How to prepare users for User Experience Research
How to prepare users for User Experience Research
How to prepare users for User Experience Research
In the realm of user experience (UX) research, preparing users for testing is crucial to gather valuable insights and ensure a seamless experience. This article delves into the process of preparing users for various UX research tests, offering practical strategies to optimize data collection and enhance user engagement. By implementing these strategies, UX researchers can enhance the quality and reliability of data collected, reduce the influence of external factors on testing outcomes, and increase user willingness to participate in UX research initiatives.
In the realm of user experience (UX) research, preparing users for testing is crucial to gather valuable insights and ensure a seamless experience. This article delves into the process of preparing users for various UX research tests, offering practical strategies to optimize data collection and enhance user engagement. By implementing these strategies, UX researchers can enhance the quality and reliability of data collected, reduce the influence of external factors on testing outcomes, and increase user willingness to participate in UX research initiatives.
In the realm of user experience (UX) research, preparing users for testing is crucial to gather valuable insights and ensure a seamless experience. This article delves into the process of preparing users for various UX research tests, offering practical strategies to optimize data collection and enhance user engagement. By implementing these strategies, UX researchers can enhance the quality and reliability of data collected, reduce the influence of external factors on testing outcomes, and increase user willingness to participate in UX research initiatives.
How to Prepare Users for User Experience Research
Introduction
We've all had to take tests from our users, whether they're current users of our product or people who have never used it before. These tests come in various forms, and in each one, we give users some data and information and ask them to perform specific tasks or help us find the answer to our research question.
To get high-quality results from our tests, we need our users to be mentally prepared for the research and to understand what we're asking them to do. For example, consider the following two scenarios:
Scenario 1: Your phone rings. After saying hello, the person on the other end of the line tells you they'll call you back in two hours on Skype to take a usability test. They then hang up quickly. If you're a regular user, you probably don't know what usability testing is! Or, you might have questions like: Who called me? Where did they get my number? Why are they calling me? You don't even know what Skype is and can't install it.
Scenario 2: You're going to a company to take a test in person. A young person sits down in front of you, gives you a stack of 50 cards, and says, "Arrange these cards however you like, either next to each other or in related groups." In this case, the user needs clarification, making it difficult to focus on the categorization task. It's like the day of an exam. Imagine that you've studied hard for a class, and the teacher puts the paper on your desk on the exam day. Before you look at the questions, you see that you don't know the answer to the last question. Do you remember how much stress you felt at that moment? You might even forget the questions you do know.
How to Prepare Users for User Experience Research
For people to be willing to take tests and go through all of the test steps with peace of mind and focus, they should know ahead of time what the test process is like to prepare for the test mentally. We typically provide users with verbal or written explanations of our tests before we start the research to clarify all the details. For example, we explain the test, why we're taking it from them, what happens during it, and our user expectations and requirements. On the other hand, in some tests, we need to record a video of the user working with the app for future reference, so we always get their permission to do so. This is called a research agreement.
What is a research agreement?
A research agreement can be either verbal or written. In a research agreement, in addition to the research requirements, the research steps are also clearly stated, and all of the tasks that the research participants must perform are explained so that they can participate in the research with full knowledge of them.
Research screening
To reach our target audience for the test and find suitable users, we typically send surveys and ask questions that filter users out until we get a relevant set of users.
At the end of the questions, if the user is suitable for the test, we ask them to set a time to participate. After receiving the appropriate time from the user, we introduce the prerequisites for conducting the test. For example, we ask them to be in a quiet space at that time to minimize distractions and allow the user to focus on the test. If we need an app like Skype or Google Meet for the call, we always send the user a link to download the app and instructions on installing and using it.
Usability testing
As we all know, our usability testing aims to evaluate our product or a small part of our product. In usability testing, we need to simulate conditions and backgrounds for our users. For example, we tell our users to find a specific item or perform a particular task within the prototype we have provided. We also give the user a gift in return for the time they spend with us.
In this situation, the research participant may be unable to do the tasks we ask them to at first glance, which may cause them to worry and feel helpless. This feeling can significantly impact the user's ability to take the test out of its normal state. The user may even think receiving the gift is contingent on answering the questions correctly and taking a path other than their usual methods to complete the tasks.
To eliminate the concerns and adverse effects on them from the user, before starting the test, we try to explain to the user in full transparency that this test is only for measuring the ease of use of our product and prototype, and if there is a problem or the user cannot find an item or perform a task, it does not mean that they have done something wrong or that they have low ability. In this case, the problem is with our design and prototype.
