User research process

• Name: User research process

• Owner: Dan Harrop-Griffiths

• Effective: 2012-03-02

Process Overview

The user research project template sets out the process required for conducting and implementing user research results and recommendations from initial questions to updated mock-ups/prototypes.

Process Description

User research process 1(a) New design for a new project – flat mock-ups Usability Specialist talks to Squad Lead / Designer about new design and preliminary testing. Questions are either open-ended, or set questions for specific features are agreed.

• Plan for tests documented
• Tests conducted
• 2. Communicating results of user testing

1(b) Designs part-way through development – flat mock-ups or prototypes

Usability Specialist discusses potential UX issues with Squad lead / Designer, talk about what things Squad Lead / Designer would like clarity on. List of potential ideas put together for questions, depending on what we want to find out at this stage.

• Actions for user testing documented
• Usability Specialist conducts tests
• Usability Specialist writes up test results
• 2. Communicating results of user testing

2. Communicating results of user testing

UX Report Sheet – Usability Specialist puts recommendations into report sheet

Designer Input

• Call with Designer to discuss how recommendations impact design
• Designer adds comments relating to design principles
• Design changes to mock-up / prototype agreed

Squad Lead Input

• Call with Squad Lead to discuss how recommendations impact implementation and to highlight any potential implementation difficulties relating to UX
• Squad lead adds comments relating to possibility of implementation

(Product Manager / Project Manager to look over design/implementation comments if necessary)

• Implementation changes to mock-up / prototype agreed

Communicating changes to mock-up/prototype

UX Report Sheet used to document what changes need to happen and have been agreed, to either the mock ups or the actual design, based on the research.

Changes made to mock-up/prototype in line with what was agreed. This can be as simple as a tick or ‘done.’

• If not done, there is a space to explain reasons why.
• If something extra is done, there is a space to explain reasons why.

Reasons for changes and extra features discussed between Squad Lead and/or Designer, with Usability Specialist.

(If necessary - Product Manager / Project Manager to review changes and make decision for the UX cause or the implementation cause, depending on scope/timeframe/resource/affect on user.)

New wireframes signed off, ready for next stage of tests