UX Intensive Copenhagen | Day 2 | Design Research

Day 2
MAY 2015
Nick Remis 
@dreamis
Design Research

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
WARM-UP
Find Your
Soulmates
2
→ You each have a secret card. Do
not share this.
→ Go around the room and talk to
people to ﬁnd out who else a
matching secret card.
→ You cannot say what is on your
card, you can only describe or act
it out.
→ After you’ve found a match, stay
together until others are done.
TIME: 15 minutes

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI 3
DAY 1
DESIGN
STRATEGY
DS
DAY 2
USER
RESEARCH
DR
DAY 3
SERVICE
DESIGN
SD
DAY 4
INTERACTION
DESIGN
IxD
The tools you
need to put your
designs into
business — and
vice versa
How to unearth
deep, practical
insights about the
people you want
to reach most
Tools of modeling
and analysis that
shape smart and
systemic solutions
How to design for
better interactions
and become a
better interaction
designer

ScopeFocus
Concepts & 
Language
Research 
Questions
Context & Form
Experience Principles
DAY 1
DESIGN
STRATEGY
DS
DAY 2
USER
RESEARCH
DR
DAY 3
SERVICE
DESIGN
SD
DAY 4
INTERACTION
DESIGN
IxD

DAY 3
SERVICE
DESIGN
SD
DAY 4
INTERACTION
DESIGN
IxD
Abstract
Tangible
Think Make
DAY 2
USER
RESEARCH
DR
DAY 1
DESIGN
STRATEGY
DS

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Agenda
→ Being Human-centric
→ Setting Research Objectives &  
Building the Hypothesis
→ Designing the Right Approach
→ Collecting the Good Stuﬀ
→ Translating to Design
6
UX INTENSIVE
→ UX Intensive
• @uxintensive
• #UXICopenhagen
• apevents@adaptivepath.com
→ Nick Remis
• @dreamis
• nick@adaptivepath.com

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Being Human-centric
→ A research story
→ How organizations think of people
→ What is Design Research
→ Value of Design Research
→ The process of Design Research
7
DESIGN RESEARCH

"Medical device manufacturers are stuck in
a bygone era; they continue to design these
products in an engineering-driven,
physician-centered bubble. They have not yet
grasped the concept that medical devices are
also life devices, and therefore need to feel
good and look good for the patients using
them 24/7, in addition to keeping us alive."
— AMY TENDERICH, DIABETES MINE BLOG
ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI

Easy to learn and teach/No numbers
Make better use of data
Less stuﬀ
Keep users in control
Help keep users motivated
Wear it during sex
RESEARCH STORY
Experience Principles

Organizations tend to
oversimplify their view of
people

www.ﬂickr.com/photos/20949260@N02/2647912578/ via compﬁght.com
3old ways
of thinking

DOCILE +
GULLIBLE
STORIES +
MESSAGING
#1 Sheep
PREFERENCES!
www.ﬂickr.com/photos/81182072@N00/40042244/

HIGHLY
RATIONAL
MAXIMIZES
UTILITY
www.ﬂickr.com/photos/83346641@N00/8933306274/
#2 Homo Economicus
QUANTITY!

GOAL DRIVEN
#3 Type A Personality
EFFICIENCY!!
TASK ORIENTED

Not all wrong, not really right.
What’s missing?

RESEARCH STORY
The messy complexity of human life
https://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/76818399@N00/252562895/

What is design research?
BEING HUMAN-CENTRIC

21ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
de·sign re·search
The work that uncovers and articulates the
needs of individuals and/or groups in order to
inform the design of products and services in a
structured manner.
WHAT IS DESIGN RESEARCH

Design research informs us by…
Building empathy 
Internalize the emotional
state of users 
Challenging biases 
Testing assumptions,
hypothesis, and existing
biases to mitigate  
group think
Understand context 
Explore the context what
will surround you design
Discovering experiential  
& functional needs 
Understanding customer
needs for a variety  
of elements

In A Nutshell…
DATA
(STORIES, FACTS)
INSIGHT
(PATTERNS, THEMES)
REASON
(DRIVERS, CAUSES)
SOLUTION
(CONSIDERATIONS)

Should research and design be
separate activities?
No.

When To Uncover Truths
DEFINE PLAN DESIGN RELEASE
BUILD EMPATHY
UNDERSTAND
INPUTS FOR
DESIGN
PRIORITIZE
DESIGN
REQUIREMENTS
IDENTIFY
OPPORTUNITIES
VALIDATE &
REFINE

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Design research is a
strategic tool that drives
the design process.
But it’s also a strategic
tool that drives business
and assures engagement
with what you put out in
the world.

Common types of research
MARKET RESEARCH QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Market vs. Design Research
— after Panthea Lee, Reboot
Market Research Design Research
Primary Focus Generate value (often financial) for the
organization.
Understand the meaning of value (often utility)
for the end user.
Process Systematic gathering of quantitative or mass
market data that is then analytically processed.
Cumulative gathering of human experiences and
artifacts that are then synthetically processed.
Primary
Processing Tool
Logic and analytics, usually quantitative Empathy and synthesis, almost always
qualitative
Common  
Communication  
Approaches
Reports and presentations that use words, charts,
and graphics to present linear market analyses
and projections. Data and statistical analysis
reign.
Multimedia presentations that use words, photos,
drawings, and stories to present complex human
archetypes, needs, and patterns. Data becomes
human narrative.
Enables
Practitioners to
Make sound decisions based on identified options. Develop a sound solution that meets identified
needs — and possibly delights.

Quantitative Research
→ Quantitative research answers “how much” and “how
many” questions.
→ Often done independently, quantitative research is
especially effective when combined with qualitative
field research.
→ In the form of a survey, quantitative research helps to
more broadly explore and validate qualitative
observations by providing data from a larger population
of respondents.
→ Quantitative results can then be analyzed along with
field findings to arrive at deeper understanding of
select aspects.
Combining qualitative and quantitative research can yield
richer, more strongly validated results for certain findings.

Qualitative Research
→ Qualitative research answers “why” and “how”
questions.
→ With roots in anthropology, qualitative methods
enable a researcher to interview and engage with
people in their actual environments. They give us
the ability to ask questions, explore, and observe.
→ The result and analysis of qualitative research
data is typically not statistical. Qualitative
research is about deeply studying and
understanding human behavior.
An approach to unearthing insights and understanding of real
people, and their behavioral and cultural characteristics.

Value of Design Research
BEING HUMAN-CENTRIC

Levels of Understanding
VALUE OF DESIGN RESEARCH
THE DOMAIN
(INDUSTRY, DISCIPLINE)
MACRO CONTEXT
(SOCIETY + CULTURE)
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT
(PEOPLE, PLACES, TIME)
POV ON PRODUCT
(INTERACTIONS, CONTROLS)
POV ON EXPERIENCE
(JOURNEY)
NEEDS + BEHAVIORS
(EXPLICIT + TACIT)

Intents of Research
→ Explore… 
Understand larger systems of use or needs on a higher
level, identify opportunities or areas for innovation
→ Understand… 
Go deep in an identified area, product/service, an activity
or usage mode
→ Evaluate… 
Get user feedback at different stages of development
process to refine, select and verify concepts
BROAD & 
GENERATIVE
NARROW & 
EVALUATIVE

Outcomes of Research
→ Explore… to set direction 
Minimize risk for a new product or service by
understanding context and identifying opportunities
→ Understand… to reduce risk 
Ensure the viability of the product/service by
exposing specifics, nuance, and subtlety
→ Evaluate… to improve quality 
Focus efforts on areas of greatest need and
accelerate and/or fine tune solution development
BROAD & 
GENERATIVE
NARROW & 
EVALUATIVE

Prime Directives
→ No identiﬁcation of self or mission
→ No interference with the social
development of the group under
observation
→ No references to space or the fact
that there are other worlds or more
advanced civilizations
“PURE” RESEARCH
→ Uncover unmet needs
→ Observe behavior
→ Empathize with people
→ Understand context
→ Change thinking
→ Spark creativity
→ Identify new opportunities
→ Reduce risk
DESIGN RESEARCH

This Helps Designers…
→ Invent possible futures
→ Assess the desirability of these futures
→ Experiment with what can be changed
→ Work out plans to proceed toward desirable futures
→ Make proposals to those who can bring a design to fruition
– Klaus Krippendorﬀ,  
Annenberg School for Communication

GOALS AND
OBJECTIVES
PARTICIPANTS  
& METHODS
DATA 
COLLECTION
DATA 
ANALYSIS
DEMONSTRATE 
FINDINGS
EXERCISE 2:
Characterize
Research
Participants
EXERCISE 3:
Match the Methods
EXERCISE 4:
Conduct Research
Sessions
EXERCISE 5:
Model the Journey
EXERCISE 6:
Prioritize Insights for
Design
EXERCISE 1:
Build A Hypothesis
LUNCH DRINKS!

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Setting Research Objectives &
Building a Hypothesis
→ Uncovering project goals
→ Identifying research objectives
→ Exercise 1: Build Your Hypothesis
38
DESIGN RESEARCH

Identify the key goals of the
entire project.
Not just the research
component.