After the test and during data collection, we usually need to record factors such as the time the user takes to complete each task or the stages and sections the user incorrectly selects. Recording all of these events simultaneously during the test is difficult, so we usually record the screen of the user's test phone or voice to document the stages and events in more detail in the future. We always get permission from the users before recording their voice or image. This is because recording these things without the knowledge or consent of the user is unethical and wrong or even illegal in some countries.
Even during this test, we may ask the users to think aloud so that we can get to know their mental state. We need to communicate this very clearly to the user because people are not used to sharing information in this way, and they do not know where to say what in the course of the test, and what they say may not be relevant to the purpose of the test and our research question.
Card sorting tests
Our goal in card sorting tests is usually to identify the mental hierarchy or groupings in users' minds. This test is essential for determining product categories or different product categories, and it helps us reach the correct flow and categorization according to the user's mindset.
In these tests, we have a set of pre-written cards, and we ask the users to place them in separate groups. We may even give them blank cards and ask them to define the group name or title. We must clarify to them what these cards are and what they are supposed to do with them.
We may also ask them to explain their grouping logic to us. This helps us better understand the mindset of our target audience. Ultimately, the categories we introduce have a better quality and match more closely with their mental model. We also usually record* the users' voices to compare their mental models in the future. This helps reduce the likelihood of errors in the conclusions and reach an architecture that most users understand.*Remember to ask for the interviewee's permission before any recording.
Phone interviews
These interviews are usually conducted with users currently using our product, and we select these individuals based on the product data. In some cases, we may contact people without prior coordination or without sending a screening questionnaire. In this case, we introduce ourselves and explain the purpose of this interview fully.
For example, you can use this to introduce yourself:
Hi! My name is {your name}. I'm calling from {Your Organization name} (you can also mention your title here, such as "from the product team" or "from the research team." However, remember that your job title may not be apparent to the users and may confuse them). We need your help with a research project on "a certain topic." If you have time, I can ask you a few questions about "a certain number" of minutes.
You should always introduce yourself and tell the user where you are calling from and why you are calling them. It would help to tell them how long the call will take. People may not be able to talk to you for 10 minutes. Maybe they are busy driving or doing something else.
Conclusion
In this article, I gave examples of 3 of the most common tests we use and discussed some common issues in each. I also discussed some things we should tell our users before new tests. If I had to summarize the entire article, I would say the following:
In different user experience tests, we need to clearly explain the test process to our users so that we can collect better and more quality information and data. This transparency can increase the user’s willingness to participate and complete the test. It can also reduce the impact of external factors on the performance of our user test participants.
Special thanks to:
How to Prepare Users for User Experience Research
Introduction
We've all had to take tests from our users, whether they're current users of our product or people who have never used it before. These tests come in various forms, and in each one, we give users some data and information and ask them to perform specific tasks or help us find the answer to our research question.
To get high-quality results from our tests, we need our users to be mentally prepared for the research and to understand what we're asking them to do. For example, consider the following two scenarios:
Scenario 1: Your phone rings. After saying hello, the person on the other end of the line tells you they'll call you back in two hours on Skype to take a usability test. They then hang up quickly. If you're a regular user, you probably don't know what usability testing is! Or, you might have questions like: Who called me? Where did they get my number? Why are they calling me? You don't even know what Skype is and can't install it.
Scenario 2: You're going to a company to take a test in person. A young person sits down in front of you, gives you a stack of 50 cards, and says, "Arrange these cards however you like, either next to each other or in related groups." In this case, the user needs clarification, making it difficult to focus on the categorization task. It's like the day of an exam. Imagine that you've studied hard for a class, and the teacher puts the paper on your desk on the exam day. Before you look at the questions, you see that you don't know the answer to the last question. Do you remember how much stress you felt at that moment? You might even forget the questions you do know.
How to Prepare Users for User Experience Research
For people to be willing to take tests and go through all of the test steps with peace of mind and focus, they should know ahead of time what the test process is like to prepare for the test mentally. We typically provide users with verbal or written explanations of our tests before we start the research to clarify all the details. For example, we explain the test, why we're taking it from them, what happens during it, and our user expectations and requirements. On the other hand, in some tests, we need to record a video of the user working with the app for future reference, so we always get their permission to do so. This is called a research agreement.
What is a research agreement?
A research agreement can be either verbal or written. In a research agreement, in addition to the research requirements, the research steps are also clearly stated, and all of the tasks that the research participants must perform are explained so that they can participate in the research with full knowledge of them.
Research screening
To reach our target audience for the test and find suitable users, we typically send surveys and ask questions that filter users out until we get a relevant set of users.
At the end of the questions, if the user is suitable for the test, we ask them to set a time to participate. After receiving the appropriate time from the user, we introduce the prerequisites for conducting the test. For example, we ask them to be in a quiet space at that time to minimize distractions and allow the user to focus on the test. If we need an app like Skype or Google Meet for the call, we always send the user a link to download the app and instructions on installing and using it.
