mobile usability research in a pinch
TRANSCRIPT
MOBILE USABILITY RESEARCH
IN A PINCH All Things Open
Thursday, October 27, 16
Hi, I’m Erin.
• UXer for over a decade.
• Founder of Slide UX, a UX design
consultancy in Austin, TX
• Gets to lead 10 of the greatest UX
designers & researchers in all the land.
• Has AMAZING clients - who often have to
get things done on a budget.
So, we need to test this with real users, but the board will freak out if we have to delay the app’s release. Oh, and there’s, like, no budget for this. – Our well-intentioned client, Tom
“
Confidential 4
Tom’s right. Usability testing pays off.
• ↓ development rework
• ↓ support costs
• ↑ conversion rates
• ↑ engagement
• ↑ retention
• ↑ competitive advantage
5 Confidential
BEFORE DURING AFTER
5 Confidential
BEFORE
1. What do we want to learn?
2. What’s the stimuli?
3. What about participants?
4. Where & how will we test?
5. Spread the word
What do we want to learn?
Most often:
• Uncover unknown problems with the current
design.
• Investigate particular interactions, features, or
areas of contention within the design.
What’s the stimuli?
• What will we test: A native app? Design
prototype?
• Who’s making it and who can support it during
the tests?
• Timing: When can we preview? When will it be
ready for test?
What about participants?
• Screening. Only what’s needed to hit goals.
• Recruiting.
• Who’ll recruit? Sales team, product team, UX, hired help
• How: Site intercepts? Pre-scheduled?
• When? If pre-sched, start 2 weeks before test date.
• Scheduling & reminders.
How & where will we test?
• Remote or in-person?
• If In-person: lab, office, users’ place, users’
hangouts?
• Moderated or unmoderated?
• Specialized tools or simple web conference?
• Will we provide devices?
Spread the word
• Calendar invites for moderator, notetaker,
prototypers, and observers
• ‘What to expect’ memo for observers – chat,
note-taking, debreifs, etc.
• FYI memo to those in the office
12 Confidential
BEFORE DURING AFTER
DURING 1. Set up the space & technology
2. Collaborate in real time
Set up the space & technology
• Ideally quiet & isolated from distractions
• Two web cams: Face, Hands
• A square box of painter’s tape
• Printed materials: printed prototype, consent,
incentive receipt
• Streaming, recording, and chat
Collaborate in real-time
• Live chat with moderator
• Rainbow spreadsheet or Google Doc for
observations during test
• Team debrief after each session
16 Confidential
BEFORE DURING AFTER
It’s triage time!
• Rewatch & flesh out rainbow spreadsheet
• Triage each item as a team
• Straight to dev backlog
• Design backlog
• More research needed
• Kill
IN CONCLUSION
• Establish goals
• Plan stimuli
• Target participants
• Determine methodology
• Spread the word
Confidential 18
BEFORE
IN CONCLUSION
• Establish goals
• Plan stimuli
• Target participants
• Determine methodology
• Spread the word
Confidential 19
• Set up the space &
technology
• Collaborate in real time
BEFORE DURING
IN CONCLUSION
• Establish goals
• Plan stimuli
• Target participants
• Determine methodology
• Spread the word
Confidential 20
• Set up the space &
technology
• Collaborate in real time
• Rewatch & flesh out rainbow
spreadsheet
• Triage each item as a team
BEFORE DURING AFTER
