UX

Research
Checklist for running
effective user
research in AIB.

Laurence Veale, July 2020

The research stages
UX research can be divided into the following stages:

PLAN CONDUCT REPORT

The following checklist should help guide your approach for

most research projects.
Planning
the research
Planning / Objectives
✓ Have we clearly articulated why we're conducting this research?
✓ Are we clear on whether it’s exploratory, generative or evaluative?
✓ Have other teams documented any similar research?
✓ Is there research from external sources (Finalta, Forrester or
11:FS)?
✓ Have we stated clearly what we want to learn from this study?
✓ What will change once we’ve conducted this research?
Planning / Approach
✓ Are our research questions well-formed (non-leading, open ended
questions)?
✓ What timelines/deadlines are we working towards? And how will
this impact how we approach this research?
✓ Have we identified the most appropriate research methods(s)
based on the research questions we want to address and the
timelines we have?
✓ What other methods could we consider?
✓ Have we collaborated with stakeholders on the research plan?
Planning / Research Guide
✓ If asking participants to perform tasks, do they clearly relate to our
research questions?
✓ Do we need to record the session or invite stakeholders to observe
in real-time?
✓ Have we ensured that our research guide contains non-leading,
open-ended questions?
✓ Have we done a dress rehearsal so that we’re confident we can
get through everything in a session?
Conducting
the research
Conducting / Starting a session
✓ Have we discussed the consent and given it to participants?
✓ Have we quickly built professional rapport with the participant?
✓ Have we discussed what the session will entail?
✓ Have we given the participant an opportunity to ask any
questions?
Conducting / running a session
✓ Have we asked clear, open, non-biased, and non-leading
questions throughout?
✓ Have we successfully used our standard interview techniques (The
Mirror, The Deflector, The Gap)*?
✓ Have we adopted a neutral position while interviewing?
✓ Have we successfully avoided trying to be helpful?
✓ Did we recap on key things we saw or heard with the participant
to get greater clarity?
✓ Did we wrap up the session with the participant and thank them
for their time?
* see appendix
Reporting
the research
Reporting
✓ Have we clearly articulated our research objectives?
✓ Have we communicated what we did and what we found in the form of
an executive summary?
✓ Have we shown answers to our research questions explicitly?
✓ Have we described any themes that merged from our research?
✓ Can we demonstrate the issues we’ve identified are backed up by
evidence?
✓ Have we prioritised the insights we’re presenting?
✓ How does what we’ve found compare to any other research
conducted?
Reporting

✓ Have we successfully answered the “So what?” question for every

insight presented?
✓ Have we ensured that we’ve framed our insights in a manner our
audience will care about?
✓ What should we do now, based on this research?
✓ What is the sequence of steps we should take?
✓ What will change if we do or don’t do these things?
Appendix:
Tips &
Techniques
Top tips
1. You’re not there to “help”.
2. You’re not there to explain how something works.
3. You’re not there to justify or sell a feature.
4. Rapport should be professional, not friendly.
5. Avoid giving clues, don’t use the feature’s label in the scenario
6. Remain neutral - don’t influence them.
7. Don’t talk too much. But don’t be too quiet either.
8. Get the user to think aloud.
9. Don’t lead the user.
10.You didn’t design it, even if you did.
Technique: The Mirror
A technique where you repeat back all, or some, of what the
participant just said

Beneficiary message, is that for my use or is that for their

Do not be tempted to answer this question!
use?
Do not help them here!

…is that for your use or their use?

Yes, is that something they’ll see or I’ll see? It looks like

that’s for me, is it?
Technique: The Deflector
You don’t answer the question directly. Instead, you respond with
another question.

AddiConal informaCon, that’s addiConal informaCon for

Do not be tempted to answer this question!
myself, is it?
Do not help them here!

…what do you think it’s for?

Hmmm. It’s not clear. Maybe it could be labelled beAer.

…what’s not clear about it?

We’ve found a problem

Technique: The Gap
You don’t jump in. Embrace awkward silences. The participant thinks
in paragraphs, not sentences. Let them fill the gap first.

AddiConal informaCon, that’s addiConal informaCon for

Do not be tempted to answer this question!
myself, is it?
STFU!

I mean, it’s not clear if it goes on my statement or their

statement.

… it’s not clear? (the Mirror)

We’ve found a problem