Practical User Research: Everything You Need to Know to Integrate User Research to Your Product Development

Table of Contents
About the Author
About the Technical Reviewers
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1: Introduction to User Research
	The Origins of User Research
		Ergonomics
		Design
		Human and Computer Interaction
		From Usability to User Research
		Human Behaviors and Cognitive Psychology
		Social Interaction and Psychological Research
		Social Interaction in Everyday Life
		Objects Involved in Everyday Life
		Collecting Data in Natural Environments and Analyzing It
	A Closer Look at User Research
		Quantitative Research Method
		Qualitative Research Methods
	The Role of a User Researcher and How to Become One
		Why Do You Need a User Researcher?
		User Research Compared to Other UXers
		Role of User Researchers
		Transferable Skills
		Training
		Recommendations
	Why Invest in User Research?
		Differentiating Client Needs from User Needs
		Understand User Needs
	Summary
Chapter 2: Understanding Product Development Phases
	Discovery
	Alpha
	Beta
	Private Beta
	Live
	Fitting User Research into Your Development Process Cycle
	Summary
Chapter 3: Fitting User Research into Your Organization
	Do Organizations Need to Fail to Start Thinking About User Research?
	What Is Maturity?
		Business Maturity Phases
		Design Maturity Phases
		Nielson Norman Group Model
		User Research Maturity Phases
	Growing Your User Research Capability
	Research Ops: A New Trend
		Doing User Research: How Do I Start?
		Contractor vs. Employee
		Identifying Talents
		Recruiting User Researchers
		Community: Communication Between User Researchers
	Leading a User Research Capability
	User Research Integration Case Studies
		Startups
		Startup Recap
		An Organization That Has a Bit of Budget for User Research
		Budget Recap
		An Organization That Needs to Transform But Is Not Mature
		Transformation Recap
		Organization in Progress Surrounded by the Right Expert to Help Them Go Through Maturation
		Expert Recap
		The Public Sector in the United Kingdom
		Public Sector Recap
	Summary
Chapter 4: Preparing for Your Research
	Before Starting
		Working with Your Team and Getting Support
		Dismissing User Research
	Do You Need User Research?
	What Do You Already Know?
	Identify the Gaps
	What Do You Want to Find Out?
	High-Level Plan or Brief
	Build the Case and Present It to Stakeholders
	Which Resources Do You Need?
	Get an Estimate
	Get Your Budget
	Recruit a Contractor or Commission an Agency
	Statement of Work/Brief
	Start
	Summary
Chapter 5: Research Preparation
	Protocols
	Why Document?
	Determine the Aim of the Research Project
		Example 1: Redesigning a WebSite for Postgraduate Courses
		Example 2: Integrating Data into Your Current Financial Platform
		Example 3: Redesigning an Intranet
	Choosing the Relevant Method for Your Research
	Collecting Data and Equipment
		Discovery Phase
		Alpha
		Beta
		Private Beta
		Live
	Equipment
	Ethics
		Principles
		Risks
		Participants with Psychological Conditions
		Safety and Home Visits
		Consent
	Recruiting Participants and Incentives
		Using Social Media
		Posting a Survey on Twitter
		Use Your Network
		Use Your Client’s List
		Use a Recruitment Agency
		Incentives
		Scheduling Your Session
	Analyzing
	Presenting and Sharing Your Findings
		Overview/Highlight Findings
		Short Presentation
		Report Presentation
	Organizing Your Work and Storing Data
	Summary
Chapter 6: Research Methods: Analytics, Surveys, and Card Sorting
	Analytics
		Tools to Collect the Data
		Analyzing the Data
		Interpreting the Data
		Presenting
		Analytics Conclusion
	Surveys
		Questions That a Survey Will Answer
		Tools to Collect Data from a Questionnaire
			Open-Ended Questions
			Close-Ended Questions
				Ranking
				Likert Scale
				Multiple Choice
		Running a Pilot to Test Your Questionnaire
		Paper, Online, or Phone Survey?
