[Sigia-l] Building Off JJG's Elemental Framework -- User Research

[Peter Merholz]

So, in giving a talk the other day, I was asked about how to sensibly
incorporate user research methods into user experience processes. How to
manage ethnography, task analysis, card sorting, user testing, etc. etc. in
a meaningful way.

I found that using Jesse's 5 Planes of User Experience, as discussed in his
book, The Elements of User Experience
(http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0735712026/ref=nosim/rebeccaspocke-2
0/)
to be a helpful thought-organizing tool.

Jesse's five planes are (monospaced font required!)

   _______________________
  /                      /    Visual design,
 /       Surface        /     the "look and feel"
/______________________/

   _______________________
  /                      /    Interface design
 /       Skeleton       /
/______________________/

   _______________________
  /                      /    Interaction Design
 /      Structure       /     Information Architecture
/______________________/

   _______________________
  /                      /    User Modeling
 /        Scope         /     Project Objectives
/______________________/

   _______________________
  /                      /    Deep User Research
 /       Strategy       /     Business Goals
/______________________/


I used these planes to think about research methods and timing, both the
length of time it takes to conduct, and the longevity of the results.

   ______________
  /             /   User Testing        Takes: 2days-2weeks
 /   Surface   /    Heuristic Eval      Lasts: 2weeks - 2mos
/_____________/

   ______________
  /             /   User Testing        Takes: 2days-2weeks
 /   Skeleton  /    Heuristic Eval      Lasts: 2weeks - 2mos
/_____________/     Participatory Design

   ______________
  /             /   Card sorting        Takes: 2days-2weeks
 /  Structure  /    Prototype Testing   Lasts: 1mo - 6mos
/_____________/

   ______________
  /             /   User Interviews     Takes: 2weeks - 2months
 /    Scope    /    Personas/Scenarios  Lasts: 3mos - 1year
/_____________/     Mental Models

   ______________
  /             /   Ethnography         Takes: 6weeks - 6months
 /   Strategy  /    Contextual Research Lasts: 1year - 5years
/_____________/

The analogy I came up with (on the spot, so it's a little rough) is the
orbiting of the planets. Strategy user research is like Pluto, circling a
lot more slowly that surface user research, which is like Mercury. The
point, in part, is that one type of research doesn't necessarily flow into
the next... You don't do Ethnography, then scenarios, that card sorting,
etc. etc. For most projects, you'll probably start with personas, or start
with card sorting, being able to rely on the deeper, longer lasting research
that has gone on separately.

I think this model syncs up interestingly with what Peter Morville discussed
in "The Speed of Information Architecture"
http://semanticstudios.com/publications/semantics/000003.php

--peter