A research protocol is a document that outlines the purpose, scope, methods, and procedures of a UX research project. It helps you plan and conduct your research in a systematic and ethical way, as well as communicate your goals and expectations to stakeholders and participants. In this article, you will learn how to create a research protocol for end user research in six steps.
The first step is to define your research question, which is the main problem or opportunity you want to explore with your end users. Your research question should be clear, specific, and relevant to your project goals and user needs. It should also be feasible to answer with the resources and time available. A good way to formulate your research question is to use the PICO framework, which stands for Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome.
Defining the right question is truly the most important step to ensure that you are getting relevant insights. But I will add that it is important to have this discussion with stakeholders of the project to understand their questions and align on which are the main questions that the test should be focusing on. We do not want a research to have too many questions which means the test is not focused or too little questions where the test doesn’t go in depth. Spending time on developing the question is well worth the effort!
The key word is "Protocol." This means a standard process for the UXR team to be able to answer critical questions the product team raised about the user experience and how the UXR team responds to it. For us, our UXR protocol will have these components: 1. A standard UX Insight request form. Allowing the product team member to understand how to ask questions about the user. 2. Research proposal templates. This will allow the UXR team to quickly get back to the product team and explain their research method and the expected outcome. 3. Standardized outputs that the product team understands. And know how to translate into product tasks or user stories.
Definir los objetivos de la investigación: Comienza identificando claramente qué aspectos del producto digital deseas investigar. Esto podría incluir la usabilidad, la experiencia del usuario, las preferencias de dise?o, entre otros. Seleccionar las metodologías adecuadas: Elige las técnicas de investigación que mejor se adapten a tus objetivos y al contexto del producto. Esto podría implicar entrevistas, grupos focales, pruebas de usabilidad, encuestas, análisis de datos existentes, entre otros. Determinar la muestra: Decide quiénes serán los participantes en la investigación. Asegúrate de que representen adecuadamente a tu audiencia objetivo.
The method starts with understanding the problem, choosing methods that align with goals, and encouraging collaboration. Below are the steps: 1. Problem Definition: Work with stakeholders to precisely define the research question and link it directly to business objectives. 2. Methodology: Choose appropriate methods for your project like a mix of qualitative (e.g., interviews, usability tests) and quantitative (e.g., surveys, analytics). These choices have been tailored based on my 10+ years experience in this field for great insight generation. 3. Data Collection & Analysis: Pick right tools for collection and decide how you will analyze them ahead of time. Stronger insights can be obtained by integrating data from different methods.
To create a research protocol for end-user research, start by defining clear goals and selecting appropriate methods like surveys or interviews. Identify your target audience and devise a recruitment strategy, offering incentives if needed. Address ethical considerations, ensuring informed consent and data protection. Develop and pilot test research instruments to refine questions or tasks. Outline data collection logistics and analysis methods, focusing on securing and analyzing data effectively. Plan for reporting results to stakeholders and integrating insights into product development. Finally, budget and schedule each phase, from planning through reporting, ensuring a thorough yet efficient research process.
The next step is to choose your research method, which is the way you will collect and analyze data from your end users. Your research method should be aligned with your research question, project objectives, and user context. There are many types of research methods, such as interviews, surveys, usability tests, observations, and diary studies. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages, so you need to consider factors such as the depth and breadth of data, the level of user involvement, the cost and time required, and the ethical implications.
Mastering several different research methods helps us to use one or more methods or a combination of them, depending on the context of the problem, to reach the right answer. The methods are in one dimension between 2 quantitative and qualitative spectrums. On the other hand, these methods are in the behavioral and attitudinal spectrum. Incomplete understanding of these aspects of the methods, not only does not help the progress of the research, but may cause us to make mistakes and draw wrong conclusions.
In a real world high paced tech product environment, there is a need for being efficient with your research methods. A lot can be uncovered through desk research and pre-existing information. Based on the knowledge gaps a selection of the methods could be used. Moderated interviews are great ways to uncover some foundational aspects of the problem space and creating knowledge artifacts. As we get into solution space, the methods get more varied from concept testing to usability testing. Things can get more quantitative in nature if needed.