Have clear goals.
→ Outline key components of the user experience that need to
be understood for the project to succeed
→ Provide a clear basis for asking questions, framing
outcomes, selecting research methods, and setting timelines
→ Allow research to uncover true insights and understanding,
not support preconceived notions
SETTING RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

Deﬁning Project Goals
→ Project briefs
→ Project plans
→ Organizational mission statements
→ Requirements documents
→ Stakeholder interviews

Deﬁning Research Objectives
→ Frame probable results, outcomes, or deliverables in terms of
what you are trying to understand rather than the format of
a particular method
→ Represent the assumptions living within the project
objectives and drive the speciﬁcs of the research protocol
→ Provide a cognitive structure for research analysis

Cognitive Structure
Wisdom
Knowledge
Information
Data
based on the DIKW or Knowledge Hierarchy: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIKW_Pyramid
Insights
Findings
Patterns
Data
Research Objectives
Key Questions
Protocol Questions
Data

Plan from the top down
1
2
3
4
Research Objectives
Key Questions
Protocol Questions
Data

What Truths To Uncover
→ Identify high level key questions that need to be answered
to fulﬁll the project goals / objectives
→ Rank your goals / objectives  
(by importance, severity, priority to business, etc.)
→ Develop general questions for each objective, then iterate,
becoming more speciﬁc with each iteration

Prioritizing Research Questions
You will have a lot of research objectives, some of which will be
contradictory. This is normal.
→ Expedience: Can we answer this question another, easier way?
→ Importance: What is most important to the business and to  
the customer?
→ Severity: The more it hurts, the more you should seek to understand it
through research.
→ Priority: A subjective term but worth considering. Sometimes
organizational “priorities” trump research objectives, for better or worse.

Sample Research Goals
The goal of this research is to identify opportunities to provide new
financial products and services for students. The research plan aims to
answer the following questions:
→ How do students think about and prioritize the financial aspects of their lives?
→ How do students manage their finances today?
→ What factors differentiate or impact a student’s financial priorities?
→ How do students select a financial organization?
→ How do students feel about their current financial organizations?
→ How does education on their finances play a role in students’ experiences?

Sample Key Questions
What components do students consider as part of their
financial ecosystem?
How do students describe/talk about their finances? Who do
they talk to about their finances?
When and how do finances play a key moment in students’
daily lives?
What actions do students take in regards to their finances?
What prompts those actions?
RESEARCH  
OBJECTIVE:
Understand
how students
think about
and prioritize
the financial
aspects of
their lives

THE CHALLENGE  
Designing a
future hotel
experience

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
A growing, global hotel chain, Premiere Hotels, is interested in creating
more innovative experiences for their patrons that will diﬀerentiate them
from their competitors in this saturated market.
Our job is to help the strategy and design teams at Premiere Hotels as
they attempt to understand their audiences and identify potential
opportunities for new products and services.
Today they are focused on designing a new “pre-stay experience”
considering the patron’s end-to-end journey from booking to check-in.
52
Pre-stay Hotel Experience
THE CHALLENGE

Project Goals
→ Develop a differentiated experience
→ Increase the number of bookings/reservations
→ Grow the base of loyal patrons (membership)
→ Increase the number of repeat visits
→ Increase staff satisfaction and encourage the delivery of delightful service
→ Decrease the number of customer complaints
→ Increase customer satisfaction
→ Expand product and service offerings that provide new lines of business
THE CHALLENGE

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Your team and your client have worked together to reach these research
objectives for this challenge:
→ Gain a more detailed understanding of the interactions across a patron’s
journey from booking to arrival;
→ Highlight painpoints and opportunities of current patrons’ experiences with the
products/service;
→ Collect insights on the potential target customers’ perceptions, thoughts, and
feelings regarding their current hotel experiences;
→ Understand these customers’ needs and expectations in order to have a
successful and delightful pre-stay hotel experience.
54
Research Objectives
THE CHALLENGE

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Premiere Hotels wants to understand the diﬀerent types of patrons they could
target as future customers. Each team will be exploring a diﬀerent target
customer:
1. Families on vacation
2. Couples on romantic retreats
3. Business travelers
4. Backpackers
5. Friends on group trips
55
Target Customers
THE CHALLENGE

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
EXERCISE #1
Build Your
Hypothesis
56
As the design research team, your
task is to plan and execute research
that results in a new pre-stay
experience model Premiere Hotels
can communicate to partners.
Before you can plan your research,
your team must build a hypothesis
for this experience based on your
assumptions and individual
experiences.
TIME: 30 minutes

Build Your Hypothesis
EXERCISE #1
In your teams, capture any assumptions you have for each of the outlined
“stages” of the experience using your assigned “Target Customer”. Put each
assumption on an individual sticky note.
Consider
→ What roles are involved in the experience?
→ What do hotel patrons do in each of these stages?
→ What do they think or feel during these stages?
→ What opportunities or painpoints do you think occur during these stages?
→ What gaps do you have in your understanding of this stage? What questions do you want to
answer during research?

Hypothesis - Stages
EXERCISE #1
CONSIDERING +
PLANNING
MAKING
ARRANGEMENTS
TRAVELING  
TO HOTEL
ARRIVING +
CHECKING-IN

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
EXERCISE #1
Build Your
Hypothesis
59
As the design research team, your
task is to plan and execute research
that results in a new pre-stay
experience model Premiere Hotels
can communicate to partners.
Before you can plan your research,
your team must build a hypothesis
for this experience based on your
assumptions and individual
experiences.
TIME: 30 minutes

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Designing the Right Approach
for Research
→ Identifying research participants
→ Exercise 2: Characterize Research Participants
→ Choosing research methods
→ Exercise 3: Match the Methods
60
DESIGN RESEARCH

GOALS AND
OBJECTIVES
PARTICIPANTS  
& METHODS
COLLECT 
DATA
ANALYZE 
DATA
DEMONSTRATE 
FINDINGS

UX Intensive Copenhagen | Day 2 | Design Research

Who should I talk to?
For this research, it’s people who are best equipped to provide answers
to your key research objectives. This might include:
Existing customers Potential customers Former customers
Extreme customers Staﬀ Who else?

How Do I Find the People?
A guide from User Interface Engineering (UIE) gives you step
by step guidance for finding the right participants for your
research, including:
IDENTIFYING PARTICIPANTS
→ Planning your recruiting campaign
→ Recruiting options (in-house or outsourced)
→ Choosing the recruiter
→ Creating a recruiting profile / screener
→ Building a contact list
→ Making contact
→ Effective recruitment interviewing
→ Interviewing checklist
→ Preparing forms
→ Dealing with cancellations
www.uie.com/reports/recruiting_without_fear/

Describe Who You Are Looking For…
→ They have traveled at least 3 times in the past 6 months.
→ Their main purpose for travel is work-related.
→ Must have played a role in planning their travel.
BUSINESS TRAVELERS
→ They have planned a family vacation (for at least 4 people)
within the last year.
→ The vacation required planning beyond hotel reservations
(e.g., ﬂight, transportation, dinner reservations, etc.).
FAMILY TRIP PLANNERS

What Criteria Should I Use?
→ Demographic: age, gender, race, income, family status
→ Geographic: country, region, urban, suburban, rural
→ Behavioral: frequency, duration, diversity, ownership, membership
→ Attitudinal: for, against, undecided, prior experience (good or bad)
TIP: Always check to see that the person is articulate!  
Important to do this through the screening process.

Include the extremes
Majority of users
Extreme usersExtreme users

Be Speciﬁc!

Story: Who are Financial Advisers?
ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
OBJECTIVE Arrive at a comprehensive, big-picture view of financial advisers around
their information needs, attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions
The criteria we had to consider and and screen for included:
1. A complex mix of demographics and domain-specific factors
2. A range of experience levels and book-of-business sizes
3. A mix of working contexts, from one-man-shops to large team-based operations
4. Openness to describing their professional approach and differentiators
5. Technology use and openness to new ways of doing things

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
EXERCISE #2
Characterize
Your Research
Participants
71
→ For your study, who are you going
to talk to?
→ Use the target user your team
worked with for Exercise #1
→ Create a participant proﬁle for the
kinds of people you want to
conduct research with
TIME: 10 minutes

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
EXERCISE #2
Characterize
Your Research
Participants
72

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
EXERCISE #2
Characterize
Your Research
Participants
73
→ For your study, who are you going
to talk to?
→ Use the target user your team
worked with for Exercise #1
→ Create a participant proﬁle for the
kinds of people you want to
conduct research with
TIME: 10 minutes

Variety of Methods + Tactics
CHOOSING RESEARCH METHODS
Safaris
Intercepts
Interviews
Observations  
+ Field Studies
Diary (Cultural Probe)  
Studies
Surveys
Analytics
A/B Testing
Pilot Testing
Prototype Testing
Participatory Design
Usability Testing
Card Sorting
Focus Groups
Eye Tracking
Directed Storytelling

Design research core methods
CONVERSATIONS
The stories, conversations, and
interviews you have with
research participants.
OBSERVATIONS
The observed behaviors, tasks,
and processes, including their
resulting artifacts.

Deciding on Methods
1. Why are you we doing research?
2. What do we need to understand?
3. What is the intended output of the research?
4. What kind of work do you need to inform?
5. What are the resources for research?
1
2
3
4
5

What to Understand
GENERATIVE
Problem
EVALUATIVE
Solution
Inspired by model by Jenn + Ken Visocky O’Grady
Safaris
Intercepts
Interviews
Observations
Diary Studies
Surveys
Analytics
A/B Testing
Pilot Testing
Prototype Testing
Co-Design Sessions
Usability Testing

Intended Output
JOURNEY MAP PERSONAS
MVP + 
DESIGN CRITERIA
Observations
Diary Studies
Interviews
Intercepts
Diary Studies
Interviews
Surveys
Card Sorting
Prototype Testing
Surveys

LEAN
RIGOROUS
Quick & Lean:
• Quickly putting something in front of people can be just as
(or more) valuable than a rigorous research plan
• Dependent on ﬁnding the right sample of people
• Design methods + research activities that get more insights
in less time (workshop style)
• Build tools to help you synthesize as you go
• Capture patterns as you see them occur to quickly get to
insights (daily debriefs)
Scale of Research

LEAN
RIGOROUS
Deep & Broad:
• Carefully identify target participants
• Employ a mix of methods and activities for deeper
understanding
• Create data capture and debrief tools/approaches
• Take sense-making breaks; analyze as you go
• Manage and safeguard collected data and artifacts
Scale of Research

Design research does not need
to take weeks. Depending on
time and constraints, your
research may consist of a single
participant for one hour.
 
Use the time you have to get the
most value.

