Below is just a selection of UX methods available to you.<\/p>\n
If you’ve never done any UX testing before, we recommend you work with someone who has (if you’re an IS colleague, join our Sharepoint community site<\/a>). That’s to make sure you’ve selected a good method for what you want to find out, and you know what consent you need to get and how to share your findings most effectively.<\/p>\n Always gain informed consent from the participants or make a case to explain why you don\u2019t need to.<\/p>\n Consider how you may want to use and share the data you collect: as well as sharing it with your colleagues you may want to take it to talks and conferences.<\/p>\n Write up and submit your ethics protocol and submit it to the relevant research office (eg the data protection officer?).<\/p>\n Protect yourself and your subjects \u2013 this also proves to stakeholders that you have a robust research process.<\/p>\n Recruiting users can be time consuming.<\/p>\n Be careful with incentivising \u2013 you don\u2019t want too many people just showing up for the reward. Print credits or a free hot drink are good.<\/p>\n With some methods you may just get pro-library users.<\/p>\n Purpose<\/strong>: to answer a specific research question.<\/p>\n How<\/strong>: by recording objective notes on how users are behaving in a particular space.<\/p>\n Identify and anonymise users by naming them A-Z.<\/p>\n Note:<\/p>\n Put a note on the door telling people observation will be happening. That gives them a choice to talk to you if they\u2019re concerned, or to choose another study room.<\/p>\n Why it\u2019s powerful<\/strong>: it helps uncover the hidden obvious: stuff students are so used to working badly that they probably won\u2019t mention it in feedback.<\/p>\n Purpose<\/strong>: to uncover users\u2019 desire lines and create more human centred design.<\/p>\n How<\/strong>: On a map, plot how people move through the space.<\/p>\n Try and capture everyone using the space during the period of observation.<\/p>\n Record:<\/p>\n Why? <\/strong>Because finding out is better than just supposing.<\/p>\n 3 types:<\/p>\n How:<\/strong> Quick, ad-hoc interviews with users as they\u2019re leaving the space. Ask them questions like:<\/p>\n But be cynical.<\/p>\n How<\/strong>: Ask them if they mind you asking them a few questions. Then:<\/p>\n More about how to do interviews<\/a>.<\/p>\n How<\/strong>: takes longer \u2013 30 minutes to an hour. Observe them do their normal stuff, get them to do a running commentary.<\/p>\n Important:<\/p>\n Why it\u2019s powerful<\/strong>: it can reveal knowledge that the user is not consciously aware of and would not otherwise articulate.<\/p>\n Purpose<\/strong>: uncover information about the user\u2019s priorities, preferences and routines through a simple drawing or doodle.<\/p>\n How<\/strong>: give them limited time to draw a picture or map.<\/p>\n Time them and ask them to use different colour pens \u2013 this shows what they drew first, second, third (ie urgency and priority).<\/p>\n Follow up with an in-depth discussion.<\/p>\n Why it\u2019s powerful<\/strong>: can uncover the users\u2019 \u201clearning landscapes\u201d beyond the library \u2013 offering a more complete picture of their lives. What\u2019s missing is just as important as what\u2019s included.<\/p>\n Case study:<\/p>\n Purpose<\/strong>: get an insight into how users interact with our services over time.<\/p>\n How<\/strong>: ask users to keep diaries of their studies, especially their interaction with our services.<\/p>\n You could give them a paper diary preloaded with some prompts, or ask them to do it digitally (ie a blog).<\/p>\n Why it\u2019s powerful<\/strong>: experiences are noted down as they happen, but also offer a creative reflection and evaluation of the experiences. This is the closest we can get to \u201cfollowing a user home\u201d.<\/p>\n Purpose<\/strong>: uncover priorities and preferences related to a specific research question.<\/p>\n How<\/strong>: invite a small group of users (up to 10) to a workshop in which they sort index cards or post-its. Run a series of them to find patterns and themes.<\/p>\n Closed method: you write the terms on the cards and ask them to group and prioritise.<\/p>\n Open method: you invite participants to come up with their own terms.<\/p>\n Here’s a good article on card sorting<\/a> from usability.gov.<\/p>\n Purpose: <\/strong>instant and barrier-free dialogue with students on their own terms and in their own space.<\/p>\n How<\/strong>: stick up paper and pens or a whiteboard, invite comments, and respond to them. Remove and replace when it\u2019s full. Make sure it\u2019s not near a service desk.<\/p>\n Why it\u2019s powerful<\/strong>: it\u2019s a good way of having a dialogue with students without in-person contact. May uncover issues users wouldn\u2019t fill in a feedback form about.<\/p>\n Here are a couple of case studies:<\/p>\n Purpose<\/strong>: to uncover the meaning and value of spaces and services, and the language users use.<\/p>\n How<\/strong>: Ask users to take you on a recorded tour of the space and describe what they use and what\u2019s important to them.<\/p>\n Put the user in charge, but prompt them for more information and clarification. Don\u2019t correct or instruct them.<\/p>\n Ask them about points of fail (poorly designed services).<\/p>\n Be sceptical \u2013 they may seek to impress you.<\/p>\n Why it\u2019s powerful<\/strong>: rediscover your spaces and facilities through the eyes of the user and find out what they call things.<\/p>\n 3 types:<\/p>\n How<\/strong>: invite users to photo-document aspects of their study lives. Disposable cameras? Facebook albums?<\/p>\n For example, 20 specific things to photograph, mixing library\/IT related, study related, and random.<\/p>\n Then interview them and ask them to explain their choices.<\/p>\n Why it\u2019s powerful<\/strong>: provides visual, self-reported insights into their behaviours and priorities. Another good way to \u201cfollow them home\u201d.<\/p>\n How<\/strong>: ask users to choose their favourite study desk (for example) and have their photo taken. Then interview them about their choice.<\/p>\n How<\/strong>: show user photos of library spaces and facilities and ask them what they think. Keep the interview very open \u2013 the photos are only the starting point.<\/p>\n Why it\u2019s powerful<\/strong>: captures the user\u2019s gut reaction to what\u2019s on the photo. Can uncover hidden problems with spaces\/facilities and give insights into their wider library\/learning experiences, preferences and expectations.<\/p>\n Purpose: <\/strong>get in-depth insights into how users feel about particular spaces and services.<\/p>\n How<\/strong>: ask users to write either a love or a break-up letter to a service or space that they love or hate, revealing why they use it or don\u2019t use it.<\/p>\n Why it\u2019s powerful<\/strong>: fun and creative for users to do, which results in great freedom and honesty. Very detailed and revealing. You learn more from break-up letters, but be prepared for some hard truths.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Below is just a selection of UX methods available to you. If you’ve never done any UX testing before, we recommend you work with someone … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":77,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/isux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/isux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/isux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/isux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/77"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/isux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/isux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":374,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/isux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19\/revisions\/374"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/isux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Before you start<\/h2>\n
Ethics and consent<\/h3>\n
Recruiting users and incentives<\/h3>\n
Observation<\/h2>\n
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Behavioural mapping<\/h2>\n
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Interviews: talk to users one to one<\/h2>\n
Exit interviews: <\/strong><\/h3>\n
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In-depth interviews:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Contextual inquiry:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Cognitive mapping<\/h2>\n
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Diary studies<\/h2>\n
Card sorting<\/h2>\n
Graffiti walls<\/h2>\n
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Touchstone tours<\/h2>\n
Photo studies<\/h2>\n
Photo elicitation study:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Contextual photo-interview:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Photo elicitation interview:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Love and break-up letters<\/h2>\n