Depending on research methods, take care of: -Wanting to understand user motivations, behaviors, or pain points might be best served by qualitative methods like interviews or observation. -If your question aims to compare options or quantify the impact of a feature, quantitative methods like surveys or A/B testing might be more appropriate.
Accuracy of Insights: For instance, interviews can provide deep insights into user motivations, while surveys might offer broader data about user preferences. User Engagement: Usability tests can directly involve users in improving the product, enhancing their engagement and satisfaction. Efficiency and Ethics: Choosing the right method, like observations for natural user behavior, can save time and resources while respecting user privacy and consent.
Selecting an appropriate research method is the subsequent step, dictated by your research question, project objectives, and user context. Various methods like interviews, surveys, usability tests, observations, and diary studies exist, each with distinct advantages and disadvantages. Consider factors such as data depth and breadth, user involvement, cost, time constraints, and ethical implications when making this decision. Ensuring alignment between your research method and the unique demands of your study enhances the accuracy and relevance of the data collected from end users.
The third step is to plan your research logistics, which are the practical aspects of conducting your research. This includes deciding on the sample size, recruitment criteria, and incentives for your participants, as well as the location, schedule, and equipment for your research sessions. You also need to prepare any materials or tools you will use during your research, such as scripts, guides, prototypes, or surveys. You should also consider how you will record and store your data securely and ethically.
Be mindful of potential bias in recruitment and sampling: If your sample group isn't representative of your broader user base, your insights will be skewed and may not translate well to real-world decisions. Diversity: Actively target a varied sample group to reflect the range of your potential users. Take care of: Recruitment Channels: Use multiple ways to reach participants (social media, user communities, specific interest groups) instead of relying on just one method. Screening Questions: Brief questionnaires can help filter recruits to ensure they fit your desired criteria. Be Transparent: Acknowledge potential limitations or unavoidable sources of bias in your research report.
Here a cost to benefit ratio is an important factor. Many a times we "over plan" our research leading to delays, time and cost. In a fast tech world, we need to learn to be scrappy when needed. What can get us the best results with least effort. How well can we rely on assumptions based on pre-existing data or UX principles. What are the risk factors associated in making assumptions vs rigorous testing. After making these decisions we can invest on the how. Where things can be extremely tricky is getting the right people to be recruited. If anything, this is the area one should invest the most in (eg: external hiring of users). Because, no matter how scrappy you are, you need the right inputs from the right people.
Efficient Use of Resources: Proper planning ensures that resources like time and money are used efficiently. For example, knowing your sample size in advance helps prevent overspending on participant incentives. Quality Data Collection: Setting clear recruitment criteria and preparing materials/tools in advance ensure that the data collected is relevant and high-quality. For instance, a well-crafted survey targets the right questions to gather meaningful insights. Data Security and Ethics: Planning for secure and ethical data storage protects participants' privacy and maintains the integrity of the research. An example of this is encrypting participant responses to ensure confidentiality.
In the third step, strategize the logistical aspects of your research, covering practical considerations. Define the sample size and recruitment criteria, determining appropriate incentives for participants. Plan the location, schedule, and equipment for research sessions, and prepare necessary materials like scripts, guides, prototypes, or surveys. Ensure secure and ethical data recording and storage methods are in place. This meticulous planning streamlines the research process, fostering a conducive environment for effective data collection and analysis.
1. Determine sample size, recruitment criteria, and participant incentives. 2. Plan location, schedule, and equipment for research sessions. 3. Prepare materials like scripts, guides, prototypes, or surveys. 4. Ensure secure and ethical data recording and storage methods.
The fourth step is to design your research instruments, which are the questions or tasks you will ask or assign to your participants. Your research instruments should be designed to elicit meaningful and actionable insights from your end users, as well as to measure and evaluate their behavior, attitudes, and preferences. You should also make sure that your research instruments are clear, concise, and unbiased, and that they follow the best practices of your chosen research method.
Well-designed questions or tasks ensure you gather accurate and relevant data directly impacting your product's usability. Neutral wording avoids leading questions, ensuring the insights you gather reflect genuine user opinions, not influenced biases. An example would be asking, "What do you think about X feature?" instead of suggesting, "Don't you think X feature is helpful?" Questions designed to elicit specific insights can directly inform design improvements. For example, a task that asks users to complete a process using your product can highlight exactly where they encounter difficulties, guiding you to make necessary adjustments.
