user research
Surveys; finding out what devices users are using; interviews; secondary research
First thing to do is ask yourself if your idea needs to exist, is it viable?
SWOT analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats. Helps you examine the positives and negatives. What do you need to be mindful of? What’s harmful and helpful? If there are more weaknesses and strengths or more threats than opportunities it’s worth questioning whether it’s viable, however those negatives can be overcome.
pitch to your intended user groups. The stakeholders may not be just the users but also the people who stand to benefit.
- Initial Interviews – Talking to people directly.
- Surveys/Questionnaires
- Form responses/competitor reviews
- Published Data – existing literature
User research: Know your audience
- Systematic investigation
- Establish Facts
- Draw Conclusions
Quantitative and Qualitative
Quantitative: numerical, statistics, structured surveys, objective fact, will test your theories
Qualitative: insights, less able to pin down, trying to get a bigger picture, unstructured, subjective,
Basic steps to user research
- Define primary user groups
- Pick techniques for involving users
- Conduct research
- validate definitions and analyse research
- Generate user requirements
Interviews and Observations
- Challenge Assumptions
- Get ‘out of the building’ – go out and observe, look at the environment you’re designing for. This will be insightful.
- Goals, Behaviours, Context
- Motivations, Needs
Online Surveys
- Easy way to gather user requirements
- Both quantitative and qualitative
- Powerful
- Unambiguous
- Cheap
Can use Typeform for these, or Google Forums. The more user friendly your survey is the more comfortable people feel about completing it.
.
Remember:
- You’re dealing with people.
- People are not data points.
- They are easily led. They will make mistakes. So avoid leading questions as they will go along with the current.
- Use plain English and avoid jargon!
Find the problem and validate that problem.
Today’s Task
Do a quick SWOT analysis for your idea.
Next week – class remotely on Intellectual Property and Copyright
Week 12 – pitch presentations.
Summary/Reflection
The Idea for my pitch – An app to help you find your perfect pooch. You sign up and the app helps make the adoption process a lot more easier to get through. You set up an account and set your preferences and match with a pooch. It’s kind of like tinder for dog adoption. Also doing the SWOT Analysis has really helped me understand the potentials and worries of the app, this will help me moving forward in the areas I’m both secure in and areas I’m not sure on.