It's Our Research
Getting Stakeholder Buy-in for User Experience Research Projects
- 1st Edition - March 19, 2012
- Latest edition
- Author: Tomer Sharon
- Language: English
It’s Our Research: Getting Stakeholder Buy-in for User Experience Research Projects discusses frameworks, strategies, and techniques for working with stakeholders of user… Read more
It’s Our Research: Getting Stakeholder Buy-in for User Experience Research Projects discusses frameworks, strategies, and techniques for working with stakeholders of user experience (UX) research in a way that ensures their buy-in. This book consists of six chapters arranged according to the different stages of research projects. Topics discussed include the different roles of business, engineering, and user-experience stakeholders; identification of research opportunities by developing empathy with stakeholders; and planning UX research with stakeholders. The book also offers ways of teaming up with stakeholders; strategies to improve the communication of research results to stakeholders; and the nine signs that indicate that research is making an impact on stakeholders, teams, and organizations. This book is meant for UX people engaged in usability and UX research. Written from the perspective of an in-house UX researcher, it is also relevant for self-employed practitioners and consultants who work in agencies. It is especially directed at UX teams that face no-time-no-money-for-research situations.
- Named a 2012 Notable Computer Book for Information Systems by Computing Reviews
- Features a series of video interviews with UX practitioners and researchers
- Provides dozens of case studies and visuals from international research practitioners
- Provides a toolset that will help you justify your work to stakeholders, deal with office politics, and hone your client skills
- Presents tried and tested techniques for working to reach positive, useful, and fruitful outcomes
Primary: User experience practitioners, researchers, usability analysts, interaction designers, user interface experts, human factors engineers, and usability engineers worldwide. Secondary: students, new practitioners, as well as individuals experienced in a plethora of organizational environments and settings
Dedication
Foreword
Acknowledgments
About the Author
List of Figures and Tables
Case Studies
Videos
Online Presence
Prologue
Introduction
Chapter 1. If life gives you limes, make mojitos!
Introduction
Types of stakeholders
The perspectives of UX research stakeholders
Difficult people, teams, and organizations: Fight or flight?
Selling the value of research
The Lean Startup movement
Accept the fact that it might not work and that it’s okay
References
Takeaways
Chapter 2. Mmm … Interesting; so what exactly is it that you want to learn?
Introduction
Initiation of a study
The most important questions to ask your stakeholders
Delay any discussion about methodologies
Become the voice of reason
Listening and sowing seeds
Takeaways
Chapter 3. If you pick a methodology first, something must be wrong
Introduction
Research plans
Study goals
Research questions
The questions stakeholders ask and the ones they do not
How many questions?
Prioritizing questions
Selecting a methodology and describing it
The magic of injecting quantitative data into qualitative findings
References
Takeaways
Chapter 4. What’s gonna work? Teamwork!
Introduction
Why collaborate?
Plan together
Recruit participants together
Interact with users together
Analyze together
Color the experience
Report results together
References
Takeaways
Chapter 5. The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place
Introduction
Reports
Presentations
Other communication tools and techniques
Soft communication skills
References
Takeaways
Chapter 6. You can’t manage what you don’t measure
Introduction
Signs that research is being used well
How to track the impact of research
References
Takeaways
Epilogue
Last piece of advice: if you want buy-in, do a great job
Index
"I find the book compelling because it’s international, based on experience, business oriented, and practical, and it has videos….The book is definitely international, with mini-essays by usability practitioners from all over the world (the videos are international as well). This produces a wide variety of contexts and highlights some interesting parallels."—Computing Reviews.com, December 5, 2012
"In this book, Tomer Sharon does a great and ground-breaking job of presenting useful wisdom on how to make usability research useful and usable, and how to sell it. The contents of this book can be summarized in seven words: Do as you preach and be humble. If that’s not sufficiently usable for you, read this book!"—Rolf Molich, DialogDesign
"Tomer Sharon’s book is the cure for usability professionals whose work isn’t having the impact it deserves. Here you’ll find ways to work different, to make your research connect with stakeholders instead of trash cans. File under: work smarter, not harder."—Gerard Torenvliet, Senior Human Factors Scientist, Medtronic
"A thoroughly readable look at how to make sure our user research actually makes it into the products we create. It explains how to get everyone engaged, how to plan research that asks the right questions, and how to help people use research findings. It's full of practical tips, great advice and real-life stories from practitioners."—Donna Spencer, Maadmob
"It’s Our Research"should be required reading for anyone involved in a UX research study. Sharon will not only help you avoid the many pitfalls that most UX research projects come across, but more importantly give you all the tips and tricks for getting the most out your UX research."—William Albert, Bentley University; Author, Measuring the User Experience and Beyond the Usability Lab
"There is probably no question that I am asked more often than "How can I have more influence?"User research that isn’t able to bring insight and drive improvement might as well not have happened. This book is the most complete guide to getting stakeholder buy-in that I have seen. It is a "must read"for researchers and their managers."—Arnie Lund, Microsoft; Author, User Experience Management
"As an experienced Human Factors Engineer, I thought I knew how to do user research and engage stakeholders. But in these pages I discovered new ways to ensure my user research will be useful to my clients. The book is well organized and includes rich interviews and case study content. I especially appreciated the takeaways at the end of each chapter."—Stan Caplan, President, Usability Associates, LLC
"The best researchers know how to inspire their stakeholders to act on their findings. At Google, Tomer brings a unique combination of depth and inventiveness in the way he communicates and works with the designers and managers who need to act on his findings. This learned, direct and humorous book explains how he achieves that."--Giles Colborne, cxpartners, Author, Simple and usable web, mobile and interaction design
"If no one reads your report or implements your recommendations does it really matter how statistically valid your findings were? Do your yourself and your users a favor …read Tomer’s Book."—Jeff Sauro, Principal Measuring Usability LLC; Author, Quantifying the User Experience
- Edition: 1
- Latest edition
- Published: March 19, 2012
- Language: English
TS
Tomer Sharon
Tomer Sharon is a User Experience researcher at Google Search. Previously, he led the user experience research effort for Google’s online advertising management platform - DFP (Doubleclick for Publishers). Prior to Google, he worked at Check Point Software Technologies in Israel as User Experience Researcher Lead.
As founder and first president of UPA Israel, he led the chapter to many achievements such as raising awareness of the need for easy-to-use, efficient, and fun technology products, and growing and nurturing a professional community of 1,000 practitioners.
Tomer is an experienced speaker at local and international conferences, a published author of articles and papers, and a past editorial board member for UPA’s UX Magazine. Tomer holds a BA in Social Sciences from The Open University and a master’s degree in Human Factors in Information Design from Bentley University in Waltham, MA.
Affiliations and expertise
UX Researcher, Google SearchRead It's Our Research on ScienceDirect