1. Conducting User Research

2. 6 Steps in UX Research
Objectives. What are the knowledge gaps we need to fill?
Hypotheses. What do we think we understand about our users?
Methods. Based on resources, what methods should we select?
Recruitment. Based on the objectives, hypotheses and methods, who do we want to talk to?
Conduct. Gather data through the selected methods.
Synthesize. Fill in the knowledge gaps, prove or disprove our hypotheses, and discover opportunities for design efforts.

3. Objectives. What are the knowledge gaps we need to fill?
Who your users are
What their needs are
What they want
How they currently do things
How they’d like to do things

4. Hypotheses. What do we think we understand about our users?
Culture
Personality
Cognition
Motivation/Desires
Behaviors Physiology Beliefs Emotion

5. Methods. Based on esources, what methods should we select?
Interested in detailed information about a group of users’ attitudes, experiences, etc.
Focus groups
Interested in detailed information about a user’s attitudes, experiences, etc.
Individual interviews
Focus on understanding who your user is
Personas
Focus on understanding what tasks users conduct on an interface
Task analysis
Focus on understanding how users complete tasks on an interface
Use cases
Focus on a range of data about your users including: satisfaction, past experience, ideas for improvement etc.
Surveys

6. Recruitment. Based on the objectives, hypotheses and methods, who do we want to talk to?
The word “research.” Participants need to know that they are responding to a research study, not to a promise for free treatment or payment. 
A general description of the purpose of the study. Potential participants should have a basic idea of what the study entails.  This information does not need to be detailed, but it should be explained in simple terms.  Where possible, include information about what participants will do and the time required of the participant. 

7. Recruitment. Based on the objectives, hypotheses and methods, who do we want to talk to?
Details on how to enroll. It will be difficult for participants to enroll if they don’t have your contact information.
Inclusion/ Exclusion criteria (where appropriate).  You may be looking for a participant with certain criteria, or there may be reasons why a participant would not be eligible to participate.  Including this information in your recruitment materials will prevent wasting the ineligible participant’s time and yours. 

8. Study on beverage consumption and fine motor control
Participants are being sought for a study evaluating the effect of beverage consumption on fine motor control. Participants will consume beverages for 12 weeks, taking measurements every other week to assess change over time. Participants must be willing to consume up to 1.8 liters of non- carbonated beverages daily to participate in this study. Participants will be compensated $300. Participants must be age 18-60, overweight but otherwise healthy and non-users of diet beverages for more than six months. The principal investigator for the study is Richard Mattes, Distinguished Professor of Nutrition Science. For more information, contact Kelly or visit

9. Your CFP
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10. Conduct. Gather data through the selected methods.
Guidelines:
Individual interviews and focus groups should take no longer than a class period (50 minutes)
Surveys should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete ( questions at most)
Ensure that each question relates to the objectives
All team members must actively participate in all stages of the user research
Have a plan to capture your data (recording; scribe, software etc.)
Ensure that all team members have access to the data once it’s collected

11. Resources/References
studies-looking-for-participants.html
research-like-a-professional