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A presentation by SAI at BarCamp Nashville 2014 on four low-cost methods of user research you can do to gather information on how your visitors interact with your website.
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Know Your Audience Low-Budget Research Methods
Davis Miller & Mark Wood October 18, 2014
BarCamp Nashville 2014
Meet the Presenters
Mark WoodUX Architect and Designer, SAI
linkedin.com/in/wdavismiller
@davis221
Davis MillerBusiness Development, SAI
linkedin.com/in/woodmark615
@woodmark
#bcn14_knowyouraudience
Online Surveys
Focus Groups
Card Sorts
Usability Tests
Audience Research Methods
Quick Poll
Value of User Research
Website visitors are often a mystery
User research helps solve the mystery.
Define and target your primary audience
Develop goals and objectives
Consider pros and cons of methods
Combine methods for most effective results
Repeat over time
Best Practices
Be open to critical feedback
Prepare clear, specific questions
Sample size
Set expectations of time commitment
Incentivize participants
Promote
1 Online Surveys
Why?
Provides clear, reliable, actionable insight
Estimates the knowledge, attitudes, opinions, and behaviors of the target audience
Shows trends and consensus
Know Your AudienceOnline Surveys
More quantitative info
Pros/Cons
ProsFastInexpensiveLarge audience responseNo interview biasCompare results over time
ConsSurvey fatigueMargin of errorLarge sample sizeWhat they say vs. what they do
Know Your AudienceOnline Surveys
TIPConduct the same
survey as a benchmark before a redesign and again
after to measure improvement.
BestPractices
Keep it short and simple
Word questions in your audience’s language and with clear results in mind
Ask your audience to self-identify
Brand it
Keep it interesting
Know Your AudienceOnline Surveys
Avoid straight-lining
Question Formats
Know Your AudienceOnline Surveys
Limit number of matrix questions
Offer clear distinction of rating choices with a neutral response
Limited number of items to rate
Brief wording, alphabetical listing
Tools & Costs
Survey Monkey
Free (10 questions per survey, up to 100 responses)
Gold ($300 per year, unlimited questions, unlimited responses, advanced logic, text analysis)
Have a bigger budget?
Purchase audience participation for $1 per response.
Know Your AudienceOnline Surveys
2 Focus Groups
Why?
Face to face feedback target audience
Go beyond superficial answers
Uncover insights into attitudes and behaviors
Know Your AudienceFocus Groups
More qualitative info
Pros/Cons
ProsGain insight into user interaction
Stimulate discussion
Personal response
ConsNeed experienced facilitator
Group influence
Small sample size
Time commitment
Geography
Know Your AudienceFocus Groups
TIPValidate findings
by combining qualitative results with quantitative
feedback.
Best Practices
Know Your AudienceFocus Groups
Decide on the range of topics
Develop open-ended questions to encourage discussion
Pretest questions
Go to your audience
Lead with a skilled moderator
Record the session
3 Card Sorts
Why?
The most important input into the structure of your website comes from your audience.
Card sorts allow you to get insights as to how they would organize content.
Know Your AudienceCard Sorts
Helps define structure
Two types of Sorts
In open sorts, participants place content cards into categories that they make up and name.
In closed sorts, participants place the content cards into pre-defined categories.
Know Your AudienceCard Sorts
Pros/Cons
ProsEasy to createSmall sample sizeGood way to hear from a variety of voicesFun
ConsTime consuming for participantsDifficult to analyze
Know Your AudienceCard Sorts
TIPAsk follow-up
questions so that participants can
provide more details into their
thinking.
Best Practices
Know Your AudienceCard Sorts
Give clear directions
Limit the numberof cards in your sort
Randomize the cards if possible
Tools & Costs
Optimal Sort by Optimal Workshop
Free (10 people, 30 cards)
Monthly ($109 for unlimited people and cards, for one month.)
Annual subscriptions to all Optimal Sort products
Have a bigger budget?Purchase audience participation, for example 50 U.S. participants in 2-3 days for $456.
Know Your AudienceCard Sorts
4 Usability Tests
Why?
You can observe how people interact with your website
You can test in person or remotely
Know Your AudienceUsability Tests
Focuses on behavior
Pros/Cons
ProsGain insight into user interaction
Fast
Inexpensive
Can test, iterate, test again
Cons
Simulation vs. real experience
Needs to be moderated
Know Your AudienceUsability Tests
TIPAsk follow-up
questions so that participants can
provide more details into their
thinking.
Best Practices
Know Your AudienceUsability Tests
Avoid using the same terminology as your navigation
Ask participants to self-identify
Testing the product not the participant
Add follow-up questions
Set clear tasks
Tools & Costs
Chalkmark by Optimal Workshop
Free (10 people, 3 tasks)
Monthly ($109 for unlimited people and tasks, for one month.)
Annual subscriptions to all Optimal Workshop products
Have a bigger budget?
Purchase audience participation. For example 50 U.S. participants in 2-3 days for $422.
Know Your AudienceUsability Tests
Final Thoughts
Responsible Research
Respect people’s privacy and protect personal information
Ask for permissionto record interviews
Investigate whether legal signoff is needed
Determine if consent forms are required
Make sure incentivesare allowed
Understand what information can and can’t be shared
Good research = exceptional user experience
Questions?
Stay in touch:www.systemsalliance.com
@systemsalliance
Thank you!
Davis [email protected]
Mark [email protected]
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