Planning Research Tactics
→ What’s important to discover?
→ What don’t you know?
→ What do you need to validate?
→ What kind of engagement do you need?
→ Where do you need to go?
→ Who are your research participants?
→ How sensitive is the research topic?
→ What is the appropriate timing of research?

Prioritizing Methods
USAGE DATA SURVEY FIELD RESEARCH
Shows aggregate activity
and trends, often without
diﬀerentiation
Tells a bit more about us
who is visiting and about
patterns of purpose and
frequency
Tells us what people are
trying to do, how they go
about it, and something
about why they are doing it

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
“Focus groups can’t
identify unmet needs for
the simple reason that
most people don’t know
what they are missing until
they experience it.”
- Gianfranco Zaccai
We don’t do Focus Groups.

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Directed
Storytelling
Participant relates a past
experience in detail, while an
interviewer probes for underlying
motivations and breakdowns.

→ Get people to tell stories of a past experience
→ Focus on uncovering motivations, needs, goals, breakdowns,
and delights
→ Listen and probe for details; move beyond generalization
→ Use visual tools (sketching) to document and diagram their
stories so participants can validate while they are sharing

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Observations
Observing people in a given
context to understand their
behaviors, interactions, and
environment.
source: http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/21x9QBNHx-0/maxresdefault.jpg

Types of Observations
→ Naturalistic: No interaction with the observed or interference
with their actions or environment.
→ Controlled: Providing speciﬁc prompts or tasks. Contextual
inquiry is a form of controlled observation.
→ Participatory: Actively taking part with those being observed
and their environment.

www.crateandbarrel.com/glass-4-cup-measuring-cup/s530247

houseoﬀraser.scene7.com/is/image/HOF/I_107848688_00_20081211

source:http-//www.abetterbagofgroceries.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/OXO-measure-cup-from-top.jpg

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Intercepts
An in-context method for
quickly asking questions that
provide insights into what
customers are doing.

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Video
Ethnography
A method combining
observation and ﬁrst-person
annotation to capture an
experience in real time.
source: http://stbyblogs.eu/cyclehiring/category/results/

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Picture Cards
Using visual, participatory
prompts to help participants
share stories, feedback, and to
probe on tacit needs.

Picture Cards
→ Help people think systematically about their life
experiences while maintaining a grounding in the
contexts and details of their lives
→ Create cards with images that help people tell
research-relevant stories
→ Bring blank cards to ﬁll in the particulars that you were
unable to account for ahead of time
→ Include cards that support thinking about future
products and services

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Participatory
Design
Directly involving service
actors (customers, agents,
stakeholders, etc.) in the
research and design process.

→ Using co-creation activities can elicit new ideas, unspoken
needs, and insights on relationships during an experience
→ Create activities with templates and supplies that are
approachable and easy to use
→ Structure the activities so users can easily create while
communicating their decisions

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Diary Studies
Journaling methods in which
research participants capture
their experiences visually and
annotate those artifacts with
a personal narrative.
Sometimes called Cultural
Probes or Annotated
Experiences.

Diary Studies
→ Allows people to capture their thoughts and feelings while
they are having an experience
→ Exposes a deeper view of users’ context, culture, and values
→ Give people tools and a ﬂexible system for capturing and
communicating their experience to you
→ Recruit people who have a digital camera or camera phone (or
provide them one)
→ Design tools that can be easily integrated into the users’
daily routines or experience without being a distraction

ASK FOR DETAILS…
Would I look in the minibar for any of this?
CDS?
A FIRST AID KIT?
AN “INTIMACY KIT”?
WHAT IS AN “INTIMACY KIT”?

HAVE THEM TELL YOU A STORY…
“This is what
I saw when I
walked into
my room.”

“I had no idea what
to do with this when
I felt it on the wall
the ﬁrst time…”
“After three days in
the hotel, I still
wasn’t sure whether
I was supposed to
use the button, the
slider, or both.”

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Love/Breakup
letters
Having participants or
stakeholders write ﬁctional
love or breakup letters to a
product or service.
Highlighting their pinpoints
and delights in an emotional
manner.
TIP: Great method to use as homework
prior to a session

Smart Design – https://vimeo.com/11854531

TYPE OF INQUIRY METHOD APPLICATION/RESULT
Demographic
Who are they?
Age, sex, geography
Surveys
Database analysis
Lay of the land
Audience segmentation
Inform/validate other research
Behavioral
How do things get done?
Behavior patterns,
conceptual models
Field research
Contextual interviews
Card sorting
Prototype testing & iteration
Product strategy
Features and functions
Interaction design
Information architecture
Motivational
Why are they doing it?
Goals, emotions,
preferences, desires
Field research
Contextual interviews
Surveys
Product Strategy
Framing the experience
Visual interpretation
Branding
Evaluative
How does it work for
them?
Usability testing
Log analysis
Customer feedback
Card sorting
Interaction design
Interaction ﬂow
Page layout
Nomenclature

Frequently Used Methods
Learn about
an end-to-end
journey that
occurs over a
period of time.
Identify the
contextual
factors that
impact a
person’s
experience.
PARTICIPATORY
PROMPTS:
PICTURE CARDS
Understand
daily activities
and how a
person
prioritizes +
organizes them.
Collect people’s
impressions of
their world,
especially for
sensitive topics.
DIARY STUDIES:
ANNOTATED
EXPERIENCES
FIELD STUDIES:
OBSERVATIONS +
INTERCEPTS
INTERVIEWS:  
DIRECTED  
STORYTELLING

Triangulation
SURVEY 
RESULTS
USAGE 
DATA
FIELD 
RESEARCH 
DATA

Choose Methods Wisely
→ Eﬀective research for design
requires ﬂexibility and
resourcefulness
→ Choose the right method for the job
→ Be mindful of assumptions and
biases built into methods
→ Don’t be this guy

Methods Toolkit
QUALITATIVE (INSIGHTS)
QUANTITATIVE (VALIDATION)
GOALS & ATTITUDES
(SAY)
BEHAVIORS
(DO)
Focus groups Card sorting
Usability testing
Eye tracking
Customer support
data analysis
Surveys
Automated
usability testing
Site traﬀic/log ﬁle
analysis
A/B testing
– Steve Mulder 
The User is Always Right
Diary/journal studies
User interviews Field studies
Participatory design

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Story: Mixing Methods

Tips for Remote Research
→ Leverage remote meeting tools (GoToMeeting)
→ Incorporate tools to support remote participatory activities like card
sorting and documenting user journeys
→ Email participants with clear directions on how to engage with tools
used during research with easy access to links
→ Get comfortable with the tools using a dry run
→ Document everything with screen recordings
→ Have backup plans ready for technology malfunctions**

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Story: Remote Research

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
EXERCISE #3
Match Your
Methods
123
→ For each challenge, choose which
methods would be appropriate
→ Be ready to explain why
→ Add new methods you’ve  
tried that could be valuable
TIME: 15 minutes

What methods did you choose
for each challenge?

Lunch Time!
Lunch is located…

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
WARM-UP
Extract 
Human Needs
126
→ Three people at each table should
ﬁnd a card with a “customer need”
under their seat.
→ One at a time, each person with a
card acts out the need they have
(without saying/describing it).
→ As a table, interview the person to
extract this tacit need.
→ Once you’ve guessed the need,
move on to the next person to
extract their need.
TIME: 10 minutes

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Collecting the Good Stuff
→ The art of effective interviewing
→ What to look for when conducting design research
→ Effective fields tools and tactics
→ Exercise 4: Conduct Research Sessions
127
DESIGN RESEARCH

GOALS AND
OBJECTIVES
PARTICIPANTS  
& METHODS
COLLECT 
DATA
ANALYZE 
DATA
DEMONSTRATE 
FINDINGS

Design research relies on a
designer’s soft skills…
Facilitation & Listening

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Interviews
Structured conversations
guided by open-ended
questions designed that set
the stage for learning and deep
understanding.
FACILITATING CONVERSATIONS

Interview Contexts
→ In a Facility: Interviewing out of the participant’s typical context,
such as an oﬀice or lab.
→ In the Field: Interviewing within a context familiar to the
participant or applicable to the experience you are investigating.
→ In the Moment: Combining interviewing with observation to
probe on what is being observed and to explore the unexpected.

Setting Up for Success
Interviewing can be simple and eﬀective if you:
1. Try to answer what you don’t know and validate what you think  
you know about a topic
2. Be objective, not subjective— leave opinions at home
3. Don’t ask leading questions, “you like this right?” vs. “What do you think
about this?” Always start with What, why, where, when, how
4. Try to get at what people think, feel, do
5. Try to understand ‘why’
6. Build rapport before diving in to the interview

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Empathic
Listening
Empathic listening gets inside
another person’s frame of
reference. You look out through
it, you see the world the way
they see the world, you
understand their paradigm, you
understand how they feel.
- Stephen R. Covey
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/96603394@N00/418349082/">NapInterrupted</a> via <a
href="http://compfight.com">Compfight</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/
2.0/">cc</a>

Try It: Listening
→ Pick a partner — someone you don’t know
→ Pull your chairs together so you are facing one another
→ Select one of you to be the ﬁrst interviewer
→ Interviewers: You will ask the interviewee to speak for 2
minutes on a topic I will give you. As they answer, you must
remain silent
→ Interviewees: Once the interviewer asks a question, you must
speak on that subject for two minutes. Just keep talking, no
matter what.

The Topic
Tell me about a tourist attraction that you love —
one that you have visited, explored, or that you
would like to see in the future

Try It: Listen & Appreciate
→ Keep your partner
→ Switch roles: Interviewers become interviewees and
vice versa
→ Same as before: Interviewers ask a question I will
give you. Interviewees speak for up to 2 minutes on
the subject.
→ Modiﬁcation: Interviewer will use one or more
“appreciation” statements

The Topic
Tell me about a neighborhood that you love —
one that you have visited or lived in.

An Appreciation is Something Like…
→ Tell me more about about <subject>...
→ When you were speaking, I noticed <observation>...
→ You made me think about ...
→ It was interesting that ...
→ Tell me about a time ...
Remember your topic...
Tell me about a neighborhood that you love — one
that you have visited or lived in.

