Comments on: A summary of user research methods

By: Patrick Kennedy

Patrick Kennedy — Tue, 18 May 2010 23:58:05 +0000

Thanks for spotting that Stewart! There was some sort of encoding on the “www” part of the URL, possibly caused by me having copied and pasted the URL from a Word document. Anyway, all fixed now :)

By: Stewart McCoy

Stewart McCoy — Tue, 18 May 2010 21:47:33 +0000

The link to your “anecdote circles” PDF is incorrect. It’s currently “http:/files/Ultimate_Guide_to_ACs_v1.0.pdf.” You probably meant to include a relative link, such as: http://www.gurtle.com/ppov/files/Ultimate_Guide_to_ACs_v1.0.pdf.

By: So you want to be a user researcher? | Pat's Point of View

So you want to be a user researcher? | Pat's Point of View — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 01:57:47 +0000

[...] are of course many user research methods for you to master (which is no small accomplishment by the way). However, there are other skills [...]

By: Patrick Kennedy

Patrick Kennedy — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 02:43:07 +0000

Too true, Matt. I have on occasion been told to be careful not to give research participants “false hope that we would listen to them” (!!). Not a good sign.

By: Matt Moore

Matt Moore — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 19:11:51 +0000

A very nice summary here Patrick. Two observations:
- Managers in organisations can be really resistant to specialists talking to users. In one recent experience, I had “you’ll set up false expectations” and “this is a waste of time” thrown at me. Fortunately I persisted.
- Observational techniques can be very powerful but it can often be difficult to translate the results back to decision makers. Hence the importance of tools like storyboards & personas.

I have some interesting conversations with the missus around this (she’s a qualitative market researcher).

By: Patrick Kennedy

Patrick Kennedy — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 23:32:05 +0000

Just found what could be a good research resource: Webnographers, and in particular their book list. (hat tip to Savage Minds)

By: Patrick Kennedy

Patrick Kennedy — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:11:18 +0000

I feel one of those academic debates coming on…

By: anon

anon — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:49:22 +0000

Isn’t ethnomethodology the study of the construction of social order, rather than the methods used to construct an ethnography? Perhaps the discussion should be about ethnographic methods versus ethnography.

By: Patrick Kennedy

Patrick Kennedy — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 02:58:36 +0000

Rod, it’s an academic solution to an academic debate :)

By: Rod

Rod — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:27:45 +0000

Hi Patrick, nice summary.

With regards to the boxed note on ethnography, the distinction you are looking for is ethnomethodological versus ethnography. Most of the user research techniques listed above applied in the UX context fall into the former and very rarely the later.

Talking about ethnomethodology solves the debate.

Rod