This document provides guidance on conducting lean UX customer discovery. It advises talking to potential users to understand where a product might fit in their work or life, what problems it could solve, and how and when it might be used. Key recommendations include identifying target users and goals before conversations, listening more than talking, capturing observations, and collecting artifacts. The document suggests spending time with users early and often to create a conversation rather than interrogation and maintain an open mind. It cautions against asking about desired features or theoretical usage without understanding user needs. Suggestions are given for finding users to speak with.

1. Lean
UX
Customer
Discovery
What
to
do
when
you’re
“getting
out
of
the
building”
http://www.slideshare.net/lanehalley
http://www.luxr.co
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Creative
Commons
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States
What
can
we
learn
from
users?
• Where
will
our
product
fit
in
their
work
or
life?
• What
problems
will
our
product
solve?
• When
and
how
will
our
product
used?
• What
features
are
important?
How
to
frame
an
effective
conversation
Before
• Identify
who
do
you
want
to
talk
to
and
what
you
want
to
learn
During
• Use
conversation
starters
instead
of
prepared
questions
• Listen
more
than
you
talk
• Capture
your
observations
(index
cards
work
well)
• Collect
artifacts
(photos,
screenshots,
work
product)
• If
you
have
something
to
show/demo,
do
it
after
the
open-­‐ended
conversation
After
• Debrief
and
share
what
you’re
learning
with
your
team
DO’s
and
DON’TS
• DO
Spend
time
with
your
users
“early
and
often”
• DO
Create
a
conversation,
not
an
interrogation
• DO
Maintain
a
“beginner’s
mind”
• DO
Use
your
visits
for
multiple
purposes
• DON’T
Ask
what
features
people
want
• DON’T
Ask
users
to
talk
theoretically
about
what
they
might
do
Identify
the
need
behind
the
feature
request
• User:
What
I
really
need
is
feature
x…”
• You:
“If
you
had
feature
x,
what
would
that
allow
you
to
do?”
Where
do
you
find
users
to
talk
to?
• Licensed/registered
users
• In-­‐line
Web
recruiting
• Conferences
and
industry
events
• Special
interest
groups/user
groups
• Market
research
firms
• Craigslist
• Friends
and
Family