Facilitation Tips
→ Follow a thread
→ Ask, “Why?” or prompt with, “Tell me more about...”
→ Pretend you don’t understand — and don’t assume you do
→ Use your instincts to direct or shape the conversation
→ Don’t ask yes/no questions
→ When you get an answer don’t just say, “OK, great!”  
and leave it at that
→ Find the story; prompt for it; explore for it

Keep in Mind…
→ Native Categories 
Terms people use to describe their
world, for example, “that’s our ‘junk
drawer’” and “it’s our ‘Friday treat’,”
“I’m not a BMW type of person,”
etc.  
 
→ Over-generalizations 
“We always do it that way” and
“she never uses that” are examples
of over-generalizations.  
 
 
 

Keep in Mind…
→ Claims of Idiosyncrasy  
Interviewees will often make claims
that they do things in an unusual
manner or that there is something
unique about them or their stuff.
→ Brush-offs 
Brush-offs are things people don’t
think are important or worthy of
explanation, or things they assume
we wouldn’t be interested in, e.g.,
“that’s not important,” “I don’t use
that radio, let me show you the one
I do”, “oh that’s nothing”, “that’s
just an extra room.”

Remember…
→ Pay attention
→ Make the normal noticeable
→ Get people to show and tell
→ Set people up for success
→ Account for the unspoken rules
→ Make discussions tangible
→ Know your role

Pay Attention

Make the Normal Noticeable

Get People to Show and Tell

Set People Up For Success…?
→ What percentage of time do you spend each day checking email?
→ Tell me about about your favorite television programs.
→ What TV channels do you regularly watch?
→ What is your morning routine from awakening until you leave the
house?
→ If you had a new Apple tablet PC, what would you do with it?

Account For Unspoken Rules
All photos © Maria Cordell

Make Discussions Tangible

Know Your Role

People Principles
→ People play nice for strangers.
→ People adapt products and
services to meet their needs.
→ People are creatures of habit.
→ Memory is context sensitive.
→ No person is an island.
→ Cognition is distributed.

When Studying Humans…
→ People are very bad at predicting how and why
they WILL or MIGHT act.
→ People are pretty good at recalling how they DID
act though still not so good at telling you why.
→ People are very bad at staying focused on
activities that they don’t really care about. They
will generally do poorly in ﬁctitious or imaginary
situations.

Personalities & Styles
Conﬁdent
Suspicious
Relationship-focused
Free associating
Reticent
Content modiﬁed from eLab

What to Take
PREPARING FOR THE FIELD

Set roles for the team
CLASSIC RESEARCH TEAM
MODERATOR NOTES + DOCUMENTATION

Set roles for the team
EXTENDED RESEARCH TEAM
MODERATOR NOTES DOCUMENTATION 
(GREAT CLIENT ROLE)

Setting up the room
MODERATOR
NOTES + DOCUMENTATION
NOTES
PARTICIPANT

Tips on timing
→ Try to keep it under 2 hours
→ If you need to go longer, design in
breaks and a diversity of activities
→ Know what activities and
conversations you can cut out  
if you’re running out of time
→ Don’t forget to design in breaks for
the research team!

Research session ﬂow
Project intro
Rapport building
Warmup activity
Core activities
Wrap up

Research Protocol

Tips on research protocols
→ Set 3-5 focus statements  
(closely tied to you research objective)
→ Identify your key questions
→ Build in follow-up questions to
deepen information gathered
→ Include timing details
→ Treat them as a check list so you
can go with the conversational ﬂow
→ Test it out before heading into  
the ﬁeld!!!

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
COLLECTING THE GOOD STUFF
Story: The Camera Consumer
COULD REPLACE THIS WITH A STORY
FROM CMD+F?

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Story: The Unexpected of Research
http://www.flickr.com/photos/70872463@N00/3151164675/"
http://www.flickr.com/photos/59666714@N00/1316420142/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39640647@N02/4518128944/

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Prepare for Everything
→ Participant doesn’t genuinely meet criteria. Know when to end the session.
→ Participant doesn’t show up. Always plan for backups.
→ People are complex, you cannot always predict their behaviors during a session.
Prepare for the unexpected.
→ People have diﬀicult, emotional experiences. You have to empathize while trying
to identify the right insights.
→ People do not instinctively and immediately trust. Dress the part, make them feel
comfortable, and don’t hold it against them for hiding their feelings.
Be prepared for your carefully crafted research plan to go haywire, oﬀ
script, and wrong in the most inventive ways

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
EXERCISE #4
Conduct
Research
Sessions
167
→ Each team split into 2 groups
→ One group will go in the ﬁeld to do
observations + intercepts
→ The other group will conduct two 10-
minute interviews with someone from
another team
• One person is the researcher, one
person is the notetaker & sketcher,
and one person is the participant
for another team (you can rotate)
→ After 20 minutes, the teams should
swap observation / interviewing roles
 
TIME: 40 minutes

What to Uncover
EXERCISE #4
What triggered his or her journey?
What were his or her expectations?
What actions did he or she take?
What did he or she feel at diﬀerent
points in time?
What was he or she thinking at
speciﬁc moments?
What touchpoints did he or she
interact with?
What people were involved?
What tech (screens, devices, etc.) were
involved?
What events took place?
What locations did actions take place
in?
What was his or her lasting
impression?

Building Blocks
EXERCISE #4
Thinking
Framing and
expectations
Doing
Activities and
behaviors
Feeling
Feelings and
perceptions
People
Who is involved
Context
Place and
environment
Touchpoints
Products, services,
points of interaction

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
EXERCISE #4
Conduct
Research
Sessions
171
→ Each team split into 2 groups
→ One group will go in the ﬁeld to do
observations + intercepts
→ The other group will conduct two 10-
minute interviews with someone from
another team
• One person is the researcher, one
person is the notetaker & sketcher,
and one person is the participant
for another team (you can rotate)
→ After 20 minutes, the teams should
swap observation / interviewing roles
 
TIME: 40 minutes

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Translating to Design
→ Making Sense of It All
→ Exercise 5: Data Clustering
→ Representing Research Findings
→ Exercise 6: Journey Mapping
→ Leaping from Research to Design
173
DESIGN RESEARCH

GOALS AND
OBJECTIVES
PARTICIPANTS  
& METHODS
COLLECT 
DATA
ANALYZE 
DATA
DEMONSTRATE 
FINDINGS

Sensemaking
→ A set of processes that is initiated when an individual or
organization recognizes the inadequacy of their current
understanding of events.
→ Sensemaking is an active two-way process of fitting data into a
frame (mental model) and fitting a frame around the data.
→ Neither data nor frame comes first; data evoke frames and frames
select and connect data.
→ When there is no adequate fit, the data may be reconsidered or an
existing frame may be revised.
MAKING SENSE OF IT ALL
Adapted from Jon Kolko’s writing on Design Synthesis

A Synthesis Framework
→ Prioritize: Stakeholder interviews, user interviews, market research,
cultural trends, and forecasting all produce quantities of data. Decide
which pieces of data are more important than another.
→ Judge: Not all of the data identified in a discovery process is relevant.
Determine what is most significant in the current problem solving
context. Constantly reassess.
→ Forge connections: Discrete elements of data are less interesting
than the relationship between them. An abductively logical story
posits a hypothesis based on inference. The activity of defining and
forging connections actively produces knowledge.
Adapted from Jon Kolko’s writing on Design Synthesis

How to Start
Adapted from Jeremy Alexis
WHAT DID WE
SEE (HEAR)?
(STORIES, FACTS)
WHAT DID WE
LEARN?
(PATTERNS, THEMES)
WHY IT
HAPPENED?
(DRIVERS, CAUSES)
WHAT CAN WE DO
ABOUT IT?
(OPPORTUNITIES)

CLUSTER INTO
MEANINGFUL CHUNKS

AEIOU Synthesis Framework
→ Activities 
Goal directed actions
→ Environments 
Location
→ Interactions 
Person-Person, Person-Thing, Person-Environment
→ Objects 
Touchpoints/Artifacts
→ Users 
Another word for People
EFFICIENT DATA ANALYSIS

AEIOU Expansion Pack
→ Space 
Environment — Flow within space
→ Actors 
Participant + others
→ Activities 
Generalized behaviors
→ Acts 
Speciﬁc interactions
→ Goals 
What the actors are attempting to
accomplish
→ Events 
If a speciﬁc event or location
→ Time 
Sequence of events
→ Emotions 
Observed, or explicitly stated

POEMS Research Framework
→ People 
Players, roles, relationships
→ Objects 
Things, touchpoints, artifacts
→ Environments 
Spaces, locations
→ Messaging 
Communication, language, signage
→ Services 
Systems, processes

NOABS Analytic Framework
→ Needs 
Behaviors, tacit + explit needs, motivations
→ Objectives 
Goals, plans, wants
→ Activities 
Actions, steps
→ Breakdowns 
Painpoints, issues, problem areas
→ Solutions 
Interventions, opportunities, recommendations
IIT Institute of Design, Jeremy Alexis

Representing Research
Findings

GOALS AND
OBJECTIVES
PARTICIPANTS  
& METHODS
COLLECT 
DATA
ANALYZE 
DATA
DEMONSTRATE 
FINDINGS

Creating the Right Representations
Research Objectives
What are the key questions that your
research must answer to be
considered successful? What are the
strategic objectives?
REPRESENTING RESEARCH FINDINGS
Design Activities to Support
What kinds of design activities need to be
supported? What kind of future products or
services need to be informed or shaped by the
insights?
Findings Based on Analysis
What are the key themes in your data?
What are the salient dimensions of
your core ﬁndings: time, location,
person, role, etc.?
Stakeholder Characteristics
How is information communicated in the
organization? What representations have
worked previously? What formats will best
resonate with stakeholders?
FINDINGS 
REPRESENTATIONS

