Presented at UX Brighton 2019, 1st November 2019

1. Nick Fine
UX Brighton 2019
Scientific
Design

2. @doctorfine
@Nick Fine

3. 1996 BSc (Hons) Psychology | heavy MUDding | Worms Armageddon | C&C
2004 MSc Human Computer Interaction with Ergonomics
2009 PhD Human Computer Interaction, Personalisation | Eve Online
2010 User Experience Executive, LV=
2011 Senior User Experience Consultant, Redweb
2013 Head of User Experience, SAS/MSLGROUP
2014 Lead User Experience Architect (contract), Virgin Media
2016 Lead User Experience Architect (contract), Camelot & VML London
2017 Lead User Researcher (contract), Home Office
2018 Lead User Researcher (contract), Eurostar & Greater London Authority
ACADEMIC
STUPIDITY
COMMERCIAL
UX
EXPERIENCE
2019- Lead User Researcher (contract), Shell
EARLY
COMPUTING
INTERNET
PIONEERING
1997 Senior Technical Consultant, Demon Internet
DOTCOM
BOOM
1998 Head of Technical Pre-Sales, Internet Network Services
1999-03 Chief Technical Officer, EO plc
1999-03 Technical Advisor, New Media Spark plc
1985 First modem. Hacked UK car manuf., bank and florist on BBC Model B | Elite
1991 Active member on SFnet, coffee table network in San Francisco
1979 First computer, Tandy TRS-80. First console, Atari 2600
PSYCHOLOGY!
1990 Introduced first computing, Mac 2SE & Filemaker Pro at Marvel Comics UK

4. 1996 BSc (Hons) Psychology | heavy MUDding | Worms Armageddon | C&C
2004 MSc Human Computer Interaction with Ergonomics
2009 PhD Human Computer Interaction, Personalisation | Eve Online
2010 User Experience Executive, LV=
2011 Senior User Experience Consultant, Redweb
2013 Head of User Experience, SAS/MSLGROUP
2014 Lead User Experience Architect (contract), Virgin Media
2016 Lead User Experience Architect (contract), Camelot & VML London
2017 Lead User Researcher (contract), Home Office
2018 Lead User Researcher (contract), Eurostar & Greater London Authority
ACADEMIC
STUPIDITY
COMMERCIAL
UX
EXPERIENCE
2019- Lead User Researcher (contract), Shell
EARLY
COMPUTING
INTERNET
PIONEERING
1997 Senior Technical Consultant, Demon Internet
DOTCOM
BOOM
1998 Head of Technical Pre-Sales, Internet Network Services
1999-03 Chief Technical Officer, EO plc
1999-03 Technical Advisor, New Media Spark plc
1985 First modem. Hacked UK car manuf., bank and florist on BBC Model B | Elite
1991 Active member on SFnet, coffee table network in San Francisco
1979 First computer, Tandy TRS-80. First console, Atari 2600
PSYCHOLOGY!
1990 Introduced first computing, Mac 2SE & Foxbase at Marvel Comics UK

5. • Definitions: UX Design and Science
• Hypothesis testing
• Scientific principles and their application
• Structured creativity
• Hypothesis sprints
• Sharing
What we’ll be covering

6. DEFINITIONS

7. WHAT IS UX DESIGN?

8. The process of
achieving optimal
interaction
HIGH LEVEL

9. The conversion of
user needs into
experience
LOWER LEVEL

10. The process of achieving
optimal interaction through
the conversion of user needs
into experience
COMBINED

11. WHAT IS SCIENCE?

12. Science is a systematic
method for acquiring
knowledge

13. Science is a systematic
method for acquiring
knowledge

14. Science is more than a body
of knowledge,
it is a way of thinking
Carl Sagan

15. WHAT IS
SCIENTIFIC DESIGN?

16. Scientific design is applying
scientific knowledge and
principles throughout the
design process

17. RIGOR
OBJECTIVITY
IMPARTIALITY
HUMILITY
“You are not the user”
Be a scientist not an expert
Cognitive biases
STRUCTURE Methodical progression
EVIDENCE Data driven
Attention to detail, confidence

