User-centered UX:Bringing the User into

the Design Process

#usercenteredUX | @saturdave

PhillyCHILeadnomics - Philadelphia

October 9, 2014

User Experience

If users are not a part of your process, you’re not

doing UX.

Grammenos, Dimitris. “Stupidity, Ignorance, and Nonsense as Tools for Creative Thinking” in interactions, September-October 2014 (volume xxi.5): pp. 56—59.

Einstellung Effect

ExpertExpert

Listen. Watch. Think.

Be curious.

Involve users.

So let’s talk research.

Choose the Right Method• Each has its strengths & weaknesses

• Qualitative for rich descriptive data

• Quantitative for numerical data

• They work best when combined⭐️

Indirect User ResearchContent InventoryCustomer SupportWeb AnalyticsCognitive Walkthrough Competitor ReviewHeuristic EvaluationContextual Observation

Direct User Research

SurveysInterviewsFocus Groups / PanelsWorkshopsContextual InquiryShadowingCard Sorts

Product Reaction CardsDiary StudyImage CollagingPrototype TestingUsability TestingEyetrackingCo-design Sessions

Research Continua

In-person

Lab Setting

Small Sample

Qualitative

Remote

Contextual Study

Large Sample

Quantitative

A Very Good Place to StartContent Inventory

Customer Support

Web Analytics

Competitor Review

Surveys

Interviews

Contextual Inquiry

Card Sorts

Study Deliverables• Consent Form• Recruiting Screener• Test Plan• Test Guide / Script• Testing Schedule • Study Artifacts• Study Checklist⭐️

Consent Form

1. Date & Location2. Reason for the Study3. Compensation4. Confidentiality5. Usage of Recordings

Test Plan

1. Goal2. Focus Areas3. Methodology4. Timeline5. Location6. Participants7. Findings & Recommendations

Get the Right People• Formalize the recruitment process

• Create a recruiting screener

• Consider recruitment methods carefully

• Start recruiting early⭐️

Recruitment MethodsEmail ListsCustomer PanelsMarket Research FirmsContextual SolicitationOnline InterceptCraigslistReddit

Mechanical Turk

Ask the Right Questions• Focus on behavior, not opinion

• Use the user’s language

• Keep questions simple

• Don’t ask a question when you can observe⭐️

Use What You Have• Use deliverables you already

produce

• Leverage existing proceses

• Enlist members of your team / the client

• Find & use current user connections⭐️

Communicate Results• Get stakeholders to attend sessions

• Share the user’s “pain” (videos & quotes)

• Socialize findings with design team

• Schedule your research activities⭐️

There is no one right method.

Small. Repeated. Frequent.

The User-centered UX challenge

1. Stop designing for a bit and watch your users

2. Change one of your routine design practices

3. Talk to someone in your shop you’ve never spoken

to before

4. Do a bit of indirect research and share the

results

5. Do a quick user test

This ain’t science.

It’s user-centered ❤ ser Experience.

Thank You.

This presentation can be found atslideshare.net/saturdave

Dave Cookseydave@saturdave.com