As designers, we know we should be doing research, testing and iteration as part of our design process, but those things are often what gets bypassed in favour of ‘getting it done’. This talk will discuss the different types of research we can perform on digital projects, how to conduct effective research, and how to test our designs with real users to uncover important insights into our projects. I’ll also discuss how to sell the added time and cost to bosses and clients, and how to do it on a shoestring budget. I’ve performed UX research and testing for a number of our clients at Headspace and I’ve also applied it to our own software startup, so I have good case studies to show a practical application of the knowledge.

1. GUERILLA
UX
RESEARCH
by @kyleracki

2. The typical process

3. What is UX?

4. UX is objectively learning
about your users’ collective
needs, context and behaviour so
that you can craft the best possible
experience for them.

5. We know we should do it

6. What clients think:
1. I know my audience
2. Aren’t you the experts?

7. Agency Process
Kick-off meeting
Briefing
Online research
Design
Presentation
Feedback/Revisions
Approval
Launch
Invoice/Drink
Idea
Validate
Uncover solution
Build MVP
Launch MVP
Beta Testing
Surveys
Iterate
Launch

8. What startup founders say:
1. We already talk to our users
2. We already do unit/QA/beta testing

9. Startup Process
Kick-off meeting
Briefing
Online research
Design
Presentation
Feedback/Revisions
Approval
Launch
Invoice/Drink
Idea
Validate
Uncover solution
Build MVP
Launch MVP
Beta Testing
Surveys
Iterate
Launch

10. THERE’S NO TIME!

11. OK, but how do we go about it?

12. Research steps
1. Define the problem.
2. Select the approach.
3. Plan and prepare.
4. Collect the data.
5. Analyze the data.
6. Report the results.

13. User Persona

14. Affinity Diagram

15. A case study: proposify.biz
SHAMELESS
PLUG

16. FART

17. Old Interface

18. User Persona’s
Jack Brown
Job: Freelance copywriter
Quote: “Make me look like a rock-star with the
least amount of effort on my part”
Demographics: 45 year old male.
Behaviours:
Tasks: Write a proposal after meeting with a
potential client who was referred to him
Wants: To spend less time on the proposal since
as a freelancer, his time is his livelihood
Needs: To get a persuasive proposal written the lands him the work
Goals: Win the client with a minimal amount of time and effort
Emotions: Winning the project makes him feel secure about having
enough money for the next 2 months and he goes out to celebrate when
he wins the new client. Losing the bid adds stress and anxiety, and now
he has to hunt for a new client.
Leah MacLeod
Job: Account Manager
Quote: “Make my job easier by taking hours off of my
proposal writing process”
Demographics: 28 year old female.
Behaviours:
Tasks: Respond to RFP, facilitate proposal, involve
team for input and ideas
Wants: To have more time for working with clients
instead of writing a proposal
Needs: To try out software that will save time and make the proposal
process easier
Goals: Win the contract
Emotions: Winning the RFP she led will give her a sense of pride and
increase the likelihood of promotion. Losing the RFP will cause stress
and disappointment, perhaps losing an eventual promotion.

19. Problems:
1. Hard to get content in
2. Can’t find/reuse content
3. Hard to change/edit theme

20. New Interface

21. Recruitment

22. Qualify subjects

23. Prepare

24. Analyze the results

25. Better agency process
USER TESTING
Kick-off meeting
Briefing
Online research
Design
Presentation
Feedback/Revisions
Approval
Launch
Invoice/Drink
Launch MVP
Beta Testing
Surveys
Iterate
Launch
USER RESEARCH/ANALYSIS
USER TESTING
Idea
Validate
Uncover solution
Build MVP

26. Better startup process
USER TESTING
Kick-off meeting
Briefing
Online research
Design
Presentation
Feedback/Revisions
Approval
Launch
Invoice/Drink
Launch MVP
Beta Testing
Surveys
Iterate
Launch
USER RESEARCH/ANALYSIS
USER TESTING
Idea
Validate
Uncover solution
Build MVP

27. Overcoming excuses
I know my users

28. Overcoming excuses
Aren’t you the expert?

29. Overcoming excuses
I already do QA/unit/beta testing.

30. Overcoming excuses
There’s no time or money.

31. Further reading

32. Thank you.
@kyleracki