User Tools

Site Tools


Writing /app/www/public/data/meta/design/usability_-_research.meta failed
design:usability_-_research

Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revisionPrevious revision
Next revision
Previous revision
design:usability_-_research [2017/10/31 11:29] mmccdesign:usability_-_research [2021/06/25 10:09] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
Line 1: Line 1:
 +====== Usability - Research ======
 +
 +Author: Michelle McCausland
 +
 +This page contains the notes taken from the UX training course "UX Foundation Online" provided by [[http://uxtraining.com|UXTraining.com]]
 +
 +===== Types of Research =====
 +Research can be categorized in 2 ways:
 +
 +**1. Qualitative** 
 +  *  Unstructured
 +  *  e.g. usability testing
 +  *  not measurable
 +  *  provides deep insights
 +  *  is classed as a "soft science"
 +
 +**2. Quantitative**
 +  * structured
 +  * measurable
 +  * numerical
 +  * produces graphs and data
 +  * is classed as a "hard science"
 +
 +**Remember this: I am not the target audience!**
 +
 +User research is critically important, assumptions are dangerous.
 +
 +----
 +
 +===== Usability Testing =====
 +
 +  * The goal of usability testing is to observe what people do / how they interact with the software
 +  * Camtasia / Silverback are pro software tools for screen capture
 +  * It is important to be able to record on screen actions as well as facial expressions.
 +
 +**Benefits of Usability Testing:**
 +  *  Is the best method to gather requirements
 +  *  It presents the product from a user's perspective
 +  *  It challenges and validates assumptions
 +  *  It produces behavioral data - what people do
 +
 +**Goals behaviors context are important when considering usability.**
 +
 +**What you should learn from usability testing:**
 +  *  What users are trying to do (goals)
 +  *  What user do (behavior)
 +  *  How the product helps the user to achieve their goals (context)
 +  *  Identify pain points
 +  *  Identify how the product compares to competitors
 +
 +Each usability test should have a clearly defined set of test objectives.
 +
 +Define clear goals.
 +
 +Be specific - don't try to cover everything.
 +
 +**Create a usability test script:**
 +  * Practice/run through prior to test
 +  *      Is a useful memory aid to keep you on track
 +  *      Specifies the task to be completed
 +  *      Specifies questions to be asked
 +  *      Start with natural tasks then move onto pre-defined tasks
 +  *      Ask lots of what/why questions
 +     
 +**Important to state the following to set the tester's mind at ease:**
 +  * There are no right or wrong answers
 +  *      We are not testing you, we are testing the software
 +  *      Don't be afraid to speak your mind
 +  *      Think out loud, describe what you are doing
 +
 +**What you need to perform a usability test:**
 + * Tester
 + * moderator
 + * note taker
 + * laptop with mirrored display
 + * screen capture software (would webex work?)
 +
 +**Tips for moderating:**
 +
 +  * Ask the right type of questions
 +  *      Rehearse
 +  *      Know the product 
 +  *      Never tell the tester what to do
 +  *      Never take the mouse
 +
 +**Avoid**
 +  * Direct Yes/No questions
 +  * Avoid leading questions
 +  * Avoid future focused hypothetical questions
 +  * No design questions
 +
 +**Try Instead**
 +  * What & Why questions
 +  * What are you looking for/at
 +  * What info do you need to continue and why
 +  * Specific questions about the past
 +  * task questions
 +
 +**Q - What should I test?**
 +**Existing Product**
 +  * The current version
 +  * A prototype of the new design/ designs
 +  * Competitors
 +
 +**New Product**
 +  * Competitors
 +  * Prototype
 +
 +**Q - When to test?**
 +  * Test early and test often!
 +  * Why throwaway prototypes exist
 +
 +----
 +
 +===== Online Surveys =====
 +
 +Online Surveys
 + * Easiest way to gather user requirements
 + * Both quantitative and qualitative
 + * Powerful and unambiguous
 + * Cheap/free
 + * E.g. Survey Monkey
 +
 +**Types of questions on surveys:**
 + 1. Structured - provide structured answers - quantitative
 + 2. Unstructured - provide unstructured data - qualitative
 +
 +**3 Golden Questions to ask:**
 + 1. Why did you visit out website today?
 + 2. Were you able to complete you task today?
 + 3. What you you change about our site?
 +
 +**Guidelines:**
 + * Never ask more than 10 questions on a survey
 + * Keep question on 1 page 
 + * Only ask genuinely useful questions
 +
 +
 +----
 +===== Customer Interviews =====
 +
 +"The Mom Test" - Book re. customer interviews
 +
 +**Objectives of customer interviews:**
 + * Understanding customer problems
 + * Understanding customer goals
 + * Understand context of use
 +
 +
 +**What doesn't work during an interview:**
 + * Asking for product feedback
 + * Asking for detailed page design feedback
 + * Asking about the future
 + * Avoid talking a lot
 + * We only want to identify the goals and the problems we are trying to solve
 +
 +
 +Interview Flow (like a funnel):
 +
 +\        Intro        /
 +      General     /
 +      \ Specific /
 +
 +More specifics:
 +
 + 1. Introduction
 + 2. Easy questions
 + 3. Specific recent examples
 + 4. Dissect examples
 + 5. Pain points
 + 6. recap
 +
 +
 +**Interview Guidelines:**
 + * Don't be a robot!
 + * Don't be afraid to deviate from the script so 
 + * Always record interviews
 +
 +----
 +
 +===== Stakeholder Interviews =====
 +
 +Consider the business perspective - feasibility, viability, desirability
 +
 +Who to talk to - anyone who has a stake in the product, anyone who provides requirements
 +
 +**Stakeholder interview guidelines:**
 + * To understand the business
 + * To understand the goals
 + * To identify competitors
 + * To get buy in - build relationships - opinions matter
 +
 +