UX Research - Discussion Guide basics
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- A proper call plan structures research by providing focus to conversations through coherent organization of topics, questions, and objectives, rather than being a rigid script. - Effective call planning requires generating initial questions, collaborating as a team to discuss assumptions and learning goals, drafting the plan with sections and timings, and practicing with a pilot call. - With good planning through practicing and refining a call plan, researchers can feel prepared for conversations while allowing flexibility to explore new topics that emerge.
UX Research - Discussion Guide basics
- 1. CALL PLANS BACK TO BASICS Design Academy
- 2. RECAP – POOR PLANNING RESULTS IN POOR RESEARCH Research Planning
- 3. A CALL PLAN IS NOT A SCRIPT. WE’VE ALL READ BLOGS THAT TELL US THIS
- 4. I’ve never done research before… WE NEED TO EVOLVE OUR RESEARCH SKILLS...
- 5. ….But I’ve read I shouldn’t use a script WE NEED TO EVOLVE OUR RESEARCH SKILLS... I’ve never done research before…
- 6. So we quickly write a handful of high level topics. A selection of mismatched bullet points. Kind of pointing in the right direction but with little focus. Some pointing somewhere else all together. But they’re short, and not a script, so that’s okay, right?
- 7. And then, because you haven’t planned it properly, you end up reading it like a script anyway. – This is the worst of both worlds. DO. YOU. LIKE. COMPUTERS?
- 8. Common Quick call plan: • Intros and context • Type of business, job title etc. • What are you hoping to achieve with our tool? • What version of DB type are they using? • What did he do for the configuring the databases needed to make changes? • What does his pipeline look like? • How many developers are on the team? What are their roles? • How can we make the getting started experience easier? • Anything else we can help with. All valid questions Good things to try and learn Mostly open
- 9. • Intros and context • Type of business, job title etc. • What are you hoping to achieve with our tool? • What version of DB type are they using? • What did he do for the configuring the databases needed to make changes? • What does his pipeline look like? • How many developers are on the team? What are their roles? • How can we make the getting started experience easier? • Anything else we can help with. But look again: High level JTBD, aims and motivations Granular specific details Niche in-depth task feedback Workflow Team dynamics Onboarding Lacking depth or probing, options, and coherent structure.
- 10. ….But I’ve read I shouldn’t use a script WE NEED TO EVOLVE YOUR RESEARCH SKILLS... I’ve never done research before…
- 11. ….But I’ve read I shouldn’t use a script WE NEED TO EVOLVE YOUR RESEARCH SKILLS... I’ve never done research before… THE MISSING LINKS PLANNING PREPPING PRACTISING PERSEVERING PERFECTING
- 12. A CALL PLAN IS NOT A SCRIPT.
- 13. HELLO FELLOW HUMAN. IT IS VERY INTERESTING. TO TALK TO YOU. I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. ABOUT DATABASES.
- 14. A CALL is a conversation with focus It needs to be human,flowing and allow for divergence.
- 15. Open questions. WHAT? WHERE? WHEN? HOW? WHY? WHO?
- 16. RESEARCH IS A PERFORMANCE AND LIKE EVERY STAGE, MUSIC, OR FILM PERFORMANCE, IT NEEDS STRUCTURE THE ACT OF WRITING IT OUT WILL MEAN YOU WON’T HAVE TO READ IT OUT.
- 17. A CALL PLAN IS NOT A SCRIPT. A CALL PLAN gives focus to the conversation
- 18. A SCRIPT GIVES STRUCTURE TO ACHIEVE LEARNING IT BUILDS THINGS IN THE RIGHT ORDER, TO AIM TOWARD FOCUSED LEARNING GOAL(S)
- 19. As a team: Generate initial list of questions. Cover contextual, tech, product, whatever initial ideas cover your learning goals. Collaborate, discuss, generate assumptions to test. Give an individual ownership to draft One person should draft the proper call plan. Makes it easier to structure, create a flow Writing questions properly will generate further ideas and probing questions As a team: Review, comment, amend, finalise. It’s a joint effort.
