Getting Started with User Research was created for the WebFWD weekly interactive seminar. WebFWD ("Web Forward") is Mozilla's Open Innovation program. They support Open Source projects which extend the Web; providing participants with mentorship from industry experts, access to the Mozilla global network, infrastructure and other world-class resources.

1. Getting Started with User Testing
A LearnFWD talk
Diane Loviglio, Jinghua Zhang, Mozilla User Research
Oct. 31, 2011

2. A product solution needs to consider:
User
Desirability
Technology Business
Liability Feasibility

3. User research cares:
User
Desirability
Technology Business
Liability Feasibility

4. a product development cycle, lean
Phase 1: Phase 2: Phase 3: Phase 4:
exploring the generating making it refining the
problem ideas real solution

5. a product development cycle, lean
Phase 1: Phase 2: Phase 3: Phase 4:
exploring the generating making it refining the
problem ideas real solution
Qualitative user research Qualitative Qualitative
•field observation •brainstorm workshops
•in-depth interview •content audit •usability test
•diary study •comparative analysis •mood board
•case study •card sorting Quantitative
Quantitative user research •cognitive walk-through •A/B test
•survey •heuristic evaluation •multi-variate test
•log study •usage metrics

6. For startups, it doesn’t need to be that complicated ...

7. If you need to answer:
"Does our product/service as spec’d solve a
(potential) user problem or fulfill a
(potential) user need? " •in-depth interview
"Is our solution compelling enough that
people want to use it today? " •usability test

8. HOW-TO:
conducting 15-minute user tests by
yourself.

9. To conduct a user test, you need:
Some prototypes
a moderator - yourself
a “potential” user
a way to record
what’s happening
a clear test purpose!

10. A clear test purpose:
•What questions are you answering?
•What do you think your answers are now?

11. a “potential” user

12. a “potential” user
- someone that most likely is going to
be interested in your product/service
- can articulate
- offer some incentive
- respect on his/her time & privacy

13. Find participants:
• Craigslist, Twitter/FB
• NDA, consent form
• ~ $1 per minute?
• a screener?
a “potential” user
- someone that most likely is going to
be interested in your product/service
- can articulate
- offer some incentive
- respect on his/her time & privacy

14. Get the Right People
Exercise
You’re developing a competitor to Open Table.
Which different types of people would you want to talk with?
PS. How many participants do you need?

15. Some prototypes

16. Some prototypes
- something that people can walk
through
- something conveys your test focus
- some tasks people can do with the
prototype

17. Prepare your prototype:
• yours or competitors
• low-fi or high-fi
• paper or digital
Some prototypes
• static or interactive
- something that people can walk
through
- something conveys your test focus
- some tasks people can do with the
prototype

18. • paper notes and (or) a camera?
• if the camera will change user
behaviors?
• camera: future use, to convince other
team members?
a way to record
what’s happening

19. a moderator - yourself
- you are there to learn, not to
teach, not to negotiate.
- you need to let users talk and do
things, but lead the direction when
needed.

20. Observe Their Current Behaviors
Exercise
You’re developing a competitor to Open Table.
Where and when would you observe your potential users’
behavior?

21. Understand Why
Start questions with...Who, What, Where, When, Why and How
Would you? Do you think? Are you? This is based on hypotheticals!
e.g. How did you figure out how to get here?
Did you use Google Maps?
e.g. What would you change about your shopping experience?
Would you like bigger aisles?
Exercise
You’re developing a competitor to Open Table.
What questions would you ask to understand why your
potential user is behaving the way they are?

22. Let Them Talk You Through
Your Product
Exercise
You’re developing a competitor to Open Table.
What tasks would you give them?

23. A clear test purpose:
•What questions are you answering?
•What do you think your answers are now?

24. Getting Started with User Testing
Diane Loviglio (diane@mozilla.com)
Jinghua Zhang (jinghua@mozilla.com)
Mozilla User Research