Usability testing
As we all know, our usability testing aims to evaluate our product or a small part of our product. In usability testing, we need to simulate conditions and backgrounds for our users. For example, we tell our users to find a specific item or perform a particular task within the prototype we have provided. We also give the user a gift in return for the time they spend with us.
In this situation, the research participant may be unable to do the tasks we ask them to at first glance, which may cause them to worry and feel helpless. This feeling can significantly impact the user's ability to take the test out of its normal state. The user may even think receiving the gift is contingent on answering the questions correctly and taking a path other than their usual methods to complete the tasks.
To eliminate the concerns and adverse effects on them from the user, before starting the test, we try to explain to the user in full transparency that this test is only for measuring the ease of use of our product and prototype, and if there is a problem or the user cannot find an item or perform a task, it does not mean that they have done something wrong or that they have low ability. In this case, the problem is with our design and prototype.
After the test and during data collection, we usually need to record factors such as the time the user takes to complete each task or the stages and sections the user incorrectly selects. Recording all of these events simultaneously during the test is difficult, so we usually record the screen of the user's test phone or voice to document the stages and events in more detail in the future. We always get permission from the users before recording their voice or image. This is because recording these things without the knowledge or consent of the user is unethical and wrong or even illegal in some countries.
Even during this test, we may ask the users to think aloud so that we can get to know their mental state. We need to communicate this very clearly to the user because people are not used to sharing information in this way, and they do not know where to say what in the course of the test, and what they say may not be relevant to the purpose of the test and our research question.
Card sorting tests
Our goal in card sorting tests is usually to identify the mental hierarchy or groupings in users' minds. This test is essential for determining product categories or different product categories, and it helps us reach the correct flow and categorization according to the user's mindset.
In these tests, we have a set of pre-written cards, and we ask the users to place them in separate groups. We may even give them blank cards and ask them to define the group name or title. We must clarify to them what these cards are and what they are supposed to do with them.
We may also ask them to explain their grouping logic to us. This helps us better understand the mindset of our target audience. Ultimately, the categories we introduce have a better quality and match more closely with their mental model. We also usually record* the users' voices to compare their mental models in the future. This helps reduce the likelihood of errors in the conclusions and reach an architecture that most users understand.*Remember to ask for the interviewee's permission before any recording.
Phone interviews
These interviews are usually conducted with users currently using our product, and we select these individuals based on the product data. In some cases, we may contact people without prior coordination or without sending a screening questionnaire. In this case, we introduce ourselves and explain the purpose of this interview fully.
For example, you can use this to introduce yourself:
Hi! My name is {your name}. I'm calling from {Your Organization name} (you can also mention your title here, such as "from the product team" or "from the research team." However, remember that your job title may not be apparent to the users and may confuse them). We need your help with a research project on "a certain topic." If you have time, I can ask you a few questions about "a certain number" of minutes.
You should always introduce yourself and tell the user where you are calling from and why you are calling them. It would help to tell them how long the call will take. People may not be able to talk to you for 10 minutes. Maybe they are busy driving or doing something else.
Conclusion
In this article, I gave examples of 3 of the most common tests we use and discussed some common issues in each. I also discussed some things we should tell our users before new tests. If I had to summarize the entire article, I would say the following:
In different user experience tests, we need to clearly explain the test process to our users so that we can collect better and more quality information and data. This transparency can increase the user’s willingness to participate and complete the test. It can also reduce the impact of external factors on the performance of our user test participants.
Special thanks to:
How to Prepare Users for User Experience Research
Introduction
We've all had to take tests from our users, whether they're current users of our product or people who have never used it before. These tests come in various forms, and in each one, we give users some data and information and ask them to perform specific tasks or help us find the answer to our research question.
To get high-quality results from our tests, we need our users to be mentally prepared for the research and to understand what we're asking them to do. For example, consider the following two scenarios:
Scenario 1: Your phone rings. After saying hello, the person on the other end of the line tells you they'll call you back in two hours on Skype to take a usability test. They then hang up quickly. If you're a regular user, you probably don't know what usability testing is! Or, you might have questions like: Who called me? Where did they get my number? Why are they calling me? You don't even know what Skype is and can't install it.
Scenario 2: You're going to a company to take a test in person. A young person sits down in front of you, gives you a stack of 50 cards, and says, "Arrange these cards however you like, either next to each other or in related groups." In this case, the user needs clarification, making it difficult to focus on the categorization task. It's like the day of an exam. Imagine that you've studied hard for a class, and the teacher puts the paper on your desk on the exam day. Before you look at the questions, you see that you don't know the answer to the last question. Do you remember how much stress you felt at that moment? You might even forget the questions you do know.
