This is a presentation I gave to members of D5 on how we do User Research at the Government Digital Service.

1. Cabinet Office
Will Roissetter
GOV.UK/performance
@_rossio_ GDS

2. User Research at GDS

3. Design
principles
Government Digital Service
NEEDS
1 User needs, not government needs 2 Do less 3 Design with data
4 Do the hard work to make it simple 5 Iterate. Then iterate again 6 This is for everyone
7 The unit of delivery is the team 8 Build things people can build on 9 Be consistent not uniform
10 Make things open, it makes them better
www.gov.uk/designprinciples
04.2014
@_rossio_ GDS

4. 1.
USER
NEEDS
NOT
GOVERNMENT
NEEDS
@_rossio_ GDS

5. Well understood and clearly stated
user needs are the bedrock of
service design
Leisa Reichelt
@_rossio_ GDS

6. User Research is a team sport

7. @_rossio_ GDS

8. @_rossio_ GDS

9. Every team member should observe
2 hours of research every 6 weeks
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10. At least one session of research
should be planned every 2 weeks of
design work
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11. Understanding User Needs

12. Carer’s Allowance
Eligibility
screen
I need to know if I’m
entitled to any money
I need money to care for
her.
My dad died, he looked after my
mum. She cannot care for herself
@_rossio_ GDS

13. Carer’s Allowance
Eligibility
screen
I need to know if I’m
entitled to any money
I need money to care for
her.
My dad died, he looked after my
mum. She cannot care for herself
Having an in-depth
understanding of
this
@_rossio_ GDS

14. Carer’s Allowance
Eligibility
screen
I need to know if I’m
entitled to any money
I need money to care for
her.
Means we can
design these well
My dad died, he looked after my
mum. She cannot care for herself
Having an in-depth
understanding of
this
@_rossio_ GDS

15. User
stories
(discard
after use)
User needs in the context
of the service
User needs in the context
of life
The problem/need/job exists, but
people just get on with their lives
@_rossio_ GDS

16. User
stories
(discard
after use)
User needs in the context
of the service
User needs in the
context of life
The problem/need/job exists, but
people just get on with their lives
@_rossio_ GDS

17. User
stories
(discard
after use)
User needs in the
context of the service
User needs in the
context of life
The problem/need/job exists, but
people just get on with their lives
@_rossio_ GDS

18. User
stories
(discard
after use)
User needs in the
context of the service
User needs in the
context of life
The problem/need/job exists, but
people just get on with their lives
@_rossio_ GDS

19. Evidence driven design

20. How to test.
Paul Sims 2014
@_rossio_ GDS

21. How to test.
1. Agree what it is you’re trying to solve.
Paul Sims 2014
@_rossio_ GDS

22. How to test.
1. Agree what it is you’re trying to solve.
2. Write up your hypothesis for solving
problem. Is it an idea, feature, interaction?
Paul Sims 2014
@_rossio_ GDS

23. How to test.
1. Agree what it is you’re trying to solve.
2. Write up your hypothesis for solving
problem. Is it an idea, feature, interaction?
3. Identify an approach to get the best +
easiest + quickest results.
Paul Sims 2014
@_rossio_ GDS

24. Evidence driven design. A process
to identify user needs, create objects
for testing in realtime with users to
inform our decisions. Keeps us
grounded in evidence.
Paul Sims 2014
@_rossio_ GDS

25. A user-centred design
approach. Reduces the chances
of living in a bubble. Makes sure
we are building the right thing.
Paul Sims 2014
@_rossio_ GDS

26. Select the research that is most
appropriate to the stage of your
project.
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27. Be clear what you need from the
research, so you ask the right
questions.
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28. Lean
build the right thing
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29. Agile
build the thing right
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30. Where we research

31. Homes
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32. Sales Yards
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33. Libraries
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34. Remotely
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35. Labs
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36. How we research

37. Depth
interviews
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38. A day in the life
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39. Usage mapping
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40. Shadowing
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41. Sketching
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42. Prototyping
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43. Make
Test
Learn
Improve
In a continuous cycle

44. Cabinet Office
Will Roissetter
GOV.UK/performance
@_rossio_ GDS