18. RIGOR
VALIDITY
RELIABILITY
AND
OBJECTIVITY
IMPARTIALITY
HUMILITY
“You are not the user”
Be a scientist not an expert
Cognitive biases
STRUCTURE Methodical progression
EVIDENCE Data driven
Attention to detail, confidence

19. RIGOR
VALIDITY
RELIABILITY
AND
OBJECTIVITY
IMPARTIALITY
HUMILITY
“You are not the user”
Be a scientist not an expert
Cognitive biases
STRUCTURE Methodical progression
EVIDENCE Data driven
Attention to detail, confidence
SUCCESSFUL
DESIGN

20. WHY IS SCIENCE IMPORTANT?
• Knowing with confidence
• Real insight
• Products and services
that perform well

21. WHY IS SCIENCE IMPORTANT?
• Does it work as intended?
• Is it liked?
• How is it used?
• Is it meeting needs?
• Is it used as designed?
• Is there any appetite?
• How can it be improved?

22. SCIENCE
IS THE LENS
THROUGH WHICH
WE DISTINGUISH
FACTS
FROM
FICTION SCIENCE

23. SCIENCE
IS THE LENS
THROUGH WHICH
WE DISTINGUISH
TRUTH
FROM
LIES SCIENCE

24. SCIENCE
IS THE LENS
THROUGH WHICH
WE DISTINGUISH
REALITY
FROM
OPINION SCIENCE

25. SCIENCE

26. SCIENCE

27. DESIGN v SCIENCE
THIS ISN’T ABOUT
SCIENCE
DESIGN

28. DESIGN v SCIENCE
THIS ISN’T ABOUT

29. DESIGN + SCIENCE
THIS IS ABOUT
SCIENCE DESIGN

30. DESIGN + SCIENCE
THIS IS ABOUT

31. DESIGN + SCIENCE
THIS IS ABOUT

32. DESIGN + SCIENCE =
KILLER UX

33. TODAY I’M GOING TO SHOW
YOU HOW TO ADD SCIENCE
TO YOUR UX

34. TODAY I’M GOING TO SHOW
YOU HOW TO ADD SCIENCE
TO YOUR UX
+ =
UX DESIGNERS SCIENCE SUPER UXers!

35. TODAY I’M GOING TO SHOW YOU
HOW TO ADD SCIENCE THINKING
TO YOUR DESIGN THINKING
+ =
DESIGN THINKING SCIENCE THINKING GODMODE

36. BUT WHAT DOES
THIS ALL HAVE
TO DO WITH
UX DESIGN?

37. HYPOTHESIS
SCIENCE IS ABOUT
TESTING

38. HYPOTHESIS

39. IDEA

40. HYPOTHESIS
=
IDEA

41. IDEA
SCIENCE IS ABOUT
TESTING

42. STRUCTURED IDEA
SCIENCE IS ABOUT
TESTING

43. SCIENCE
=
STRUCTURE

44. MYTH:
STRUCTURE IS THE ENEMY
OF CREATIVITY

45. MYTH:
STRUCTURE KILLS
INNOVATION

46. MYTH:
STRUCTURE STIFLES
IDEATION

47. REALITY:
STRUCTURE SUPPORTS
CREATIVITY

48. REALITY:
STRUCTURE INFORMS
INNOVATION

49. REALITY:
STRUCTURE FEEDS
IDEATION

50. But I don’t
have a PhD

51. !tt
YOU DON’T
NEED A PhD TO
DO SCIENCE!!

52. !tt
ANYONE
CAN DO
SCIENCE!

53. !tt
EVERYONE
SHOULD DO
SCIENCE!