How to Prepare Users for User Experience Research
For people to be willing to take tests and go through all of the test steps with peace of mind and focus, they should know ahead of time what the test process is like to prepare for the test mentally. We typically provide users with verbal or written explanations of our tests before we start the research to clarify all the details. For example, we explain the test, why we're taking it from them, what happens during it, and our user expectations and requirements. On the other hand, in some tests, we need to record a video of the user working with the app for future reference, so we always get their permission to do so. This is called a research agreement.
What is a research agreement?
A research agreement can be either verbal or written. In a research agreement, in addition to the research requirements, the research steps are also clearly stated, and all of the tasks that the research participants must perform are explained so that they can participate in the research with full knowledge of them.
Research screening
To reach our target audience for the test and find suitable users, we typically send surveys and ask questions that filter users out until we get a relevant set of users.
At the end of the questions, if the user is suitable for the test, we ask them to set a time to participate. After receiving the appropriate time from the user, we introduce the prerequisites for conducting the test. For example, we ask them to be in a quiet space at that time to minimize distractions and allow the user to focus on the test. If we need an app like Skype or Google Meet for the call, we always send the user a link to download the app and instructions on installing and using it.
Usability testing
As we all know, our usability testing aims to evaluate our product or a small part of our product. In usability testing, we need to simulate conditions and backgrounds for our users. For example, we tell our users to find a specific item or perform a particular task within the prototype we have provided. We also give the user a gift in return for the time they spend with us.
In this situation, the research participant may be unable to do the tasks we ask them to at first glance, which may cause them to worry and feel helpless. This feeling can significantly impact the user's ability to take the test out of its normal state. The user may even think receiving the gift is contingent on answering the questions correctly and taking a path other than their usual methods to complete the tasks.
To eliminate the concerns and adverse effects on them from the user, before starting the test, we try to explain to the user in full transparency that this test is only for measuring the ease of use of our product and prototype, and if there is a problem or the user cannot find an item or perform a task, it does not mean that they have done something wrong or that they have low ability. In this case, the problem is with our design and prototype.
After the test and during data collection, we usually need to record factors such as the time the user takes to complete each task or the stages and sections the user incorrectly selects. Recording all of these events simultaneously during the test is difficult, so we usually record the screen of the user's test phone or voice to document the stages and events in more detail in the future. We always get permission from the users before recording their voice or image. This is because recording these things without the knowledge or consent of the user is unethical and wrong or even illegal in some countries.
Even during this test, we may ask the users to think aloud so that we can get to know their mental state. We need to communicate this very clearly to the user because people are not used to sharing information in this way, and they do not know where to say what in the course of the test, and what they say may not be relevant to the purpose of the test and our research question.
Card sorting tests
Our goal in card sorting tests is usually to identify the mental hierarchy or groupings in users' minds. This test is essential for determining product categories or different product categories, and it helps us reach the correct flow and categorization according to the user's mindset.
In these tests, we have a set of pre-written cards, and we ask the users to place them in separate groups. We may even give them blank cards and ask them to define the group name or title. We must clarify to them what these cards are and what they are supposed to do with them.
We may also ask them to explain their grouping logic to us. This helps us better understand the mindset of our target audience. Ultimately, the categories we introduce have a better quality and match more closely with their mental model. We also usually record* the users' voices to compare their mental models in the future. This helps reduce the likelihood of errors in the conclusions and reach an architecture that most users understand.*Remember to ask for the interviewee's permission before any recording.
Phone interviews
These interviews are usually conducted with users currently using our product, and we select these individuals based on the product data. In some cases, we may contact people without prior coordination or without sending a screening questionnaire. In this case, we introduce ourselves and explain the purpose of this interview fully.
For example, you can use this to introduce yourself:
Hi! My name is {your name}. I'm calling from {Your Organization name} (you can also mention your title here, such as "from the product team" or "from the research team." However, remember that your job title may not be apparent to the users and may confuse them). We need your help with a research project on "a certain topic." If you have time, I can ask you a few questions about "a certain number" of minutes.
You should always introduce yourself and tell the user where you are calling from and why you are calling them. It would help to tell them how long the call will take. People may not be able to talk to you for 10 minutes. Maybe they are busy driving or doing something else.
Conclusion
In this article, I gave examples of 3 of the most common tests we use and discussed some common issues in each. I also discussed some things we should tell our users before new tests. If I had to summarize the entire article, I would say the following:
In different user experience tests, we need to clearly explain the test process to our users so that we can collect better and more quality information and data. This transparency can increase the user’s willingness to participate and complete the test. It can also reduce the impact of external factors on the performance of our user test participants.
Special thanks to: