Making Informed Design Decisions - MinnSPRA 2013

Friday, April 12, 13

MAKING INFORMED DECISIONS


WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?

UNDERSTANDING NEEDS OF AN AUDIENCE

DEFINING A PROBLEM

USING USER RESEARCH AND ANALYTICS


WHO IS THIS GUY?

ZACK NAYLOR

Obligatory “a little about me” slide

Principal UX Designer at The Nerdery

User Research, Discovery, Strategy


DISSECTING A PROBLEM


WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM?START WITH PURPOSE

Making good, informed decisions requires an understanding of:

¼ What the problem is

¼ Why it’s a problem

¼ Who the problem impacts

¼ How to solve it


WHAT DOES GOOD LOOK LIKE?DEFINING AN END STATE

¼ How will you know you’ve solved the problem?

¼ What questions do you have about the problem and/or solution?

¼ What does success look like?


THE ROADMAPSo, how are we gonna get there?

¼ What information do you need to answer those questions?

¼ Who/How can you get that information?

¼ What kind of information do you need?


TYPES OF DATAKnowing which kind you need helps

Quantitative Data

Qualitative Data

¼ Objective, number-based data or information

¼ Subjective, impression-based data or information

Measurable

Non-measurable


QUANTITATIVE DATA

Good for:

¼ Statistically representative data

¼ Large quantities of data

¼ Broad reach, low effort, shorter time

Helps frame and define the problem


QUANTITATIVE DATA

Collection methods:

¼ Surveys

¼ Web analytics

¼ A/B testing

Start by reaching a broad set of your

audience in order to understand your “problem space”


QUALITATIVE DATA

Good for:

¼ Richer information

¼ Empathy and understanding of an audience

¼ Further definition behind quantitative data

Learn the “why” and “how”


QUALITATIVE DATA

Collection methods:¼ Interviews

¼ Observation

¼ Focus groups

¼ Usability testing

Once you have a broad understanding of the

problem, choose targeted areas to get richer information to

inform the “why” & “how”


COMBINING THE DATA

Collection methods: Once you have a broad understanding of the

problem, choose targeted areas to get richer information to

inform the “why” & “how”

¼ Interviews

¼ Observation

¼ Focus groups

¼ Usability testing


BUILD A METHODOLOGYCombine methods and data types to gain confidence

What content should we have on the website?


BUILD A METHODOLOGYLet’s use our outlined approach

¼ How will you know you’ve solved the problem?

¼ What questions do you have about the problem and/or solution?

¼ What does success look like?

¼ What the problem is

¼ Why it’s a problem

¼ Who the problem impacts

¼ How to solve it


BUILD A METHODOLOGYCombine methods and data types to gain confidence

1. Web Analytics 2. Survey

What content should we have on the website?

3. User Interviews

¼ Discover why that content is useful and for what purposes.

¼ Identify how to deliver said content in the most meaningful way.

Learn from a large number of target audience members what content may be useful or interesting

Understanding of the current high traffic/visit areas of the website


YOU’VE BEEN PUNK’DThis talk was created using this approach



1. “User” Interview 2. Survey

What is the talk?

Who will be there?

Who is the audience?

What information would be helpful to them?




THANKS

QUESTIONS?

@ZACKNAYLOR