54. Science is more than a body
of knowledge,
it is a way of thinking
Carl Sagan

55. Science
thinking

56. How do you think like a scientist?

57. Neil deGrasse Tyson’s
FIVE SIMPLE RULES
How do you think like a scientist?

58. QUESTION AUTHORITY
1
No idea is true just because someone says so,
including me

59. THINK FOR YOURSELF
• Question yourself
• Don’t believe anything just because you want to
• Believing something doesn’t make it so
2

60. TEST IDEAS BY THE EVIDENCE
GAINED FROM OBSERVATION
AND EXPERIMENT
If a favourite idea fails a well-designed test, it’s wrong
- get over it
3

61. FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
WHEREVER IT LEADS
If you have no evidence, reserve judgement
4

62. REMEMBER:
YOU COULD BE WRONG
Even the best scientists have been wrong about some
things (Newton, Einstein…every other great scientist in
history - they all made mistakes. Of course they did.
They were human)
5

63. Science is a way to keep from
fooling ourselves, and each other
Carl Sagan

64. QUESTION AUTHORITY1 No idea is true just because someone says so, including me
• Challenge digital dinosaurs
• Challenge agile pod in retro
• Challenge methodologies
• Challenge existing documents
• Challenge user researchers
• Challenge agency work
• Challenge authors
• Challenge standards
• Challenge product owners
• Challenge other designers

65. How do you
know that?

66. How did it
test?

67. What was
the
methodology?

68. How many
users in the
sample?

69. Questioning authority,
challenging the status quo,
creates the room to test
ideas that might improve
the current situation

70. Questioning authority,
challenging the status quo,
creates the room to test
ideas that might improve
the current situation
GENUINE TRANSFORMATION
BETTER WORKING LIVES FOR US
BETTER LIVES FOR OUR USERS

71. Questioning authority,
challenging the status quo,
creates the room to test
ideas that might improve
the current situation
GENUINE TRANSFORMATION
BETTER WORKING LIVES FOR US
BETTER LIVES FOR OUR USERS

72. Questioning authority,
challenging the status quo,
creates the room to test
ideas that might improve
the current situation
GENUINE TRANSFORMATION
BETTER WORKING LIVES FOR US
BETTER LIVES FOR OUR USERS

73. THINK FOR YOURSELF2 • Question yourself
• Don’t believe anything just because you want to
• Believing something doesn’t make it so
Challenge yourself
Challenge your own preconceptions
Work on opening your mind further
Insist on evidence
Challenge that evidence too

75. TEST IDEAS BY THE EVIDENCE GAINED
FROM OBSERVATION AND EXPERIMENT3
If a favourite idea fails a well-designed test, it’s wrong -
get over it
1 2 3

76. TEST IDEAS BY THE EVIDENCE GAINED
FROM OBSERVATION AND EXPERIMENT3
If a favourite idea fails a well-designed test, it’s wrong -
get over it
1 2 3EVIDENCE EVIDENCE EVIDENCE

77. FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE WHEREVER IT
LEADS4
If you have no evidence, reserve judgement
1 ? ?REVISE AND ADAPT IDEA REVISE AND ADAPT IDEA

78. REMEMBER: YOU COULD BE WRONG5
Avoid talking in absolutes
Stay humble
Challenge and expect to be challenged
Learn to recognise good challenges
Champion v Challenger

79. AGILE IS A MODERN
DAY PROJECT
DELIVERY STRUCTURE

80. …BUT AGILE IS
OFTEN APPLIED
VERY POORLY

81. …BUT AGILE IS
OFTEN APPLIED
VERY POORLY

82. …BUT AGILE IS
ALMOST ALWAYS APPLIED
VERY POORLY

83. …BUT AGILE IS
ALMOST ALWAYS APPLIED
VERY POORLY

84. HOW CAN AGILE
WORK BETTER FOR
UX DESIGNERS?
QUESTION:

85. HYPOTHESIS SPRINTS
ANSWER:
1 2 3

86. 1 2 3
DESIGN IDEA SPRINTS
ANSWER:

