What are the best strategies for overcoming technical issues in mobile user research?

1 Plan ahead

Before you start your mobile user research, you should have a clear plan of your goals, methods, tools, and participants. This will help you anticipate and prevent potential technical issues, as well as prepare backup solutions in case something goes wrong. For example, you should test your research tools and platforms on different devices and networks, check the battery life and storage capacity of your devices, and have alternative ways to contact and record your participants if the main ones fail.

2 Choose the right tools

There are many tools and platforms available for mobile user research, but not all of them are suitable for your specific needs and scenarios. You should choose the ones that are reliable, secure, compatible, and easy to use for both you and your participants. For example, you should avoid tools that require complex installation, registration, or permission processes, or that consume too much data or bandwidth. You should also look for tools that allow you to remotely control, monitor, and capture your participants' screens, audio, and video, as well as collect feedback and analytics.

3 Communicate clearly

Communication is key for any user research, but especially for mobile user research, where you may have to deal with different time zones, languages, cultures, and distractions. You should communicate clearly and effectively with your participants before, during, and after the research session, and make sure they understand what is expected of them, how to use the tools and platforms, and how to report any technical issues. You should also provide them with clear instructions, reminders, confirmations, and thank-you messages, and use simple and polite language.

4 Be flexible

Even with careful planning and preparation, you may encounter unexpected technical issues during your mobile user research, such as network interruptions, device malfunctions, or software glitches. You should be flexible and adaptable to these situations, and try to find quick and creative solutions to keep the research going. For example, you can switch to a different device, network, or tool, or ask your participants to do the same. You can also reschedule or extend the session, or ask your participants to perform some tasks offline and send you the results later.

5 Learn from feedback

After you complete your mobile user research, you should collect and analyze the feedback from your participants, as well as your own observations and experiences. This will help you identify and understand the technical issues that occurred, and how they affected the quality and outcome of your research. You should also use this feedback to improve your future mobile user research processes, and avoid or minimize the same technical issues. For example, you can update or change your tools and platforms, refine your research methods and protocols, or recruit different or more participants.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?