Recipe for Effective User Research - Season 2, Episode 29

Summary

In this insightful conversation, Danielle Jones discusses the importance of effective user research, highlighting common mistakes like leading questions and failing to understand user needs. She shares her experiences with research that didn't address underlying problems, leading to ineffective product decisions. Danielle emphasizes the value of asking the right questions and understanding user workflows to create meaningful, user-centered designs. The discussion also touches on her love for German chocolate cake and her enjoyment of the British baking show, especially the kids' version. Follow Danielle on LinkedIn and Twitter for more insights.

Takeaways

• 😀 Empowering teams to conduct their own research can lead to more effective and insightful outcomes.
• 😀 Ineffective research often results from asking leading questions, which can skew the data and lead to poor product decisions.
• 😀 Research should go beyond just gathering feedback on product features and should focus on understanding users' workflows and context.
• 😀 Understanding the rationale behind user needs is crucial to designing products that truly address those needs, rather than just adding cool features.
• 😀 Simplistic or overly positive questions in interviews can hinder the discovery of real user pain points, leading to misleading results.
• 😀 Effective user research requires asking open-ended questions that allow users to explain their thoughts and motivations in detail.
• 😀 Contextual inquiry is a valuable research method, but it can be undermined if team members intervene during user sessions and provide solutions prematurely.
• 😀 UX research can save time and resources by answering the right questions upfront, avoiding the need to redo the product later due to ineffective insights.
• 😀 UX conferences like UX Convey offer valuable networking opportunities and insights across different disciplines, helping UX professionals stay connected and learn from each other.
• 😀 Personal involvement in conferences can lead to meaningful connections and the sharing of experiences, enriching professional growth in UX research.
• 😀 When researching, it’s essential to understand not just what users want but also the factors influencing their decisions and daily tasks.

Q & A

What is one of the main challenges in conducting effective UX research?

One of the main challenges is asking the right questions. Research can often fail when questions are too leading or simplistic, which may not allow users to express their true needs and concerns. This can result in misguided product decisions.

Why is it important to understand the user's workflow in UX research?

Understanding the user's workflow is crucial because it allows designers to create solutions that complement the user's existing processes. Focusing only on product features without considering the user's day-to-day tasks may lead to developing features that don't address the underlying needs.

What common mistake do product managers make during UX research interviews?

A common mistake is asking overly positive or leading questions like 'Wouldn't it be great to have this in your software?' This doesn't allow users to express their true thoughts and concerns, leading to biased feedback.

How can ineffective UX research impact product decisions?

Ineffective research can result in a product that doesn't meet user needs. For example, if the research doesn't uncover the rationale behind user decisions or just asks overly simple questions, it may lead to design choices that do not solve real problems or enhance user experience.

What is a key aspect of ensuring UX research is effective?

A key aspect is asking the right questions to understand not just what users want, but *why* they want it. This allows designers to create solutions that truly fit into the user’s workflow and address the underlying needs.

What issue can arise when PMs or designers intervene during user testing?

When PMs or designers intervene during user testing, they may unintentionally guide the user, which can skew the results. This makes it difficult to understand the true usability of a product or feature, leading to misleading conclusions.

What was a learning moment shared in the script related to user testing?

A learning moment occurred when product managers, despite training, intervened during a contextual inquiry session when users got stuck. This guidance from PMs disrupted the testing and could have skewed the results, highlighting the importance of not influencing the user during research.

How can asking users 'how would you design this feature?' be problematic in UX research?

Asking users 'how would you design this feature?' is problematic because users are not always the best source for design solutions. They may not fully understand the technical or design constraints, leading to feedback that is not practical or relevant to the development process.

What was the issue with the interviews conducted by product managers in the example shared?

The interviews conducted by product managers were too positive and framed in a way that didn’t allow users to provide honest feedback. The questions were more like marketing pitches, which led to results that didn’t reflect the true needs or challenges users were facing.

Why is attending conferences like UX Convey valuable for professionals in UX research?

Attending conferences like UX Convey provides an opportunity for professionals to network with others in the field, learn about different approaches to UX research, and gain insights into tools and techniques that can improve their practice, even if they are focused on one aspect of UX like research.