Flow Model

Physical Model

Content Model

Mental Model
Decide to Watch a Film
Watch a Film for
Pleasure
Watch a Film
for
Entertainment
Watch a Film
for Aesthetics
Watch a Film to Avoid
Something
Watch a Film
because of the
Weather
Play Hooky
from Work to
Watch Film
Watch a Film to
Achieve a Mood
Watch a Film to
Cure Mood
Watch a Film to
Release
Tension
Watch a Film to
Relax
Have a Date Night
Have a Date
Night
Take Family
Dependents to a Film
Take Family
Dependents to
a Film
Share a Film with
Friends
Take Someone
to a Film I Like
Screen a Film
for Friends
Watch a Film to Learn
Watch a Film to
Challenge My
Mind
Watch a Film to
See Different
Cultures
Watch in Theater for
the Experience
Watch a Film
for Theater
Ambiance
Watch a Film
for a Tie to
History
Watch a Film
for Energy of
the Audience
Watch Films Regularly
Watch Films
Regularly
Watch a Film
Spontaneously
Watch a Film
Spontaneously
Attend Films with a
Group
Attend Films
with Family
Attend Films
with Friends Watch My Film
Expenses
Watch My Film
Expenses
Encounter
a Film I
Haven’t
Heard Of
Encounter a Film I
Havent Heard Of
See a Trailer
Hear about a
Film
Search for
Films Online
Read a Book
Choose Film
Look for Certain
Qualities
Choose Film
for the Story
Choose
Blockbusters
Choose Quality
Films
Choose
Serious Films
Choose Self-
Deprecating
Films
Choose Films
by Director
Choose
Eclectic Films
Choose Familiar Films
Choose Film of
Country I’ve
Been To
Choose Film
Because I’ve
Read Book Watch a Certain
Genre in Winter
Watch a
Certain Genre
in Winter
Include Random Film
Choices
Choose a
Variety of Films
See Whats
Playing to
Choose Film Inherit Interest in a
Genre from Family
Inherit Interest
in a Genre from
Family
Choose Films Togeth.
with Companions
Avoid Certain
Films for
Companion
Compromise
on Film Choice
Avoid Certain Films
Avoid Films
with Bad
Stories
Avoid Certain
Genres
Avoid
Mainstream
Films
Avoid Film to
Preserve Book
Experience
Avoid Violent
Films
Avoid Non-PC
Films
Decide on Film Based
on Reviewers Opinion
Read Reviews
When mye Not
Sure
Decide if I
Agree with
Reviewers
Points
Choose Film
Based on
Reviewers
Opinion
Postpone a Film
Wait for Film to
Come Out on
DVD
Learn More about a Film
Read Review to Get
an Idea of the Film
Read Review
to Get an Idea
of the Film
Talk About Films I
Want to See
Talk About
Films I Want to
See
Look for Trailers
Online
Look for
Trailers Online
Anticipate a Film
Set
Expectations
Read Reviews
Regularly
Read the
Reviewers I
Respect
Read Compiled
Reviews
Read Many
Reviews to Get
a Consensus
Read
Newspaper
Reviews
Read Film
Festival
Reviews
Read Reviews
Out of Curiosity
Choose a Theater
Choose a Good
Theater
Choose Clean
Theater
Choose
Theater with
Good Sound
Choose
Theater with
Good
Projection
Choose
Theater w/
Comfortable
Seating
Choose
Theater with
Good Eats
Choose
Theater w/
Good Parking
Choose Easy Theater
Choose
Multiplex for
Familiarity
Choose Central
Location to
Meet Friends
Choose Smaller
Theater
Choose
Smaller
Theater for
Aesthetics
Choose
Smaller
Theater for the
Neighborhood
Choose
Smaller
Theater for
Eclectic Film
Choose Theater with
Big Crowd Energy
Choose
Theater with
Big Crowd
Energy
Choose Theater Close
to Good Restaurants
Choose
Theater Close
to Good
Restaurants
Get Annoyed by
Commercials
Get Annoyed
by
Commercials
Choose a Time
Look Up Running
Times (Length)
Look Up
Running Times
Choose Screening
Time
Choose Early
Screening
Avoid Early
Screening
Choose Later
Screening
Avoid Films at Home
Avoid Films at
Home
Go to the Theater
Avoid Being Late to
Theater
Avoid Being
Late to Theater
Resolve Group
Logistics
Schedule a
Time with a
Group
Get Tickets for
a Group
Meet Group at
Theater
Buy Tickets
Buy Tickets in
Advance
Avoid Standing
in Line to Buy
Tickets
Avoid Buying
Tickets Online
because of
Surcharges
Buy Concessions
Buy Popcorn
Buy Chocolate
Eat
Concessions
Instead of
Dinner
Avoid
Concessions
Choose Seats
Choose Seats
Where I Can
See
Choose Seats
with Good
Sound
Choose Seats
Anywhere
Choose Front
Row Seats
Bring Coat to Cold
Theater
Bring Coat to
Cold Theater
Watch a Film at Home
Rent a Film
Rent if Don’t
Feel Like Going
Out
Try Renting
through NetFlix
Rent a Film to
Save Money
Watch a Film on
Projector
Watch a Film
on Projector
Watch a Film on
DirecTV
Watch a Film
on DirecTV
Watch DVD Extras
Watch DVD w/
Commentary
On
Watch Extras
on DVD
Avoid Extras on
DVD
Make Popcorn
Make Popcorn
Eat Dinner
Eat Dinner
Eat Dinner
Before Film
Eat Dinner
After Film
Eat Lunch
Before a Film
Eat Dinner with
a Companion/
Date
Decide When to Eat
Dinner
Decide When
to Eat Dinner
Make Reservations
Make
Reservations
Skip Dinner
Skip Dinner
Attend a Film Event
Attend a Film
Retrospective
Attend a Film
Retrospective
Attend Academy
Screening
Attend
Academy
Screening
Attend Opening Night
Attend Opening
Night
Dress in Costume
Dress in
Costume
Watch the Film
React to the Film
During Screening
Avoid Audible
Reactions
Share
Reactions w/
Companion
Feel Strong
Emotions
Hide My Eyes
Fall Asleep
During a Film
Observe Other’s
Reactions
Observe
Other’s
Reactions
Ignore Other People/
Immerse Myself
Avoid People
So I Can
Concentrate
Immerse
Myself in a Film
Watch Certain
DVDs Alone
Attend Films
Alone
Compare Film to Book
Get Nitpicky
About
Interpretation
Anticipate
Scenes from
Book Comment on Film
During Screening
Comment on
Film During
Screening
Look for Jokes/
References
Look for Jokes/
References
Admire Craft of the
Film
Admire Craft of
Film
Admire Craft of
Screenplay
Look for
Choreography,
Stunts
Respect the Artist
Watch a Film
Respectful of
the Artist
Feel Reac-
tions Director
Wants
Avoid Leaving
in the Middle
Identify with a FilmAllow a Film to
Permeate My Life
Let the Movie
Linger
Wish that a
Film Can
Change How I
Act
Investigate
Story of Film
Afterwards
Read the Book
Afterwards
Use Quote
from Film in
Conversation
Listen to
Soundtrack
Collect Film-Related
Stuff
Collect Toys
Collect Film
Artwork
Save Tickets in
Scrapbook Get the DVD
Get DVDs as
Gifts
Buy Special
DVDs
Watch a Film Multiple
Times
Watch Film
Multiple Times
Watch DVDs I
Own More than
Once
Interact with People
about the Film
Discuss the Film
Afterward
Go Somewhere
to Sit and
Discuss Film
Discuss Film
Afterwards
Learn Craft
from
Discussion of
Unusual Points
Discuss
Interpretation of
Book
Ask Strangers
Their Opinion
After a Film
Avoid
Discussions
Recommend a Film
Write a Review
Recommend a
Film when
Asked
Follow the Industry
Track Box Office
Competition
Track Box
Office
Competition
Track Production
Studio News
Track
Production
Studio News
Become Serious
about the Craft
Study Film
Craft
Write
Entertainment Get Job at Theater/
Video Store
Get Job at
Theater/Video
Store
Watch
Minimalist
Films to
Meditate
Theaters Near
Me
Theaters Near
Me
Theaters Near
Me
Theaters Near
Me
My Favorite
Theaters List
My Favorite
Theaters List
My Favorite
Theaters List
My Favorite
Theaters List
My Favorite
Theaters List
My Favorite
Theaters List
My Favorite
Theaters List
My Favorite
Theaters List
My Favorite
Theaters List
Pick Favorite
Theater (by
peer rating)
Pick Favorite
Theater (by
peer rating)
Pick Favorite
Theater (by
peer rating)
Pick Favorite
Theater (by
peer rating)
Pick Favorite
Theater (by
peer rating)
Pick Favorite
Theater
(independents)
Pick Favorite
Theater
(independents)
Pick Favorite
Theater
(independents)
Rate a Theater Rate a Theater Rate a Theater Rate a Theater
Rate a Theater
Pick Favorite
Theater (by
location)
Pick Favorite
Theater (by
location)
Pick Favorite
Theater (by
location)
Pick Favorite
Theater (by
concessions)
Pick Favorite
Theater (by
screen size)
Pick Favorite
Theater (by
location)
Pick Favorite
Theater (by
sound system)
Pick Favorite
Theater (by
seating)
Pick Favorite
Theater (by
seating)
Pick Favorite
Theater (by
architecture)
Pick Favorite
Theater (by
parking)
Pick Favorite
Theater (by
nearby
restaurants)
Pick Favorite
Theater (by
nearby
restaurants)
Get to Theater
Map to Theater
Map to Theater
Map to Theater
Driving
Directions to
Theater
Driving
Directions to
Theater
Driving
Directions to
Theater
Parking
Directions for
Theater
Parking
Directions for
Theater
Parking
Directions for
Theater
Prices at
Nearby Parking
Prices at
Nearby Parking
Map to Theater
Map to Theater Map to Theater
Time Limits at
Nearby Parking
Prices at
Nearby Parking
Time Limits at
Nearby Parking
History of the
Theater
Link to Theater
Website
Link to Theater
Website
Link to Theater
Website
Link to Theater
Website
Link to Theater
Website
Link to Theater
Website
Link to Theater
Website
Link to Theater
Website
Link to Theater
Website
What’s Playing
Today (by
location)
What’s Playing
Today (by
location)
What’s Playing
Today (by
location)
What’s Playing
Today (by
location)
What’s Playing
Today (by
location)
What’s Playing
Today (by
location)
What’s Playing
(by location)
What’s Playing
(by location)
What’s Playing
(by location)
What’s Playing
(by location)
What’s Playing
(by location)
What’s Playing
(by location)
What’s Playing
(by location)
Choose Theater
Playing Film to See
What’s Playing
Today (by
location)
What’s Playing
(by location)
What’s Playing
Today (by title)
What’s Playing
Today (by title)
What’s Playing
Today (by title)
What’s Playing
Today (by title)
What’s Playing
(by title)
What’s Playing
(by title)
What’s Playing
(by title)
What’s Playing
(by title)
What’s Playing
Today (by title)
What’s Playing
(by title)
What’s Playing
Today (by
director/actor)
What’s Playing
(by director/
actor)
What’s Playing
Today (by
director/actor)
What’s Playing
(by director/
actor)
What’s Playing
Today (by
director/actor)
What’s Playing
(by director/
actor)
What’s Playing
Today (at
favorite
theaters)
What’s Playing
(at favorite
theaters)
What’s Playing
Today (at
favorite
theaters)
What’s Playing
(at favorite
theaters)
What’s Playing
Today (at
favorite
theaters)
What’s Playing
(at favorite
theaters)
What’s Playing
Today (at
favorite
theaters)
What’s Playing
(at favorite
theaters)
What’s Playing
Today (at
favorite
theaters)
What’s Playing
(at favorite
theaters)
What’s Playing
Today (at
favorite
theaters)
What’s Playing
(at favorite
theaters)
What’s Playing
Today (at
favorite
theaters)
What’s Playing
(at favorite
theaters)
Showtimes
Running Time
How Much
Longer Will It
Be Playing?
Showtimes Running Time
How Much
Longer Will It
Be Playing?
Showtimes
Running Time
How Much
Longer Will It
Be Playing?
How Much
Longer Will It
Be Playing?
How Much
Longer Will It
Be Playing?
Buy Tickets
Is It Sold Out?
Is There a
Line?
Is It Sold Out?
Is There a
Line?
Is It Sold Out?
Is There a
Line?
Is It Sold Out?
Is There a
Line?
What’s Playing
in the Next Two
Hrs (by
location)
What’s Playing
in the Next Two
Hrs (at favorite
theaters)
What’s Playing
in the Next Two
Hrs (by actor/
director)
What’s Playing
in the Next Two
Hrs (by title)
Film List (by
genre)
Film List (by
director/actor)
Film List (by
genre)
Film List (by
genre)
What’s Playing
Today (by title)
What’s Playing
(by title)
What’s Playing
Today (by
director/actor)
What’s Playing
(by director/
actor)
What’s Playing
Today (at
favorite
theaters)
What’s Playing
(at favorite
theaters)
Film List
(compiled
reviews)
Film List (by
peer rating)
Film List (by
favorite
reviewer)
Rent a DVD
from Sponsor
Reserve a DVD
from Sponsor
Rent a DVD
from Sponsor
Reserve a DVD
from Sponsor
Rent a DVD
from Sponsor
Reserve a DVD
from Sponsor
Rent a DVD
from Sponsor
Reserve a DVD
from Sponsor
Film List
(compiled
reviews)
Film List (by
peer rating)
Film List (by
favorite
reviewer)
Film List
(compiled
reviews)
Film List (by
peer rating)
Film List (by
favorite
reviewer)
Pick a Film (by
favorite theater)
Film List (by
related films)
Film List
(based on
books)
Film List (by
country of
story)
Film List (by
country of
origin/director)
Film List (by
related films)
Film List (by
related films)
Film List (by
related films)
Film List (by
related films)
Film List (by
related films)
Film List (by
related films)
My Favorite
Reviewers List
Pick Favorite
Reviewer
Links to Other
Review
Websites
My Favorite
Reviewers List
Pick Favorite
Reviewer
Links to Other
Review
Websites
My Favorite
Reviewers List
Pick Favorite
Reviewer
Links to Other
Review
Websites
Rate a Film
My Favorite
Films, and Why
Rate the Mood
of a Film
Rate a Film
My Favorite
Films, and Why
Rate the Mood
of a Film
Look for Film
Information
Online
Link to IMDB
Link to Official
Film Website
Links to
Unofficial or
Fan Sites
Links to Fan
Films
(Remakes by
Fans)
Film Chat
Room (by title)
Film Chat
Room (by
genre)
Film Chat
Room (by
director)
Film Chat
Room (by
actor)
Link to IMDB
Links to
Unofficial or
Fan Sites
This Film is
Like Another...
If You Like This
Director, You
Will Like...
If You Like This
Actor, You Will
Like...
This Film is
Like Another...
If You Like This
Director, You
Will Like...
If You Like This
Actor, You Will
Like...
This Film is
Like Another...
If You Like This
Director, You
Will Like...
If You Like This
Actor, You Will
Like...
Mental Space
MovieGoer'sMentalModelTools&Content
External Site
Another Place
for Content or
Function
Primary
Location for
Content or
Function
Conceptual Group
Popular
(5+ Voices)
Added During
Workshop
Rare
(1 Voice)
Normal
(2-4 Voices)
Added Content
Legend
Content
Behind Login
Send Story
Idea to Studio
Write Fan Mail
to a Director
Write Fan Mail
Write Fan Mail
to an Actor
Local Film
Festivals
National Film
Festival List
Links to Film
Festival
Websites
Links to Film
Festival
Schedules
Attend Film Festival Attend Outdoor
Screening
Links to Local
Outdoor
Screenings
Top Box Office
Performers
Links to Gross
Income
Tracking on
Films
Links to Box
Office Websites
Track DVD Sales
Top DVD Sales
Performers
Links to Film
Institute
Schedules
Local Theater
Job Listings
DVD Release
Dates
DVD Release
Dates
Trailer
Top Requested
Trailers
Trailer
Top Requested
Trailers
Trailer Release
Dates
List of Movies
Playing Now
List of Movies
Playing Now
List of Movies
Playing Now
List of Movies
Playing Now
List of Movies
Playing Now
DVD Release
Dates
Get Excited
about a Film
Read About Films I
Want to See
Link to IMDB
List of Extras
on Film
Links to
Entertainment
Websites
Links to
Entertainment
Websites
Links to
Entertainment
Websites
Links to
Entertainment
Websites
Links to
Entertainment
Websites
List of Movies
Coming Soon
Theater
Release Dates
Trailer Release
Dates
List of Movies
Coming This
Weekend
List of Movies
Coming Soon
Theater
Release Dates
List of Movies
Coming This
Weekend
Links to Film
Archive
Websites
Links to Film
Archive
Websites
Links to Film
Archive
Websites
Links to Film
Institute
Websites
Links to Film
Archive
Schedules
Local
Restaurant
Links
Local
Restaurant
Links
Movie Goer Alignment Diagram
Research Conducted by Indi Young
June 2004
Alter my
Behavior/
Opinion
DVD Release
Dates
Local
Restaurant
Links
Local Film
Festivals
National Film
Festival List
Links to Film
Festival
Websites
Links to Film
Festival
Schedules
Links to Local
Outdoor
Screenings
Film List (by
mood)
Get to Restaurant
Buy
Soundtrack
Indi Young, Mental Models, Rosenfeld Media

