User Research: Design Researching

Conducting Design 

Research Early

User Research is critical.

User Research evaluates

What people say they do

Versus

What people actually do

Design of a product ----> people's actions

Erika Hall:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WtB5FRn-Sc

"Questions are better than answers".

And, 

"People are a giant pain in the ass..."

Lol

Researching to better understanding users is just one facet of it. It's largely about the real world that you're operating in. because at least you're informed and you're in control of it.

All research is, is asking questions.

People wanting to be in a shared reality. 

Design is a series of decisions

Research helps examine those assumptions of your decisions.

Everyone wants products faster.

One simple process:

figure out questions;

analyze data

Form Questions ---> Gather Data ---> Analyze Data

Insights -----> Your Process --->Success

Questions Determine Results

Questions Give Research Meaning

Research High Priority Questions

Good Questions:

Specific

Practicle

Actionable

Best Question:

The unknown that carries the most risk into your process

Start with the solution that people really want; not the solution that you are excited about building

Requirements:

What are the top business requirements?

What does this product have to do to be successful for our business?

How might products decisions make things easier?

How to change behavior?

behaving today

Never ask people what they like?

Never ask people to predict?

You don't make money from what people think

but what their actions are

Their actions someway, somehow are 

determining your design of that product

The Art of the Interview:

1. Know you research question

2. build that rapport with that person

3. Remain quiet

*Allow them to talk and make sure it is 

one-on-one away from company/organization

Competitive Research:

Not just research in "competitors"

After User Research, Competitive research counteracts with understanding behaviors of the customer.

It shows something different from your initial answer you found by adding an extra layer to the research process of the product. You need to create meaning from the data that was initially gathered through competitive research

Reason being:

"Once we recognize people as the source of that solution for the product, we can design better products faster and have a better time doing it."
-Erika Hall, UX Salon 2016

Hall's talk was really brilliant in how she outlines something here that is very true in context with the current state of the real world and how people are interacting with today's technology. Her key points in creating better research is to be aware of people's actions and how their actions determine an actual design. She is also making the case here that action is the result of a designer's success and that a series of questions is perhaps how to best facilitate those actions in the real world. Research is not always right, but having "just enough" research can be critical for any desired outcome.