		Analyzing the Data
		Interpreting the Data
		Presenting Survey Findings
		Surveys Conclusion
	Card Sorting
		The Basic Method
		Choosing the Card-Sorting Variant
		Open Card Sorting
		Closed Card Sorting
		Hybrid Card Sorting
		Creating the Cards and Categories
		Recruiting Participants
		Tips for Card Sorting
		Testing the Wording of Cards and Categories
		Analyzing and Interpreting the Data
			Interpreting Closed Card-Sorting Results
			Example: A Closed Card Sort to Interpret
			Interpreting Open Card-Sorting Results
			Example: An Open Card Sort to Interpret
		Presenting: What to Include in a Card Sorting Research Report
		Card Sorting Conclusion
	Summary
Chapter 7: Collecting Qualitative Data
	Contextual Inquiry/Ethnography
		When Using Contextual Inquiry
		Process to Conduct a Contextual Inquiry
			Preparing Your Contextual Inquiry
			Identifying Relevant Participants
			Anticipating Cancellation
			Sending a Pre-visit Email
			Bringing Someone with You
			Collecting Your Data
			Storing Your Data
			Analysis
			Presenting the Findings
	Interviews
		Structured Interviews
		Unstructured Interviews
		Semistructured Interviews
		Preparation of Your Interview Questions
		Interview Format
			Different Ways to Conduct Interviews
			Using Interviews to Collect Data
			Storing Your Data
	Focus Groups
		When to Use Focus Groups in User Research
		Preparing Your Interview Questions
		Format of Focus Groups
			Collecting the Data
			Materials
			Storing the Data
			Analysis and Presentation of the Findings
	Usability Testing/User Testing
		Usability Testing
			A/B Testing
			Eye-Tracking
			Guerrilla Testing/Pop-Up Research
			RITE
			Lab vs. Natural Environment
			Remote Testing
		System Usability Scale
			Calculating SUS Score
				Formula for SUS Excel Calculation
			Interpretation
		When to Do User Testing?
		Preparation of Your User Testing Sessions
			Plan
			Materials
			The Consent Form
			Equipment
			Participants’ Recruitment and Schedule
			Hardware Storage
			Analysis of the Data and Presentation of the Findings
	Diary Study
		Using a Diary Study to Collect Data
		Process to Conduct a Diary Study
			Tools to Collect the Interview Data
			Collecting Your Data
			Hardware Storage
			Challenges
			Analysis of the Data and Presentation of the Findings
	Summary
Chapter 8: Analyzing Qualitative Data and Interpreting the Findings
	Affinity Diagrams
	Thematic Analysis vs. Content Analysis
		Compiling the Data
			Going Back to the Data
		Transcription
		Excel Document/Analysis
		Identifying Systematic Phenomena Across the Data
		Extracting the Findings
		Overview of the Findings
		User Journey
			User Journey: Discovery
			User Journey: Prototype
			User Journey: Build Product
		Persona
		Deliverables and Presenting the Findings
	Summary
Chapter 9: Participant Recruitment, Ethics, and Accessibility
	Who Are the Users?
		Identifying Which Participant Profiles You Want
		Identifying How Many Participants You Need
			Quantitative Research
			Qualitative Research
			Recruiting Participants
			Screener
			Using a Participant Recruitment Agency
			Internal Client List
			Advertising
			Professional Participants
			Incentives
			Taxation on Incentive
			No-Shows
	Accessibility and Vulnerable Participants
		Assisted Digital
			Elderly People
			Disabled People
			Visual Impairment
			Hearing Impairment
			Disabled People
			Learning Difficulties
			Nondigital Users
			Recruiting Special Needs Participants
	Ethics
		Using the Data
		Confidentiality
		Vulnerable Participants
		Participants with Limited Capabilities
		The Right to Withdraw at Any Time
	Summary
Chapter 10: Using Your New Skills in the Real World
	Brief 1: E-commerce Subscription Service
		Aims/Objectives
		Approach
		Participants
		Methodologies
		Overview of the Findings
	Brief 2: Eye-Tracking User Testing Session
		Aims/Objectives
		Approach
		Participants
		Methodologies
			User Testing
			Survey
		Overview of the Findings
	Brief 3: A Large Financial Organization Wants to Integrate a New Product into Its Current Financial Platform
		Aims/Objectives
		Approach
		Participants
		Methodologies
		Overview of the Findings
	Brief 4: iPhone Apps for Retail Banking in London and Asia
		Aims/Objectives
		Approach
		Participants
		Methodologies
			London
			Asia
		Overview of the Findings
	Brief 5: A New Website for a Small Business
		Aims/Objectives
		Approach
		Participants
		Methodologies
		Overview of the Findings
	Brief 6: Travel Apps for iPad in France
		Aims/Objectives
		Approach
		Participants
		Methodologies
		Overview of the Findings
	Brief 7: Ops Portal
		Aims/Objectives
		Approach
		Participants
		Methodologies
		Overview of the Findings
	Brief 8: Hardware and Software for Kids
		Aims/Objectives
		Approach
		Participants
		Methodologies
		Analytics
		Overview of the Findings
	Brief 9: Teacher New Training for New Responsibility Role
		Aims/Objectives
		Approach
		Participants
		Methodologies
		Overview of the Findings
	Brief 10: Redesign of the My Account Section for a Gambling Website
		Aims/Objectives
		Approach
		Participants
		Methodologies
		Overview of the Findings
	Summary
Appendix A: Sample Script for User Recruitment
Appendix B: Sample User Research Consent Form
	Project Title
	Invitation
	What Will Happen
	Time Commitment
	Participants’ Rights
	Cost, Reimbursement, and Compensation
	Confidentiality/Anonymity
	For Further Information
References
	For Further Readings
Index