Dimensions or Spectra
THE COUNSELORTHE PRACTICE
BUILDER
THE RELATIONSHIP
BUILDER
THE EXPERT THE CONDUIT
OPENNESS TO NEW
EXPERIENCES
TECH
PROGRESSIVENESS
ATTITUDE TOWARD  
MF COMPANIES
CLIENT
APPROACH
explores new
things
resists
change
open, but not
actively seeking
open, needs to
be convinced of
beneﬁts
pioneerlaggard late
majority
early
majority
early
adopter
dependent
on for info
skeptical open, but on
adviser’s terms
open, if on
approved list
open, not
soliciting help
emotional intellectualfunctional

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Personas
From large wall posters to
3x5” cards, and even easels,
personas can be used in a
variety of formats depending
on the objective.
They help us retain empathy
with the people we’re
designing for.
Properly developed, they also
strongly anchor organizations
and designers in the things
that matter to people.

CORE IDENTITY
Background, goals, motivations,  
and attitudes or behaviors that　
distinctly represent the persona 
NEEDS & CHALLENGES
What this persona needs to  
accomplish goals, as well as unmet  
needs, obstacles, and pain points 
 
CURRENT EXPERIENCE
How this persona lives or works,  
who they interact with, and relevant
activities, tools, or info sources
 
THEMES & INSIGHTS
Representative scenarios or themes
that illustrate how this persona feels,
interacts, or behaves
Personas

199
Mapping to Institutional Understanding
Member Persona/Segmentation Map
Younger Singles & DINKS
Older Singles & DINKS
Young Families
Teen Families
Empty Nesters
Young Retirees
Older Retirees
Service Seeker
No Face-toFace
Skeptics
Minimizers
Low Involvement
Active Enthusiasts
Security Conscious
Value Driven
Middle-of-the-Road
No Hassle
Convince Me
Alexandra JamesSofiaNaveedSarah
CSAA095LS Life Stages Screener
Auto Insurance Segmentation Placemat
ERS Customer Segmentation Card
PERSONAS
SEGMENTS
Persona-Segment Matrix
→ Cross-maps Perspectives 
Maps personas directly and
visibly to the segments used
and trusted by the company.
→ Makes Clear Connections 
The mapping is very explicit
and helps everyone make
connections between personas
and what they know.
→ Drives Conversation 
It helps people talk about
similarities and diﬀerences
that help them see the role of
personas.

