Persona research

Details

• Based on the project chosen, you are to conduct 3 user interviews each (Major Project Brief)
• Work in groups of 3s to document your persona research data from 9 users in shared file accessible to all group members
• Submit your group work for marking by the end of Week 05
• Include the project topic and group memember names in the submission comment
• File name: personaResearch-memberNames.xlsx (or PDF)

The Goal of Persona (user) Research

Understand user behaviors, needs, and motivations through observation techniques, task analysis, and other feedback methodologies to: Produce measurable and actionable results.

• WHO are you designing for?
• WHAT are their goals?
• WHY will they use your app?
• WHERE, WHEN and HOW do they perform tasks?
• What are the PROBLEMS with the current way they complete their tasks?

To begin, form a group with 3~4 people working on the same project as you.

1. Identify your users for the primary and secondary persona
   • Discuss how you will access your users
2. Decide what questions to ask (Week 5-1b slide 20)
3. Review and customize the persona research spreadsheet (opens new window)
   • Decide what you need to know about your users (demographic info.)
   • Make adjustments to the spreadsheet
   • Add/remove any columns you believe are necessary/unnecessary
4. Get access to users
5. Begin your interviews

1. Identify your users for the primary and secondary persona

Access traditional market research data (if available):

• Established user base:
  • Get existing demographics data
• If no existing demographics data, survey current users
  • No user base (new company/product)
  • Research users of your competitors or similar companies, products or services

2. Decide What To Ask (A sample script (opens new window))

• OVERVIEW
• DOMAIN KNOWLEDGE
• GOALS
• ATTITUDES AND MOTIVATIONS
• PROCESSES
• ENVIRONMENT
• PAIN POINTS
• TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGY
• MENTAL MODELS (opens new window)
• PROJECTING INTO THE FUTURE
• WRAPPING UP

3. Decide How To Ask – Individual Interviews

Tips:

• Ask primarily open-ended questions.
• Ask participants to show more than tell.
• Ask participants to describe current/past experiences, not imagine future states
• Ask for specific stories, especially about anything you can’t observe.
• Some good questions to ask
  • "Can you tell me about how you/your family currently does X?”
  • “Can you tell me about your most recent experience doing X?"
  • “Can you tell me some of the tools and resources you used?”
  • “Can you tell me why this is important?” (goals)
  • “Can you describe any frustrating experiences you have had with X?”
  • "I notice you [did something] - can you explain that to me?"
  • At the end: "Do you have any questions for me?"

4. Get access to users

• Each member conduct at least 3 interviews for your PRIMARY persona
• NOTE: YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR GATHERING DATA ON YOUR SECONDARY PERSONA. IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES WILL WALK YOU THROUGH ALL THE STEPS REQUIRED, FOCUSED ON THE PRIMARY PERSONA. FOLLOW THE SAME STEPS FOR THE SECONDARY PERSONA.
  • Primary user persona - the browser/consumer (info seeker) of the service/program
  • Secondary user persona - the poster/deliverer (info provider) of the service/program

5. Conduct your interviews to collect data – Things to remember:

• Try to keep it to 10-15 mins max
• Prepare a set of questions, AND follow-up probes
• Do a dry-run (with each other) to make sure that:
  • the questions make sense
  • are in a logical order
  • the interview won’t run too long/short

Each team member runs the interview with 3 people.

• Have a note-taker with you, so you can focus on facilitating the interview. ( Or, use zoom and record their voice. Ensure you get their consent first!)
• Get user permission in the Non Disclosure Agreement (NDA example) (opens new window)

Reference

• Major Project Brief
• Final Project: UXD Portfolio Slide Package

Note

• You will use this persona research spreadsheet data to create 2 personas "individually" in week 6.
• Example: music-app-persona_research_example.pdf (opens new window)

Submission

WARNING

Due Sunday October 09 by 11:59pm

• Open BS LMS and go to the Activities > Assignments page.
• Go to the Persona research assignment.
• Upolad your file (and document link) on the assignment page in BS LMS and click the submit button.