Research Toolbox

Twenty-three research methods to discover what your users really want. TM

Design solutions beyond words

User not yet conscious of needs

These research methods are a sampling of the tools available 23
as you work to understand your users. Each method varies by Velcro Modeling

both the kind of research activity taking place, and the sort of 22
Get Creative
Research methods that tap into the creativity
needs you’ll discover. Collage
of real-life users can lead to extremely valuable
insights. These methods can help users express
21 concepts or feelings that they might not be
In some cases, all you need to do is ask. The users can articu-
Card Sort able to put into words otherwise.
late their needs. At other times, the research can lead both you
and your users to a better understanding of what they really 20
Draw Your Experience
want. The right methods will uncover latent needs—needs A
the users themselves haven't even recognized. 19 17
Think Aloud Protocol Behavioral Mapping A E I O U

15
18 AEIOU
16
Test It
Prototype Evaluation
Task Analysis 14
The sooner you start turning ideas into Video Observation
prototypes, the sooner you can put those
prototypes in front of real users and catch your
13

Observe the user

own misconceptions. Test it early, test it
often—and save yourself time and money! Fly on the Wall
Ask the user

12
Watch and Listen
These methods show you what tasks and goals
Shadowing
your users work to achieve on a daily basis. More
importantly, they help you recognize obstacles
10 11 to your users’ progress, which often translate
into golden opportunities for your new
Photo Diary Adopt a User
product.
9
Beeper Study
Get a Report
These methods offer a practical alternative to
following users around 24 /7. Instead, arrange
for them to give you reports of their activities,
8 so you just get the highlights.

©2005 ThoughtForm Inc. (www.thoughtformdesign.com) and DaedalusExcel (www.daed.com) 7944

Web Eavesdropping

7
Personal Inventory
Show Me
The places and things people interact with
provide clues about what they value, what
6
tasks they want to simplify, and what kinds of
Guided Tour
tools or technology they prefer. These
methods give you access to those insights.
5
? A Guided Storytelling
3
Interview
4
Tell Me
These methods are best for gathering
Knowledge Mining information quickly and directly. Use caution
2
with these methods, since what people say
Focus Group
and what they do are often quite different.

1
Survey or Questionnaire

User can articulate needs

1 Survey or Questionnaire 7 Personal Inventory 13 Fly on the Wall 19 Think Aloud Protocol
Prepare a Web-based or paper survey and Ask participants to show you and talk about the Choose a location relevant to your product Ask your participant to complete specific tasks
distribute to participants from your target contents of their purse, briefcase, pockets, car, or concept. Carefully observe how people interact using a prototype of your product or a related
audience. Word questions carefully to avoid desk drawers. Your goal is to understand what with each other, with the environment, and with existing product. Ask them to think out loud—to
leading or confusing the user, and interpret the people deem important enough to carry with existing products, processes, or technology. verbalize every thought—as they try to complete
results knowing that what people say they do them or store nearby, and why it makes the cut. the tasks. Quiet participants might need gentle
and what they do are often quite different. 14 Video Observation reminders to think aloud as they proceed.
8 Web Eavesdropping Arrange to record the activities of a given space
2 Focus Group Spend some time immersed in Web chat rooms or over a period of time. Leave the camera long 20 Draw Your Experience
Bring together a small group of carefully discussion boards related to your concept. To enough for participants to get comfortable, and Prepare your participants by asking them to
selected participants to discuss a certain set of avoid disrupting the community, save questions of scour the footage for insights into behavior. record their habits or feelings with regard to a
topics relevant to your concept. A facilitator your own until the end of your immersion period. View the footage in time-lapse to reveal certain topic for about a week. At the end of the
should keep the group on topic and ensure that patterns of activity. week, provide an inviting array of drawing tools,
everyone contributes to the discussion. 9 Beeper Study and ask them to visually express their experi-
Issue your participants beepers or cell phones. 15 AEIOU ence and feelings. Listen carefully to the stories
3 Interview Instruct them to record what they’re doing each In any observational setting, use lists and sketches they tell as they describe their illustrations.
Prepare a set of questions targeted to your time they are paged. (You can also ask them to to record the activities, environments, interactions,
concept, and ask users in a face-to-face setting. fill out a brief survey, or to photograph their objects, and users. The process of recording each 21 Card Sort
It is useful to have two researchers per interview surroundings.) Several pages per day over the of these components in detail often reveals Prepare your participants as described in Draw
session, so one can guide the discussion, and course of a week yield a spontaneous sampling breakdowns in the system, which translate into Your Experience. Provide a small deck of cards
the other can take detailed notes. of the participants’ daily experience. opportunities for your new product. using words and/or images relevant to your
concept, and ask your participants to arrange
4 Knowledge Mining 10 Photo Diary 16 Task Analysis the cards in ways that make sense to them.
Leverage the experience of people who are Prepare a journal for each of your participants List and diagram the steps your participant
uniquely qualified to offer insights—early with space to paste photographs and make takes in order to achieve a given task. The task 22 Collage
adopters, power users, wizened veterans. Draw notes. Issue each participant a Polaroid camera, might be something as broad as choosing a Prepare your participants as described in Draw
out their knowledge in surveys, focus groups, and ask her to record her experience with regard bank, or as simple as logging in to verify an Your Experience. Invite a small group of
interviews, or brainstorming sessions. to a certain topic. account balance. participants to build collages from provided
materials. A mixture of ambiguous words, images,
5 Guided Storytelling 11 Adopt a User 17 Behavioral Mapping stickers, and shapes allows the participants to
In this interview technique, ask the participant If your goal is to reinvent an existing product, Diagram a given space, and record the movements project their own meanings. Ask them to present
to walk you through a real-life scenario volunteer to act as technical support for and activities of people within that space. This and explain their collages.
pertaining to your concept. Guided Storytelling someone who uses that product frequently. careful observation can reveal breakdowns, coping
questions often begin, “Tell me about the last Each time your adopted user contacts you with mechanisms, and frequently repeated behaviors— 23 Velcro Modeling
time you...” a question, you will learn about how he all of which can signify opportunity for a new Prepare your participants as described in Draw
understands the product, what he hopes to product, process, or technology. Your Experience. Assemble a toolkit of compo-
6 Guided Tour accomplish using it, and what steps he is likely nents common to the kind of product you hope
Ask a participant to give you a tour of their to take to remedy a problem. 18 Prototype Evaluation to design. For example, if you’re designing a
space relevant to your concept. Pay special As early in the design process as possible, put remote control, provide various shapes that might
attention to how they customize their 12 Shadowing low-fidelity prototypes in front of users for act as the body of the remote, and provide easy to
environment. Arrange to spend some time following people feedback and evaluation. Don’t present the adhere buttons in a wide variety of shapes, sizes,
from your target audience throughout their concept. Find out how they would try to use it and colors. Invite a small group of users to design
normal daily activities, making detailed notes without much explanation. their own product using those components.
about your observations.