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Experience Map
A visualization of experiences
over space and time, and
across touchpoints

Why Map The Experience?
→ Create a shared frame of reference of the customer experience
→ Build organizational knowledge of customer behaviors and needs
across channels
→ Identify speciﬁc areas of opportunity to drive ideation and
innovation
→ Distribute key customer insights in a easy-to-understand form that
will be used, not shelved
→ Further organizational evolution towards customer-centric thinking

STAGES
DOING
FEELING
Research & Planning Shopping Booking Post-Booking, Pre-Travel Travel Post Travel
People choose rail travel because it is
convenient, easy, and flexible.
Rail booking is only one part of people’s larger
travel process.
People build their travel plans over time. People value service that is respectful, effective
and personable.
EXPERIENCE
Rail Europe Experience Map
Kayak,
compare
airfare
Google
searches
Research
hotels
Talk with
friends
Relevance of Rail Europe
Enjoyability
Helpfulness of Rail Europe
Paper tickets
arrive in mail
• I’m excited to go to Europe!
• Will I be able to see everything I can?
• What if I can’t afford this?
• I don’t want to make the wrong choice.
• It’s hard to trust Trip Advisor. Everyone is
so negative.
• Keeping track of all the different products
is confusing.
• Am I sure this is the trip I want to take?
• Website experience is easy and friendly!
• Frustrated to not know sooner about which
tickets are eTickets and which are paper tickets.
Not sure my tickets will arrive in time.
• Stressed that I’m about to leave the country
and Rail Europe won’t answer the phone.
• Frustrated that Rail Europe won’t ship tickets
to Europe.
• Happy to receive my tickets in the mail!
• I am feeling vulnerable to be in an unknown place in
the middle of the night.
• Stressed that the train won’t arrive on time for my
connection.
• Meeting people who want to show us around is fun,
serendipitous, and special.
• Excited to share my vacation story with
my friends.
• A bit annoyed to be dealing with ticket refund
issues when I just got home.
View
maps
Arrange
travel
Blogs &
Travel sites
Plan with
interactive map
Review fares
Select pass(es)
Enter trips Confirm
itinerary
Delivery
options
Payment
options
Review &
confirm
Map itinerary
(finding pass)
Destination
pages
May call if
difficulties
occur
E-ticket Print
at Station
Web
raileurope.com
Wait for paper tickets to arriveResearch destinations, routes and products
Live chat for
questions
Activities, unexpected changes
Change
plans
Check ticket
status
Print e-tickets
at home
web/
apps
Look up
timetables
Plan/
confirm
activities
Web
Share
photos
Share
experience
(reviews)
Request
refunds
Follow-up on refunds for booking changes
Share experience
Buy additional
tickets
Look up
time tables
Stakeholder interviews
Cognitive walkthroughs
Customer Experience Survey
Existing Rail Europe Documentation
Opportunities
Guiding Principles
Customer Journey
Information
sources
RAIL EUROPE
THINKING
• What is the easiest way to get around Europe?
• Where do I want to go?
• How much time should I/we spend in each
place for site seeing and activities?
• I want to get the best price, but I’m willing to pay a
little more for first class.
• How much will my whole trip cost me? What are my
trade-offs?
• Are there other activities I can add to my plan?
• Do I have all the tickets, passes and reservations
I need in this booking so I don’t pay more
shipping?
• Rail Europe is not answering the phone. How
else can I get my question answered?
• Do I have everything I need?
• Rail Europe website was easy and friendly, but
when an issue came up, I couldn’t get help.
• What will I do if my tickets don’t arrive in time?
• I just figured we could grab a train but there are
not more trains. What can we do now?
• Am I on the right train? If not, what next?
• I want to make more travel plans. How do I
do that?
• Trying to return ticket I was not able to use. Not
sure if I’ll get a refund or not.
• People are going to love these photos!
• Next time, we will explore routes and availability
more carefully.
Ongoing,
non-linear
Linear
process
Non-linear, but
time based
Communicate a clear value
proposition.
STAGE: Initial visit
Connect planning, shopping and
booking on the web.
STAGES: Planning, Shopping, Booking
Arm customers with information
for making decisions.
STAGES: Shopping, Booking
Improve the paper ticket
experience.
STAGES: Post-Booking, Travel, Post-Travel
Make your customers into better,
more savvy travelers.
STAGES: Global
Proactively help people deal
with change.
STAGES: Post-Booking, Traveling
Support people in creating their
own solutions.
STAGES: Global
Visualize the trip for planning
and booking.
STAGES: Planning, Shopping
Enable people to plan over time.
STAGES: Planning, Shopping
Engage in social media with
explicit purposes.
STAGES: Global
Communicate status clearly at
all times.
STAGES: Post-Booking, Post Travel
Accommodate planning and
booking in Europe too.
STAGE: Traveling
Aggregate shipping with a
reasonable timeline.
STAGE: Booking
Help people get the help they
need.
STAGES: Global
GLOBAL PLANNING, SHOPPING, BOOKING POST-BOOK, TRAVEL, POST-TRAVEL
Enjoyability
Enjoyability
Enjoyability
Enjoyability
Enjoyability
Mail tickets
for refund
Get stamp
for refund

PATIENT
ACTIVITIES
INFORMATION
NEEDS
activities
i think i need helpstages give me immediate relief discover what's wrong with me fix the problem send me on my way to recovery tie up loose ends
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Critical Moment
Patient needs JMH
Critical Moment
Severity of condition
can determine the
tone of the journey
Redirect
Get patient on correct
path: ER/UC/PCP
Critical Moment
Patient sees Care
Provider
Critical Moment
Get patient on the
road to normal
Critical Moment
Determines severity
and length of problem
Redirect
Get patient on correct
path: ER/UC/PCP
Redirect
Get patient to a
specialist or on new
care path: CH/CO
EXPERIENCE DRIVERS
UNDERSTANDING:
Building knowledge and clarity
REPETITION:
Multiplying the unknown
UNKNOWN:
Creating uncertainty and obscurity
STABILITY:
Progressing and sense of security
COMFORT:
Growing ease and alleviation
DOUBT:
Growing skepticism and mistrust
HIGH IMPACT
+ ANXIETY
+ RELIEF
STORY ARC
The relative change in
anxiety and relief and the
range in patient stories
key moment
i think i
need help
Don’t know where to
go. Don’t know who
to ask. Don’t expect
my primary doctor to
help me.
my needs
Validate how to
seek help
key moment
wait to be seen
No expectation of
how long. No one is
showing empathy.
my needs
Distract me
or don't make
me wait
key moment
wait for results
No expectation of
how long. No one
is showing empathy.
Prolonging the
unknown.
my needs
Distract me or
calm me down
key moment
get results
Not sure where to go.
May not have a great
relationship with their
health care.
my needs
Reassure me that
you can help me;
Remember this
information for me
key moment
at-home care
instructions
Not sure where to go.
May not have a great
relationship with their
health care.
my needs
Confirm I am doing
the right thing
key moment
something feels
wrong
Unsure what is
wrong. Scared of
the unknown.
my needs
Validate how I
seek health
key moment
triage at
check-in
Given comfort. Front
desk was empathetic
and set expectations
of wait.
my needs
Comfort me and
take me seriously
key moment
given next steps
Staff took the time to
help me understand.
Built confidence and
set my expectations.
my needs
Reassure me I am
going to be okay;
Empower me for
at-home care
key moment
deal with
the bill
Expectations not set.
Contents of bill were a
surprise. No clear
resolution between
insurance and JMH.
my needs
Confirm I am doing
the right thing
key moment
decide to
get help
Confident that I’ll get
help. Expectation that
I’ll get help today.
my needs
Be ready for me
Pain causes a more dramatic emotional experience and higher
expectations for empathy and comfort from Care Providers.
Since Urgent Care can be a discrete experience, the potential for
highs and lows is amplified.
Urgent and Emergency Care
Patient Experience Map
something feels wrong
• Have pain or onset of symptoms
• Notice a sudden change in at-home
monitoring
i think i need help
• Call Primary Doctor or a General Line
• Ask family/friends with similar symptoms
• Self diagnose
• Google triage
decide to get help
• Schedule same day appointment by phone
for Urgent Care Center
• Get basic triage over phone before visit
• Walk into ER or Urgent Care Center
check in
• Give Insurance Card
• Fill out paperwork
• Ask about wait
triage at check-in
• Given temporary relief
• Nurse does quick diagnosis to determine
priority
wait to be seen
• Sit
• Pace
• Distract myself with phone or magazines
get an exam
• Explain my symptoms
• Explain my medical history or allergies
get tests
• Nurse administers tests
• Visit techs to get tests
wait for results
• Stay in the patient room
• Return to the waiting room
get results and diagnosis
• Ask additional questions
• Hear results of the tests and what they
mean
• Learn about diagnosis and what that means
• If unsure about diagnosis, get referral for
Specialist
• Hear treatment option(s)
get treatment or
procedure
• Get treatment or procedure by
Nurse or Doctor
• Get re-examined after treatment
at-home care instructions
• Do any at-home care during recovery
• Take prescriptions
get follow-up call
• Update Nurse or Doctor on how I'm doing
• Answer any follow-up questions
schedule follow-up
• Call to schedule appointment
• Prepare any records or results given to me
by the ER or UC
deal with the bill
• Receive bill
• Handle any billing issues
• Pay bills
given next steps
• Nurse care and treatment discharge instruc-
tions
• Get prescription
• Get referral
pick up at-home care supplies
• Fill and pick up prescriptions
• Pick up at-home care supplies
something feels wrong
• Symptom checker
• Google triage
• Primary care phone number for triage
i think i need help
• Where do I go for what
• Triage phone number
• Insurance benefits - cost/benefit of
where to go
• Primary care phone number for triage
decide to get help
• Facility address
• Time of appointment
• Phone numbers
check in
• My place in line
• Wait time estimate
triage at check-in
• Expectations of the visit
• Early diagnosis
• How to stay comfortable during wait
wait to be seen
• How much longer
get an exam
• What to do
get tests
• How long this will take
• Reason for the tests
wait for results
• How long this will take
get results and diagnosis
• Why this is happening to me
• What the diagnosis is and how do I have it
• How things will change or what I need to do
get treatment or
procedure
• Why this treatment
• Side effects from this
• What treatment will entail
at-home care instructions
• Instructions
• Number just in case
get follow-up call
• What does progress look/feel like
• How to track progress
schedule follow-up
• My records for my Primary
• My progress report
deal with the bill
• Why I owe what I owe
• Important phone numbers
• Payment method options
given next steps
• Who to call for what
• Discharge papers
• Prescription
• Doctor's note
• After-care info
pick up at-home care supplies
• Side effects
• Prescription information
• What to look out for
1
2
1
2
3
4
3
4
5 7 10 11 12 14 16
1715
13
8
9
6
5 7 10 11 12 14 16
1715
13
8
9
6
TRIAGE AT CHECK-IN
"I was being
ignored; I felt like
I was going to die."
GET AN EXAM
"The doctor listened to me
and I felt like he saw the
big picture."
GET FOLLOW-UP CALL
"The ER doctor followed
up with me to see that
I was doing OK."
GIVEN NEXT STEPS
"I was in pain; I couldn’t
process anything
that was going on."

