Next presentation is @RuthEllison & @UXmich — 10 things not to say to a UX researcher.
#uxaustralia #uxaustralia2020
#uxaustralia #uxaustralia2020
1. Research is a craft.
"Isn't your job just chatting to people?"
There is a misconception when people first learn about research is that they think it is easy, and anyone can do it. This devalues the craft.
You need to bring people along every step of the process.
"Isn't your job just chatting to people?"
There is a misconception when people first learn about research is that they think it is easy, and anyone can do it. This devalues the craft.
You need to bring people along every step of the process.
"Why do you need to do research? Can't you just design based on your experience?"
While there are many frameworks we can use to accelerate our design work but we need to do the work to capture the context of your current design.
While there are many frameworks we can use to accelerate our design work but we need to do the work to capture the context of your current design.
"My team can do user research, they did a half day user research 101 training"
Without the right amount of time and thinking behind it, initiating people to going out and speaking with people doesn't always mean you're going to get better insights.
Without the right amount of time and thinking behind it, initiating people to going out and speaking with people doesn't always mean you're going to get better insights.
2. Valuing the research process
"Can I have a quote from your research or the sales poster for a conference"
Our participants sign a consent form, not a release form, meaning we can't use them for marketing material.
It's important we uphold our ethical frameworks.
"Can I have a quote from your research or the sales poster for a conference"
Our participants sign a consent form, not a release form, meaning we can't use them for marketing material.
It's important we uphold our ethical frameworks.
"We need to safe money so we're not paying incentives"
People ought to be compensated so we can show them that we value their time.
Monetary incentives make respondents more likely to participate in research.
People ought to be compensated so we can show them that we value their time.
Monetary incentives make respondents more likely to participate in research.
3. Embed research throughout
"No, you can't meet with the executive they're too busy, just go through me"
It's important for researchers to know what will make a project successful for a senior stakeholder.
"No, you can't meet with the executive they're too busy, just go through me"
It's important for researchers to know what will make a project successful for a senior stakeholder.
"There isn't time to do analysis. Can't you sum up the findings from your memory after the sessions."
Researchers are given only a few hours to come up with insights. Direction changing deep insights need deep thinking time.
Researchers are given only a few hours to come up with insights. Direction changing deep insights need deep thinking time.
"We're bringing you in to make sure people can use it (at the ned of a project)"
Having a culture of 'box ticking' research creates products going live that isn't usable OR useful.
Having a culture of 'box ticking' research creates products going live that isn't usable OR useful.
4. Include research in the decision making process.
"You don't need to be in the strategy meeting, just the product manager goes to that"
There's an expectation that the research will just go research what they're told in a transactional relationship.
"You don't need to be in the strategy meeting, just the product manager goes to that"
There's an expectation that the research will just go research what they're told in a transactional relationship.
Don't exclude you research from the decision making process because they can bring perspectives to the table due to their proximity to the users.
"If you just provide us with a specification document, the developers will build it from there"
It's unlikely that your product is going to look and work as intended if without having the context of research during the development process.
It's unlikely that your product is going to look and work as intended if without having the context of research during the development process.
1. Research is a craft
Support your researchers to do what they do best
2. Value the research process
Look to your researchers for guidance
Support your researchers to do what they do best
2. Value the research process
Look to your researchers for guidance
3. Embed research throughout
Otherwise you are at risk of solving the wrong problem
4. Include researchers in decision making
They will uphold the voice of the user
Otherwise you are at risk of solving the wrong problem
4. Include researchers in decision making
They will uphold the voice of the user
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