87. Agile =
Learn Make Test Repeat

88. Agile =
Learn Make Test Repeat

89. Agile =
Learn Make Test Repeat

90. Agile =
Learn Make Test Repeat

91. Agile =
Learn Make Test Repeat

92. Sprint

93. Learn

94. Make

95. Test

96. Make

97. Test

98. Sprint Cycle

99. Sprint Cycle
THIS IS EFFECTIVELY SCIENCE

100. 1 2 3
Ongoing sprint cycles

101. 1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12

103. THIS IS USER CENTRED DESIGN

104. USER RESEARCH INFORMS DESIGN…

105. …CONTINUALLY

106. DESIGN IDEA SPRINTS

107. IDEA 1 IDEA 1a IDEA 1a IDEA 1b
IDEA 1c IDEA 2 IDEA 3 IDEA 3a
IDEA 3b IDEA 3c IDEA 3d IDEA 3e

108. ROUTE 1 ROUTE 1a ROUTE 1a ROUTE 1b
ROUTE 1c ROUTE 2 ROUTE 3 ROUTE 3a
ROUTE 3b ROUTE 3c ROUTE 3d ROUTE 3e

109. …BUT WAIT,
WE'RE ALREADY
DOING THAT?

110. WARNING
SIGNS

111. FEATURE-CENTRIC
INSTEAD OF
NEEDS-CENTRIC

112. CHECKBOX
ACTIVITY

113. ROLLBACK PANIC

114. EFFECTIVE
DESIGN IDEA
SPRINTS

115. 1. DEFINE THE IDEA IN
SPRINT PLANNING
• involve entire team, not just design
• work with user research and
content to define research activity
to support design

116. 2. AGREE FEEDBACK
METHODOGY
• agree feedback and testing
methodologies with user research
and web analytics
• agree success criteria with
product owner and rest of team

117. 3. MORE RIGOR, MORE
CONFIDENCE
• don’t be afraid to repeat tests
• repeat sample
• bigger sample
• different geography
• different socio-economics
• different contexts
• different accessibility needs
• increased diversity

118. 4. ENSURE STRUCTURED
MVT ACTIVITY
• beware of MVT fishing expeditions
• structure avoids rollback panic

119. 5. COMPARISON
• Good old fashioned
manual A/B testing
• Within groups versus
between groups

120. INNOVATION
PROJECTS
OPTIMISATION
PROJECTS
Make something new Make something better
IDEA
“TOP DOWN” “BOTTOM UP”
IDEA

121. INNOVATION
PROJECTS
OPTIMISATION
PROJECTS
Make something new Make something better
IDEA
“TOP DOWN” “BOTTOM UP”
IDEA
INSIGHT INSIGHT

122. INNOVATION
PROJECTS
OPTIMISATION
PROJECTS
Make something new Make something better
IDEA
“TOP DOWN” “BOTTOM UP”
IDEA
“Did the idea work?” “What’s wrong?”

123. HOW CAN SCIENTIFIC DESIGN
HELP BE THE CATALYST
FOR TRANSFORMATION?

124. SHOW NOT TELL:
HIGH VISIBILITY IDEA TESTING

125. SHOW NOT TELL:
HIGH VISIBILITY WHITEBOARDING

126. SHOW NOT TELL:
MAKE SHOWREELS FOR STAKEHOLDERS

127. TAKEAWAYS

128. TAKEAWAYS• Practice applying scientific principles in your thinking
• Constantly think in ‘idea testing’ terms
• Print out Neil deGrasse Tyson’s 5 Principles and live by them
• Challenge everything
• Try design idea sprinting
• Make designing for user needs your new guiding light
• The science is in the structure, structure keeps you safe
• “Show don't tell” all idea testing activity and results

130. Nick Fine
@doctorfine
nick@nickster.com
Questions
and thanks :)