- 20. Organise your thoughts coherently. Segment sections to achieve specific learning goals in a relevant order and to time Provide support and fallbacks such as reminders during conversation. Familiarise yourself with the questions so you don’t need to rely on the script in the conversation itself. Enable anyone on the team to pick up and tackle a call if needed. Make better notes – helps with analysis after A PROPERLY PLANNED SCRIPT HELPS:
- 21. Use the script WHILE and IF you need it. A good call plan is a map, a signpost and safety net for you, your team, your product and your customer. Once you no longer need it, no longer use it, but when exploring a new area, it’s always good to have a guide.
- 22. Context Topic 1 Topic 2 Topic 3 Anything else/ Follow up/ Deeper Dives Intro House keeping, intro’s, roles/responsibilities, purpose, consent for recording, signposting etc. Start broad, narrowing down toward your objectives. What’s going on in their world? What projects are important at the moment? What have they been working on recently? What challenges are they facing? WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO THEM? Only tackle 3-4 topics at most. Clear organization, tackle one topic at time. Again start broad around the wider issue before focusing down. Each question should follow on and add to what came before. Complete a topic before moving on, and use this framework to manage the call, whilst allowing for divergence. Time at the end to expand out to other challenges they might have. Go deeper on one of your topics Show/share screens etc Ask any other questions you might have on your backlog. The Plan helps you relate each answer to the context it exists in, allowing freedom to explore & clarify.
- 23. EXAMPLE CALL PLAN 60 minute session / 19 pages! Covering understanding/painpoints of an area (ISA saving) 3 walkthroughs of design variations Final thoughts and opinions.
- 24. EXAMPLE CALL PLAN • Intros and context • Type of business, job title etc. • What are you hoping to achieve with our tool? • What version of DB type are they using? • What did he do for the configuring the databases needed to make changes? • What does his pipeline look like? • How many developers are on the team? What are their roles? • How can we make the getting started experience easier? • Anything else we can help with.
- 25. Contents and structure. Clear breakdown, sections, and timings. Notice that one call plan is covering different needs and is tackled accordingly. Allows you to tackle multiple scenario’s & get differing perspectives if time.
- 26. Objectives clearly laid out for reference The research objectives will be different to the business objectives. Highlighting both will show what the big picture goal is, + the specific objectives for this research cycle. Helps you and your team reflect on what you’re trying to achieve.
- 27. Intro checklist – make sure everything is covered and that you don’t forget to hit record!
- 28. Contextual questions to understand the landscape/their understanding BROAD NARROW
- 29. Clear structure for each learning goal Setting the scene. Reminders of objectives for this task. Broad understanding Narrow focus & probing questions
- 30. Next scenario, follows on logically from the last. Instructions for research lead Reminders of things to look out for. Prototype screens and flows logically ordered.
- 31. Final recap Specific feedback on the areas you’ve looked at. Ratings of how easy / difficult they found it Explicit things to keep or change Opportunity to discuss anything else Thanks and Close.
- 32. Seems like a lot of work… But it’s really not. Just giving it the time it deserves. You can’t MVP a call…
- 33. POOR PLANNING RESULTS IN POOR RESEARCH Research Planning Or waste X weeks or months here? Spend an extra couple of hours here…
- 34. Helps build the flow & connects the dots in what you’re trying to learn– uncovers new questions as you write. Richer call plan = deeper conversation = better findings = better outcomes. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
- 35. A pilot will stop you sinking. Test timings. Test the structure Practicing it out loud. Schedule it in a day or two before your first call to give time to reflect and tweaks.
- 36. Context Topic 1 Topic 2 Topic 3 Intro Clear sections & structure allow you to slot in other topics as your research evolves or the convo flows. Context Topic 3 Topic 7 Topic 4 Intro This could happen ‘live’ in the call if the customer mentions some particular challenges, or be refined as your research cycle progresses. Write more questions than you’ll be able to ask.
- 37. And now I don’t have to use a script! WE NEED TO EVOLVE OUR RESEARCH SKILLS... I’ve never done research before… But I’ve thought about what we need to learn. I’ve structured my approach I’ve written a coherent plan I’ve ran a pilot I have practiced many, many times…
- 38. GOOD PRODUCTS START WITH GOOD RESEARCH GOOD RESEARCH STARTS WITH A GOOD PLAN Time with our customers is valuable, treat it with the care and effort it needs