Karri Ojanen Director, Digital Experience – Momentum Digital Solutions

What Is User Research?

“User research focuses on understanding user behaviors, needs, and motivations through observation techniques, task analysis, and other feedback methodologies. This field of research aims at improving the usability of products by incorporating experimental and observational research methods to guide the design, development, and refinement of a product.”

How Often Do You Research Your Users?

85% 50% 15%

Very often! Half the time! Very rarely!

What Methodology Are You Familiar With?

(CC) Daniel X. O’neil!

Personas! Testing!

Fictional Personas

We know far too little about most types of users, so we work off anecdotes, popular-media portrayals, gut instinct, and Google all too often.

Testing the Design ≠ Learning About Users

Testing a design teaches you about your users and their needs, but it’s limited to the context and designs you’ve created. You’ve made assumptions about the user which you’re trying to validate.

Seeing

Device

Doing (BEHAVIOR)

Thinking (FRAMING)

Hearing

Feeling (MOTIVATIONS)

Time Relationships Place

CONTEXT!

I Would Do Some Real Research But…

There is no budget. (The client doesn’t want to pay for research.) There is no time. (The client doesn’t want to pay for research.) The team wants to start building. Your boss says you’re already supposed to know your users. You can do some testing later. The research has no practical use.

Do It For Your Own Sake

Interview people… Watch the movies they’d watch. Listen to their music. Visit the places they visit. Observe them in real situations. You’ll find new motivation for your work.

Experience Mapping

Helps to see and understand the real customer journey. Helps to avoid a templated, channel-based approach. Helps to develop the best product roadmap. Helps to prioritize between competing deliverables. Helps to bring different teams together for a common goal.

Thank You

@karrio