How do we move forward without knowing exactly where we’re going or how we’ll get there? This talk is about managing uncertainty, complexity, and change in any role. We’ll cover different types of research methods and competing schools of thought, including Lean and Agile development, Design Sprints, and emerging practices like ResearchOps. We’ll also talk about professional growth and personal discovery. Because the best research tool isn’t any method or technique, it’s a desire to learn.

1. Continuous
Discovery
@brian_frank
UX Centre Stage | October 20, 2018

2. My Background:
• UX Research & Strategy at Res.im since 2015.
• IT Industry Research & Advisory, 2011-2015.
• Writing publicly about uncertainty & change since 2008.
brian@res.im
brianfrank.ca/newsletter
linkedin.com/in/brnfrnk

3. Everything is research.
learning

4. 1. VALUE-FOCUSED
2. SMALL BATCHES
3. TIMEBOXED
4. VISIBLE
5. SYSTEMATIZED
6. ITERATIVE
7. PURPOSEFUL

5. IT’S OK NOT TO KNOW.
IT’S NOT OK NOT TO CARE.

6. 1.VALUE-FOCUSED

9. Source: Jeff Patton

10. IMPORTANCE
CONFIDENCE

11. 2.SMALL BATCHES

13. “If you know
almost nothing,
almost anything
will tell you
something.”

14. 2ND ITERATION1ST ITERATION

15. 3RD ITERATION 4TH ITERATION
1ST ITERATION 2ND ITERATION

16. 3.TIMEBOXED

18. Work expands to fill time…
Parkinson’s Law

19. Work expands to fill time…
shrinks to fit

20. Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
Map Sketch Decide Prototype Test

21. Recruit Test
Build

22. Recruit Test
Build

23. 4.VISIBLE

27. “A well-tended wall keeps research
insights and user needs constant in the
collective ‘mind’ of the project team.”
- Kate Towsey

28. Image Source: GOV.UK

29. 5.SYSTEMATIZED

31. Recruiting &
Scheduling
Learning
Planning
Reporting &
Remembering

32. Planning
Recruiting &
Scheduling
Learning
Reporting &
Remembering

33. Planning
Recruiting &
Scheduling
Learning
Reporting &
Remembering
Planning
Recruiting &
Scheduling
Learning
Reporting &
Remembering
Recruiting &
Scheduling
Learning
Planning
ning
Reporting &
Remembering
Plann
Repor
Reme

35. Source: Aurelius

37. "Humans desire
certainty, and
science
infrequently
provides it.”

38. “Trust but verify."

39. 6.ITERATIVE

40. “Mount Stupid”
“Mount Seemore”
Knowledge
Confidence

41. VERIFIED
FACTS
UNTESTED
ASSUMPTIONS
KNOWN
QUESTIONS
BLIND
SPOTS

42. “We would be
better served if
we thought less
about whether we
are confident…
and more about
how confident we
are.”

43. Think in gradients.

45. 7.PURPOSEFUL

46. Knowledge
Confidence
Early Career Mid Career Senior Level

47. Knowledge
Confidence
Early Career Mid Career Senior Level

48. Explore Evaluate
Adapt

49. “Vulnerability is
not weakness, and
the uncertainty,
risk, and
emotional
exposure we face
every day are not
optional.”

50. EVERYTHING’S EXPERIMENTAL.

51. @brian_frank
brian@res.im
brianfrank.ca/newsletter
@brian_frank
Thank you!