “get out of bed now” combined with flashing light. She can’t snooze. She can’t or turn off the alarm until she is up and has done something physical or cognitive. What does success look like for our user?Scarlett can set her alarm knowing it will wake her, so she can get some sleep!

Scarlett