Learning about users

In any design, it's important to understand who will be using the product, as well as their goals, motivations, and expectations. UX designers and researchers bring value to the product team by helping identify and discuss who the users are. Listed below are a few methods I've used to learn more about my users. In addition to this qualitative knowledge, it’s good to get an idea of any metrics that can quantitatively identify happy customers - app store ratings, downloads, conversions, etc.

Shadowing

Job shadowing is a great way to learn about what my users do everyday, both inside and outside the product.  In my experience, these sessions give me a feel for the context in which my products will be used, and why they will (or won't) be useful.

I like to meet the potential users of my products - I enjoy learning new things and experiencing new points of view.  I respect my users and their time, and I work hard to ensure their comments are heard. After all, we are making these products for them. 

Usability Sessions

From existing products to early prototypes, usability testing is essential to learning about the user experience of a product. In my career, I've organized, conducted, analyzed, and presented results for several different types of usability sessions.  

The key to great usability feedback is professional tests performed quickly and often. To find users who are willing to give me feedback, I've travelled across the country, used screen-sharing to test remotely, or found friends of mine who were in similar roles to our users.  While I worked in the automotive industry, I conducted surveys about the satisfaction of Sterling Trucks while riding along during a garbage route. 

Empathy maps and Personas

Some projects suffer from a lack of understanding about who the user is. When there are too many vague examples discussed, it helps to focus on a select few important personas. Stakeholders should agree on these personas, and spend time understanding what the product can do for those users. Empathy maps are a great technique that can be worked on as a group to gain a common understanding of those personas.