It used to take days to set up a single day of product usability research. Between the manual labor of finding and qualifying users, organizing the process, and finally moderating and analyzing sessions, it was one of the most time-consuming and expensive tasks in interface development. With the creation of web-based tools for user research, there is now an abundance of ways to quickly observe and gather real-world behavioral data from users. Unfortunately, there is also an abundance of ways to collect garbage. We'll cover a lightning fast overview of the tools and methods that are worthwhile, and the five basic categories all UX research tools fall into.

1. ON DEMAND
USER RESEARCH

2. flickr.com/clern

3. oh 60 YEARS AGO
ai ,
f ay
e

4. 20 YEARS AGO
us e r
re s e
a rcb
tool
s

7. Some thoughts on analytics
What do helicopters do in action movies?
Explode

8. Gunnar
Creative director developer UX interaction
graphic visual designer product manager
CEO IA.

9. Gunnar’s Boss.
He’s always on a plane and loves birds.

10. Oy Gunnar, I want to save
some money on research.

11. Sure, Boss.
Let’s intercept
& observe 10
users live with
screen-sharing,
and do 10 self-
moderated with
usertesting.com

12. Okay, nerd.

14. 2
PRINCIPLES

15. COMBINE
ONLINE METHODS
Or Die

16. Die?
Seems harsh.

17. TIME IS
EVERYTHING

18. Since 2007

19. Can tools make us better
researchers?

22. TITLE TEXT

23. remoteresear.ch

24. 5
CATEGORIES

25. Moderated
Self-Moderated
For A Long Time
Automated Live
Conceptual
Automated Static
Web Analytics

26. Talk To People
People Talk To A Machine
For A Long Time
Tasks On A Live Site
Tasks On Concepts
Tasks On Images
Fancy-Ass Analytics

27. Insight
Ammunition
For Ad Agencies
More Ammunition
I.A. & Navigation
Still More Ammunition
Just Better Analytics

28. Moderated
Self-Moderated
For A Long Time
Automated Live
Conceptual
Automated Static Deep
Behavioral UX
Web Analytics Insight

29. Moderated
Opinions
Self-Moderated
For A Long Time
Automated Live
Conceptual
Automated Static
Web Analytics

30. Moderated Ad Agencies
Love It
Self-Moderated
For A Long Time
Automated Live
Conceptual
Automated Static
Web Analytics

31. Moderated Jared Spool
Hates It
Self-Moderated
For A Long Time
Automated Live
Conceptual
Automated Static
Web Analytics

32. Moderated Jared Spool
Hates It
Self-Moderated
For A Long Time
Automated Live
Conceptual
Automated Static
Web Analytics

34. remoteresear.ch

35. Back to me.

36. TEXT

39. PROTOTYPES, WIREFRAMES,
SKETCHES?

40. HECK YES.

42. 60% PROTOTYPE RESEARCH

43. 10 YEARS
244 STUDIES
2,915 PARTICIPANTS
(MODERATED)
165 ORGANIZATIONS
22,310 HOURS

45. SOCIAL IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY

46. A DINOSAUR FAMILY
EXPLAINS INFORMATION
ARCHITECTURE

49. So Gunnar, how do we
recruit for remote studies?

50. Quickly.

51. RECRUITING OPTIONS
Realness
Grab someone in the hallway
Grab someone who isn’t directly
involved in your project
IM your friends for a quick look
Panels and recruiting agencies
Real customers from marketing lists
Site intercepts

52. RECRUITING OPTIONS
Ethnio
Links or house ads to online
forms
Recruiting agencies
Customer email lists
Panels
Craigslist/online ads

53. Use Ethnio when
Website or twitter access
Some budget
Quotas are relatively simple

54. USE FORMS WHEN
You can place a link but not code
Low budget
Quotas are relatively complex
Options:
Google Docs
Wufoo

56. CRAIGSLIST
When other methods don’t work
No dough
Takes a while
Embarrassing to admit to your
friends

57. Paying Incentives
Collect minimal
personal info
Deliver quickly
Appropriate for
location

58. Automated
Remote Research Tools

59. USABILLA
Clicks & Questions
Heatmaps
You do your own recruiting
$49 - $199

61. LOOP11 (UN-MODERATED)
TITLE TEXT

62. TITLE TEXT

64. TITLE TEXT

70. WHAT WE USE. A LOT.
• Ethnio + GTM + iShowYouHD
• Usabilla + Loop11 + Usertesting.com

74. THE FUTURE?

75. THE FUTURE.

76. Mobile
Remote
Research?

79. PORTABLE RESEARCH

80. DUAL LENS
STREAMING
FIELD RESEARCH
• Livestream
• Flip Cam RIP
• It’s the view
finder, silly
• Actual duct
tape

82. “I PAID TO
SEE THE
WHOLE
ACTOR”

83. !n.