Going Remote: User experiences at a distance
- 1. Going Remote User experiences at a distance Juliette Melton Deluxify User Experience
- 2. What is remote research? flickr.com/theolaphoto
- 4. Why and why not to go remote flickr.com/johnida
- 5. Selling remote research... • Ease of recruiting • Recruiting quality • Participant’s real environment • No limit to the number of observers • If real-time recruiting, using actual tasks
- 6. ... but there are some caveats • Limited to only participants with fast internet access • Lots of opportunities for tech failure • Can’t see participant faces
- 7. ... but there are some caveats • Timezones • Languages • Mobile • Secret works in process • Consent for minors
- 8. Go remote if: • You can share what you’re studying • You don’t have easy access to your target users • You’re not working with minors
- 9. Exercise • What big questions is your organization facing? • How are you addressing those big questions?
- 10. How to do remote research flickr.com/62327186@N00
- 11. Components • Participant • Moderator • Observer(s) • Tasks • Computer
- 12. Components • Participant • Participant’s computer • Moderator • Internet access • Screensharing software • Observer(s) Plus: • Phone • Tasks • Moderator/observer • Computer communication • Recording mechanism
- 13. Whither scheduling? • Scheduled, moderated • Non-scheduled, moderated • Non-scheduled, non-moderated
- 14. Scheduled & moderated • Pro: Doesn’t require access to code • Pro: Could be easiest transition from in- person studies • Con: Tasks aren’t authentic • Con: Scheduling takes time
- 15. People • Participant • Moderator • Observer(s)
- 16. Recruiting • House ads • Event websites • Customer lists • Recruiting agencies • Twitter
- 17. Recruiting • House ads • Event websites • Customer lists • Recruiting agencies • Twitter • Mechanical Turk
- 18. Screening and scheduling • Screen for behavioral and demographic targets • Ask for: name, age, internet access, willing to install plug-in, time zone, email address, phone number • Email back with con rmation, proposed times • Information you can refer back to on the phone
- 19. Screen Sharing • WebEx • Adobe Connect (don’t need Pro version) • GoToMeeting • LiveLook • Try whatever your company already has!
- 20. Audio • Easiest: call landline or mobile via Skype • Skype-to-Skype quality isn’t great • Record on your computer • Use a good quality headset! • Better quality: use patch to record your landline
- 21. Recording • Mac: iShowU HD • PC: Camtasia • PC: UserVue (discontinued)
- 22. Moderation • Introduce yourself and remind them of the email you sent • Help the participant install whatever plug- in they need to use the screen sharing software • Get approval to record
- 23. Moderation • “It's a little weird doing this and not being able to see each other! Could you just tell me a bit about yourself? Where you live, how old you are, and the kind of work that you do?”
- 24. Moderation • “We’re testing the website, not you” • Make it clear that you’re listening • Stay focused and comfortable • Respect participant’s time • Let your colleagues know that you’re in a testing session
- 25. Pro Tips • Keep a timer in the recording frame • Include your notes in the recording frame • Edit video to make a “best of” montage • Give yourself plenty of set up time!
- 26. Time Aware Research • “Find the contact information for a roofer.” • “Imagine that your roof is leaking. It’s getting pretty bad. You need to nd a reliable roofer who can work tomorrow before the next storm rolls in.”
- 27. Dealing with tech failure • Be apologetic • Reschedule, if possible • Increase the incentive amount • Sometimes it just won't work
- 28. Non-scheduled & moderated • Pro: Get real users of your site engaged in authentic tasks • Pro: Reduced recruiting time • Con: Requires access to code • Con: Need lots of site traffic
- 29. Ethnio • Live recruiting tool from Bolt | Peters • ethnio.com • (Also check out their book Remote Research)
- 30. Non-scheduled & non-moderated • Pro: Get real users of your site engaged in authentic tasks • Pro: Reduced recruiting time • Con: No control over moderation sessions • Con: Can’t adjust sessions on the y
- 31. Non-scheduled & non-moderated Usabilla Source: mashable.com
- 32. Non-scheduled & non-moderated Usabilla Source: mashable.com Text Text
- 33. Real projects flickr.com/denniskatinas
- 34. Lumos Labs • Goal: Understand customer behavior related to daily game playing • Participants: Current customers • Recruiting: Twitter, email newsletter, blog • Why remote: User diversity, ease of recruiting
- 36. LendAround • Goal: Interviews with potential customers as formative research • Audio only • Recruiting: Mechanical Turk • Why remote: Easier to reach very speci c user types, contextual ndings
- 38. Exercise • Would remote research be useful for your organization? • Is there a project that you know about that would bene t from a remote component?
- 39. Questions? flickr/a-g
- 40. Thanks! Juliette Melton Deluxify User Experience deluxify.com @j