In the fourth step, craft your research instruments, consisting of questions or tasks for participants. Ensure these instruments are tailored to extract meaningful, actionable insights, measuring and evaluating end users' behavior, attitudes, and preferences. Emphasize clarity, conciseness, and unbiased design, aligning with best practices of your chosen research method. Thoughtful instrument design enhances the reliability and relevance of the data collected, contributing to the overall success of your user research.
Here are some things that have helped me design ux research instruments: - Define your riskiest assumptions with your product team - Develop a set of hypotheses that ladder up to validating/challenging those riskiest assumptions - Design questions and relevant tasks that directly answer those hypotheses - Map out the process above clearly to show the process to your stakeholders Things to consider: - Using the SMART framework for writing questions - Consider users’ mental models when developing tasks - Interrogate the hypotheses with a set of questions or stepped tasks to support participant’s comprehension - Consider reasonable adjustments for participants with accessibility needs (e.g. less questions, extra time)
1. Develop questions or tasks to elicit insights from participants. 2. Ensure instruments measure behavior, attitudes, preferences effectively. 3. Prioritize clarity, conciseness, and lack of bias. 4. Align instruments with best practices of chosen research method.
The fifth step is to pilot your research protocol, which is to test it with a small group of representative participants before conducting the actual research. Piloting your research protocol helps you identify and fix any issues or gaps in your design, logistics, or instruments, as well as to refine your research question and method. It also gives you an opportunity to practice your research skills and get feedback from your participants.
By testing your protocol on a small group, you can uncover design issues or misunderstandings in your questionnaire or user interface before it affects a larger study. For example, if users consistently misinterpret a survey question, you can revise it for clarity. Refines Research Questions and Methods: It allows you to fine-tune your research questions and methods based on real feedback, ensuring that your study addresses the right issues. For instance, you might discover that your task scenarios are too complex, prompting simplification for better participant comprehension. Early identification and correction of problems can lead to more reliable data and a smoother research process, saving time and resources.
In the fifth step, pilot your research protocol by testing it with a small group of representative participants before the actual research. This process helps identify and address any issues or gaps in your design, logistics, or instruments. It also provides an opportunity to refine your research question and method. Moreover, piloting allows you to practice your research skills and gather valuable feedback from participants, ensuring a more robust and effective execution of the full-scale research.
Piloting the research protocol cannot be neglected. Only piloting could reveal all the possible trouble spots like - technical reliability issues - terminology inconsistency - tasks relevance to real life users - proper questionnaire logic design and what not, in fact
The final step is to review and revise your research protocol, which is to evaluate and improve it based on the results and learnings from your pilot. You should review your research protocol from different perspectives, such as the user, the researcher, the stakeholder, and the ethical committee. You should also revise your research protocol to address any changes or challenges that may arise during your research project, such as new requirements, constraints, or opportunities.
In the final step, thoroughly review and revise your research protocol based on insights and learnings from the pilot phase. Evaluate the protocol from multiple perspectives including user, researcher, stakeholder, and ethical committee viewpoints. Address any changes or challenges encountered during the pilot, such as new requirements, constraints, or opportunities. This iterative process ensures that your research protocol is refined and optimized for the full-scale research project, enhancing its effectiveness and alignment with objectives.
The most important thing in research for end-user development is how can we refine (finetune) our previous research codes and artifacts. The best way to do that is to finetune and relaunch, it means based on the data collected in pilot test run, the results and data needs to be redefined and research again to ensure the clarity and smooth flow, which in turn will increase the effectiveness of the output.
1. Determine how you'll record data (audio/video recording, note-taking). 2. utline how you'll analyze the collected data to extract valuable insights. 3. Obtain informed consent from participants and ensure data privacy is protected. By following these steps, you can create a robust research protocol that sets the stage for successful user research.
Always remember that a user research is just the begging to start again and again... Take a look constantly on user feedback and month user data. That will be the real verification of your hypothesis.