Tips for getting better information from users about your idea and product.

1. Shut The Hell Up
and other tips for testing your product
Laura Klein
@lauraklein
laura@usersknow.com
http://www.usersknow.com
Wednesday, December 5, 2012

2. @lauraklein
You Suck At Talking To Users
For example, you probably think you’re supposed to
talk to users.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012

3. @lauraklein
Sometimes You Suck At Validating
Your Ideas
Wednesday, December 5, 2012

4. @lauraklein
You Sell Your Idea
You should: Allow the user to tell you what she thinks
the product does and what it could do for her.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012

5. @lauraklein
You Lead The User
You should: Let the user lead.
Bad: Aren’t dogs the best?
Good: How do you feel about dogs?
Wednesday, December 5, 2012

6. @lauraklein
You Make A Lot Of Assumptions
You should: Ask a lot of questions.
Bad: You love walking your dog.
Good: How do you feel about walking your dog?
Even Better: What was it like the last time you
walked your dog?
Wednesday, December 5, 2012

7. @lauraklein
You Make The User Imagine
You should: Give the user something to react to
Bad: How would you feel about a product that blah
blah blah?
Good: Take a look at this picture/prototype/product
and tell me what you think
Wednesday, December 5, 2012

8. @lauraklein
Sometimes You Suck At Getting
Feedback On Your Product Or
Prototype
Wednesday, December 5, 2012

9. @lauraklein
You Give A Guided Tour
You should: Let the User explore!
Bad: Let me show you how this works.
Good: Take a few minutes to play with it and tell me
what it does.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012

10. @lauraklein
You Help The User
You should: Let the user fail.
Bad: No, you click on this button.
Good: What do you think you should do?
Wednesday, December 5, 2012

11. @lauraklein
You Sound Kind Of Defensive
You should: Make sure the user doesn’t feel judged.
It’s not her fault your product sucks.
(I think we all know whose fault that is.)
Wednesday, December 5, 2012

12. @lauraklein
You Ask Yes Or No Questions
You should: Ask open ended questions.
Bad: Do you love my product?
Worse: Don’t you love my product?
Good: How do you feel about this product?
Wednesday, December 5, 2012

13. @lauraklein
Sometimes You Just Suck
Wednesday, December 5, 2012

14. @lauraklein
You Talk To The Wrong People
You should: Recruit and screen participants to make
sure you’re talking to people who will be helpful with
the type of research you’re doing.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012

15. @lauraklein
You Don’t Follow Up
You should: Understand why your user feels the way
she does.
User: This is cool!
You: What’s cool about it?
User: [Something incredibly useful and insightful]
Wednesday, December 5, 2012

16. @lauraklein
You Ignore Results You Don’t Like
You should: Design your test in a way that will force
you to believe your results.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012

17. @lauraklein
You Don’t Act On Your Findings
You should: Implement critical changes before you see
the problems over and over again in testing.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012

18. @lauraklein
You Talk Too Much
You should: Shut the hell up.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012

19. Questions?
You know where to find me...
@lauraklein
laura@usersknow.com
http://www.usersknow.com
pssst...this will all be in the book!
To be published by O’Reilly in early 2013.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012

20. @lauraklein
Exercise!
•Form Groups of 3
•First person interviews second person for 5-10 minutes
•Third person takes notes on any mistakes & gives a critique
•Switch roles (everyone interviews, is interviewed, and critiques)
•Ask for help if you need it
•Please be nice to each other. This is hard!
Wednesday, December 5, 2012