How to ask the right questions and get more value from user research.

1. Psychology in UX-Getting Out of the BuildingHow to ask the right questions and get more value from user research
Presented by AgileThought UX Designer, Seth Jacobs

2. Overview –major points for discussion
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•User research overview
•How questions are utilized in user research
•Why you get certain types of answers
•How to formulate the right kind of question
•How gathered data can generate thought models

3. User research in the world todayThe primary steps a user researcher utilizes in the world today:
1) Identify Objectives:What do you need to know?
2) Form Hypotheses: What do you know/expect/anticipate?
3) Initiate Methods: How do you plan to obtain the data you need?
4)Gather Data: Extract data from the methods you’ve initiated.
5) Use Data: Take the data you’ve collected and use it to make decisions.
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4. Current research methods
In no particular order:
1) Market Research:What does the market look like, what are people saying, etc.
2)Interviews: Observational, Contextual
3) Surveys: We all know what a survey is.
4) Trend Research: Discover what’s currently popular in the world.
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5. How we ask questions
Our personal mindset and the questions we ask greatly affect the outcome of interviews and surveys. Are the questions we’re asking ‘rigging’ the outcome?
Let’s differentiate two types of questions you may ask:
Narrow Questions
•What do you think about the color?
•Does the navigation feel intuitive?
•Does the navigation feel fast or slow to you?
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6. How we ask questions
Our personal mindset and the questions we ask greatly affect the outcome of interviews and surveys. Are the questions we’re asking ‘rigging’ the outcome?
Let’s differentiate two types of questions you may ask:
Narrow Questions
•What do you think about the color?
•Does the navigation feel intuitive?
•Does it feel fast or slow to you?
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Broad Questions
•How do you feel about this screen?
•What was it like moving through the application?
•When opening this screen what impact does it have on you?

7. The answers we get
When we ask narrow questions, we get narrow answers. When we ask broad and non- leading questions, the user feedback you get is more raw and thus valuable. Subsequently, the data you gather becomes more powerful.
User Answers
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Does the navigation feel intuitive?
It’s ok. The font looks really small on the navigation, that could make it hard to see.
What was it like moving through the application?
•I had no problems getting where I needed to be.
•It was somewhat hard to add games to my profile.
•It took me a minute to find the payment settings.
“You only need about five users at a minimum.”
-Nielsen Norman

8. What influences answers?
Understanding the mental and physiological impact of the questions you ask is crucial. What goes on inside one’s head? What are some typical habits to factor in when drafting questions for user research?
Here are a few major influences to look for:
•User researchers often have their own ideas.
•Sometimes the questions asked are formulated to prove the researcher’s own ideas.
•Each person is different and so is the hierarchy of their thoughts.
•The brain’s Neocortex contains a hierarchy of thought pattern recognizers that ultimately outlines a user’s thought process. Answers given by a user stems from where your question falls within their hierarchy of thoughts.
•People don’t want more work than necessary. They easily overload on data and their memory is fragile.
•People seek social validation and recognition.
•Answers given could stem from a desire to be social.
•Oxytocin levels vary and change from person to person –no two people are the same.
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9. How to form questions
The ultimate goal when asking questions is to get as much data as possible. With some practice, it becomes easy and rewarding to question and counter-question a user.
Hereare a few question templates:
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General
1) What kind of impact did xyzhave on you?
2) How do you feel about this xyz?
3) What was xyzlike from your viewpoint?
4) How would you describe xyz?
5) What part of the xyzbrings you the most value?
Workflow-based
1) Can you tell me about your experience with the storearea?
2) How was the storearea from your viewpoint?
3) What was it like using the storesection?

10. Form thought models
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User personas can sometimes become ambiguous to people. Use your data to form a hierarchy of thoughts that aptly reflects your targeted user. It will help you identify where to prioritize your efforts.
Social:Bonding
Social:Recognition
Seek:Gaming Knowledge
Critical Thinking:Gaming Strategy
Memory: Reconstruct Success
Memory:Reconstruct Failure
Social: Material Possessions
Seek:New Games
Seek:New Products
Multi:Change Games
Competitive Gamer: Gaming Thought Branch Ages: 14-30
Deep thought
Medium Thought
Light Thought

11. Seth Jacobs is a UX Practice Lead at AgileThought and an active UX Evangelist in the startup community. He has over 10 years of professional experience in UI/UX design and consults many Fortune 500 companies and startups on their product experiences.
About Seth
Thank You
@SirSethers
Questions? Email me at Seth.Jacobs@agilethought.com 11
linkedin.com/in/sethjacobsux