getting effective answers from research sessions

Chris How, Information Architect, Cogapp

@chrishow

Wednesday, 6 July 2011

How to get effective

and actionable

answers from

research sessions.

UPA International Conference 2011


@chrishow


I work at Cogapp, a digital

media and user experience

agency based in Brighton,

England.

I’ve worked with clients including:

/ Arts Council England

/ British Film Institute

/ The Children’s Society

/ Dorling Kingsley

/ Home Office

/ National Portrait Gallery

/ Social Care Institute for Excellence

/ Transport for London


Research is easy

I’d like to share an approach to thinking

about research, with some tips, tricks

and experiences gained from

running usability sessions.


A story about research


Right environment

Purpose > Prepare > Explore > Focus > Action >

Purpose ofresearch

Right people

Right questions Report

Analyse Reflect

Actionableanswers


Right environment


Thinking about research

Purpose ofresearch

Right people


Analyse Reflect

Actionableanswers


Purpose

Have a clear direction


Right people

Right environment Right questions


Right people

Right environment Right questions

Prepare


Credit: FotografiaBasica, istockphoto.com

Recruit people who belong in the space you are researching


Credit: FotografiaBasica, istockphoto.com

Recruit people who belong in the space you are researching

Right People

Find & talk to the right people


Shortcuts in recruiting lead to shortfall in insight


Shortcuts in recruiting lead to shortfall in insight

Right People



Try recruiting yourself. Recruit on behaviours above demographics


Right People


Try recruiting yourself. Recruit on behaviours above demographics


Right People

Find & talk to the right peopleParticipants are your key ingredient,

take time to source them.

Do the recruiting yourself.

Think hard about who will give you the

insight you need and where you can find

them.

Create a screener and selection criteria

led by behaviour and not demographics.


What question would you ask if you only had 45 seconds to get it answered?

Credit: diego_cervo, istockphoto.com


Right questions

What to ask? How to ask it?

What question would you ask if you only had 45 seconds to get it answered?

Credit: diego_cervo, istockphoto.com


People reveal so much more when asked to show you than when asked to tell you


Right questions

What to ask? How to ask it?

People reveal so much more when asked to show you than when asked to tell you


Right questions

What to ask? How to ask it?Find questions that get people to show

you, where you can observe their

behaviour.

Get participants to undertake realistic

and natural tasks. Take time to discover

what these tasks are.

Ask yourself why am I asking this

question? What am I going to do with the

answer?

Be interested in the subject being

researched.


Credit: w-ings, istockphoto.com


Right environment

Where and how to do research?

Credit: w-ings, istockphoto.com


Right environment



Right environment

Where and how to do research?People don’t like being tested. Save the

talk of ‘user testing’, ‘lab based research’

and ‘testing facilities’ for your client.

People like to be helpful and have their

opinion listened to. Give participants

control and put them in the driving seat.

Use appropriate tools to collect the

evidence you need and include your

clients and colleagues in the back room

to add their observations.

Make research fun, be inventive.


Report

Analyse Reflect


Focus

Report

Analyse Reflect


Credit: beyhanyazar, istockphoto.com


Analyse

Making sense of your data

Credit: beyhanyazar, istockphoto.com


Analyse

Making sense of your data

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Analyse

Making sense of your dataRevisit your statement on the purpose

of the research.

Thinking tools free up thinking time.

What can you use to quickly see the

patterns in the data?

Give yourself time and space to view

the data from a range of perspectives

and segment it by a range of

behaviours.

Beware the compelling person and the

compelling quote.

Talk through your thinking, share your

thoughts and be challenged.


Reflect

Know the problem to find the solution


Reflect

Know the problem

to find the solution

Only when you fully understand the

problem can you start thinking about

possible solutions.

What does it all mean? Look and look

again - this is the literal translation of

research.

As a consultant don’t just report what

you found but interpret the findings

and offer recommendations that your

client can implement.


Report

How to tell the story?


Make your report compelling, tell the

story focussing on recommendations

that drive action.

Concentrate on the most vital findings

to communicate and employ a

presentation style appropriate for the

audience.

Think about what your client needs to

persuade their stakeholders.

Provide your evidence and share all

your data.

Report

How to tell the story?


Right environment


Purpose ofresearch

Right people


Analyse Reflect

Actionableanswers


Right environment


Purpose ofresearch

Right people


Analyse Reflect

Actionableanswers

Research is only valuable if it drives action


Actionable answers result in ...


Actionable answers result in ...

Credit: Clotheyes, flickr.com



@chrishow


How to get effective

and actionable

answers from

research sessions.

Thank you for listening. Time for questions.


@chrishow


getting effective answers from research sessions

Technology