Regardless if it’s the first time or your hundredth time, conducting any sort of field research is always a bit of a daunting task. The planning and conducting of field research is a juggling act between prep work, interview skills, and synthesis of research data. While it does take practice and experience to get comfortable with the act of field research, there are lessons you can learn that will help you get past many rookie mistakes and get you to collecting invaluable information. This workshop will cover key aspects of three main stages of conducting field studies:
Planning and Prep - Good research data starts with proper planning. This involves everything from writing interview questions, developing an interview guide, recruiting participants, and determining the logistics for the interview sessions.
Out in the Field - Conducting this type of research can drain you physically and mentally. There are a number of tricks that help you keep your mind sharp and allow you to give each session the same amount of energy as the first.
Finding the Patterns - The number of data points that result from field research grows quickly. Aside from time, certain techniques exist that help you get through this mountain of information and get to the findings you need to be successful.
The world is changing faster than people can keep up, both physically and mentally. Field research is one of the key tools that designers can use to understand how new products and digital experiences can be designed to aid people with managing this growth.
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–Alan Lakein
“Planning is bringing the future into
the present so that you can do
something about it now.”
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Key Benefits
1. Validates initial assumptions and existing research
2. Ensures you cover all the necessary topics
3. Helps sessions flow more smoothly
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Workproducts
Tools of the Trade
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Introduction Packet
• Pre-introduce yourself
• Provide background and
key contacts
• Send you picture
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Travel Logistics
• Map out routes
• Estimate travel time
• Plan breaks and meals
• Avoid over scheduling
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Observer Instructions
• Lay down the rules
• Avoid asking questions
• Control non-verbal
reactions
• Stay focused
• Debrief instructions
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Notes worksheets
• Key for multiple
research teams
• Aids in synthesis and
analysis
• Allows for backup note
takers to help
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Formulating Questions
The hardest part of the job…
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Goals
Avoid talking about people want, rather focus on what
problems they have the need to be solved and why they
need to solve them.
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Objectives
Identify the key objectives for doing the research. What
outcomes are expected and how will they be used?
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Assumptions
Base questions on the assumptions that you have on hand
and what stakeholders think people do or say.
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Hypothesis
Frame areas of inquiry around a hypotheses that you can
test while interviewing people. This will change as the
studies progress, but if gives you a strong starting point.
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Digging Deeper
• Why do you need to ask
that question?
• Why does this question
matter?
• What else do I need to
know?
• Rinse and repeat…
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Recruitment
Finding the right people
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–Chris Gabrieli
Time is a resource, much like
money or autonomy, which can be
invaluable or can be squandered.
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In-Person
It’s important to keep in mind that it takes time to travel
between sessions. This can include walking down the hall or
driving across town.
Remote
Technology is not your friend when doing remote sessions.
Plan for some upfront time to train a participant on how to
use any online conferencing tools or systems.
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Tech Checks
• Testing technology
before each session
• Have a checklist for
beginning of day, per
session, and end of day
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Dry Runs
• Practice
• Practice
• Practice
• Then….
• Practice Some More
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Section 2
Field Research Time
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Mini Activity
Interview Dry Run
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Introductions
Hi, My Name Is ________
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Warming Them Up
• Sets a friendly tone and
context
• Breaks down barriers
• Opens up trust
• Humanizes your team
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Small Talk
Master the art of small talk. This is crucial when it comes
to warming up a participant and getting them on your side.
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Personal Questions
Notice unique things about the person and inquire. Keep
the topics safe and neutral. Safe topics include - family,
job, obvious hobbies.
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Inquire About Environment
Pay attention to photos, art work, knickknacks to learn
more about the person and what types of things they are
interested in.
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Commonalities
Everyone has something in common, pointing it out helps
creates a connection.
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Managing
Flow
Influencing the peaks and
valleys of a conversation
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Order of Questioning
• Simple/Basic Questions
• Topic Based Questions
• Sensitive Areas
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– Barbara Walters
When you're interviewing someone,
you're in control. When you're being
interviewed, you think you're in
control, but you're not.
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Focus on Behavior
Hints at Barriers & Depth
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Body Language
• Non-verbal signals
convey a lot of meaning
• Two-street, your signals
and theirs
• Utilizing mirroring to
encourage people to
open up
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Avoidance Patterns
• Changing the subject
• Calling it quits
• Physically become closed off
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Energy Levels
Keeping the tank full…
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Two Way
Street
Participant energy is a
direct reflection of your
energy levels.
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Music Reading
Meditation
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Nightly Debrief
• Team & Client debriefs
• Highlight key observations
- Don’t get into the weeds
• Debrief Template to save time
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2nd Activity
Field Research
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Mini Activity
Research Highlights
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Consolidating Data
Looking At The Whole Picture
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What’s a Data Point?
A data point is a single thought, comment, idea, or notion
that relates to the area of inquiry.
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Pulling Out Data Points
Catalog the data points so that pattern analysis can be
performed. The key here is getting the data in a malleable
format
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Team Notes
Gather all the team’s notes together, grab a pot of coffee,
and get to reading…
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Transcripts
Send audio recordings off, gather session transcripts, grab
a pot of coffee, and get to reading…
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64. Source - Tomar Sharon via http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2013/04/11/rainbow-
spreadsheet-collaborative-ux-research-tool/
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Finding The Story
The Data Is Talking To You
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– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
There is nothing insignificant in the world.
It all depends on the point of view.
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Actionable Data
Getting Some ROI
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–Bill Nye
“When you go exploring, two things happen.
First, you make discoveries. The other thing
is you'll have an adventure, and I think we
all want to be part of space exploration.”
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New Frontiers
Time To Go Exploring Again
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Next Round of Research
Plan for areas that couldn’t be included this round and
what areas require additional discovery.
What’s New Territory?
Document the areas that were discovered that require
focus and discovery in the next round of research.
78. I like learning stuff. The more
information you can get about
a person or a subject, the
more you can pour into a
potential project.
- Brian Grazer
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Using Curiosity
• Wonder…the greatest weapon a researcher can have
• Allows a team to get out of its own way
• Throws assumptions out the window and gets the heart
of the matter