THERE AND
BACK AGAIN
A SF MUNI USER JOURNEY
KEY
GOOD
ACTIVITIES
BAD
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Four Steps to Mapping
→ Study customer behavior and interactions across channels
and touchpoints
→ Collaboratively synthesize key insights into a customer
journey model
→ Visualize a compelling story that creates empathy and
understanding
→ Follow the map to new ideas and better customer
experiences

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
EXERCISE #5 PART I
Modeling the
Journey
209
→ In teams, use your journey
mapping template to map the
common end-to-end journey you
uncovered in research.
→ Use a diﬀerent sticky note color
per building block.
TIME: 45 minutes

EXERCISE #5 PART I
ACTIONS (DOING)
TOUCHPOINTS
PEOPLE
FEELING
THINKING

Building Blocks
EXERCISE #5 PART I
DOING
STAGE STAGE STAGE STAGE
THINKING
FEELING
TOUCHPOINTS

Putting it together
EXERCISE #5 PART I
DOING
STAGE STAGE STAGE STAGE
THINKING
FEELING
TOUCHPOINTS

Building Blocks
EXERCISE #5 PART I
Thinking
Framing and
expectations
Doing
Activities and
behaviors
Feeling
Feelings and
perceptions
People
Who is involved
Context
Place and
environment
Touchpoints
Products, services,
points of interaction
Stages Meaningful chunks of activities

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
EXERCISE #5 PART I
Modeling the
Journey
214
→ In teams, use your journey
mapping template to map the
common end-to-end journey you
uncovered in research.
→ Use a diﬀerent sticky note color
per building block.
TIME: 45 minutes

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
EXERCISE #5 PART II
What’s the
story
215
→ Individually, ﬁll out the worksheet
of the “Story POV template” to
identify what you have learned
from mapping the journey.
TIME: 5 minutes

The visual tells the story for you
EXERCISE #5 PART II

What’s the story?
EXERCISE #5 PART II
Individually, ﬁll out the worksheet of the “Story POV template” to
identify what you have learned from mapping the journey.
→ When mapping, what stood out for you?
→ What did the mapping help you better understand about the patron
and his/her experience?
→ From the perspective of a person involved in the journey you
mapped, what are the key moments, good and bad?
TIME: 5 minutes

5 Lessons in  
Modeling a Journey

5 LESSONS
1. Use Before/After Research
journey
ideation
blueprint
touchpoints
storyboard
research

5 LESSONS
2. Frame and Reframe
start
end

5 LESSONS
3. Decide Your Level of Zoom
organization
service
product
feature
control
What journey are you mapping?

5 LESSONS
4. Know Your Audience
design team
organization

5 LESSONS
5. Make It Stand Alone
Makes sense
to me.

Moving from Research  
to Design

Now what?
MOVING FROM RESEARCH TO DESIGN
COMMUNICATE
USE YOUR MODEL TO TELL
THE STORY
SOLVE
IDENTIFY KEY MOMENTS FOR
DESIGN INTERVENTIONS
ANALYZE + EXPLORE
BUILD FRAMEWORKS FOR
CONCEPTING

DOINGTHINKINGFEELING
RESEARCH PURCHASE USE
• How will this process
work?
• What sort of payment
plans are available?
• How do I even get
started?
• Excited, but a little
anxious
• Unsure
• Ready to get started
• Worrying about money
• Wants to consult friends
and family for advice
• Browsing the internet
• Comparing experiences
with friends and family
• Doing background
research
• Reading horror story
reviews online
• Watching commercials
• Reading advertisements
• Is there a trial period for
this product?
• Would a friend like this
product?
• Can I save money by
buying multiple products?
• Can I buy it online? Do I
need to go to a store?
• In the mood to spend
• Convinced
• Excited to own
something brand new
• Interacting with sales
staff
• Sharing information about
the purchase via social
networks
• Driving to brick-and-
mortar store to buy
product
• Does this store have a
return policy?
• Why is nothing about
returns or warranties
written on their website?
• I’m happy about my
purchase and would be
willing to tell others
about this service!
• Happy
• Relieved
• Impressed
• Satisfied
• Ready to refer friends
and family to service
• Relaxing
• Writing rave reviews
online
• Using the new product on
a regular basis
• Refering friends and
family
“YAY!”
“OH, NO!”
“CAN SOMEONE
HELP ME?”

1
2
4
I’m not crazy.
If I keep doing
this, people will
think I'm crazy.
I didn’t get the right
help, so I’m out.
Better someone
else than me.
I don’t have mental
health problems.
My family’s got
issues, but
that’s normal.
I don’t want
to hear it.
There are people
I can talk to.
I feel like I'm
not alone.
Talking to
others like me
really helps.
5
I don’t trust
you.
I want to
help others.
It’s a little
better.
3
ACTIONS
Keeping silent
Using drugs and alcohol
Denying problems
FEELING
Confused, Scared, Alone
NEEDS
Education
Hope
Unawareness
PHASE 1
ROADBLOCKS CAN BE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE JOURNEY
Youth is not considering change.
ACTIONS
Changing behavior
Helping others
Relapsing
FEELING
Supported, Validated, Hopeful
NEEDS
Culturally
competent care
Family and peer
support
Engagement
PHASE 5
Youth’s commitment to change and new
emerging behaviors are reinforced by
positive experiences.
ACTIONS
Self-diagnosing
Seeking help
Talking to someone
NEEDS
Trust
Validation
Awareness
PHASE 3
Youth is gathering information and
self-reﬂecting while getting closer to
seeking help.
FEELING
Confused, Skeptical, Uncertain
ACTIONS
Linkage to help
Talking to caregivers for
treatment consent
Starting / Quitting
therapy
NEEDS
Trust
Safety
Privacy
FEELING
Relieved, Ambivalent,
Anxious, Hopeful
Connection
PHASE 4
Youth believes change can happen and
is actively taking steps to get help.
Youth need the right
support, education, privacy,
and safety to ensure they
don’t fall oﬀ the grid.
Creating Positive Change for
Youth in the Western Addition
A Journey to Empowerment
ACTIONS
Seeking distractions
Self-medicating
Hurting others
FEELING
Complacent, Angry, Numb
NEEDS
Role Modeling
Education
New Possibilities
Sensing
PHASE 2
Youth may think they have no control
over the problem, yet are on the fence
about getting help.
I’m not crazy, but
I need help.
I'm not
talking about
my problems.
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
OUTREACH &
EDUCATION
Provide empathy, acceptance, and
opportunities to expand self-awareness
NEW JOURNEY
(Empowered)
I’ve changed,
but nothing
else has.
I feel bad, but I
don’t know why.
GUIDANCE &
SUPPORT
Provide encouragement to take
small steps, build relationships,
and strengthen coping strategies
!
STIGMA
Reframe
mental health
!
TRUST
Strengthen valuable
relationships with
family, friends, and
community
!
ACCESS
Deliver services
when and where
youth need them
!
SAFETY
Ensure protected
passage to services,
given the risk of
invisible boundaries
“There are things I need to deal with.” “I’m not alone.”
“I can change.”“Why am I like this?”“Nothing is wrong with me.”
ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
UNAWARENESS +
SENSING
AWARENESS +
CONNECTION
ENGAGEMENT
STIGMA
ACCESS
KNOWLEDGE
Ideating from the Research
STAGES FROM JOURNEY
NEEDS OR
OPPORTUNITIES

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
EXERCISE #6
Prioritize
Insights for
Design
230
→ Individually ﬁll out the Part B of the
“Story POV Template.”
→ Think back to your research
participants and what you mapped in
the journey.
→ TIME: 10 minutes

ScopeFocus
Concepts & 
Language
Research 
Questions
Context & Form
Design Principles
DAY 1
DESIGN
STRATEGY
DS
DAY 2
USER
RESEARCH
DR
DAY 3
SERVICE
DESIGN
SD
DAY 4
INTERACTION
DESIGN
IxD

It’s an Iterative Process…
The lines between strategy, research, and
design are blurry. And that’s good.
RESEARCH
DESIGN
DEVELOPMENT
WK1 WK2 WK3 WK4 WK5 WK6 WK7 WK8 WK9 WK10 WK11 WK12 WK13
STRATEGY

The Outcomes of Design Research
→ Explore… to set direction 
Support the success of a new product or service by
understanding context and identifying opportunities
→ Understand... to reduce risk 
Ensure the viability of the product/service by exposing
specifics, nuance, and subtlety
→ Evaluate... to improve quality 
Focus efforts on areas of greatest need and accelerate
and/or fine tune the design

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Design research is a
strategic tool that drives
the design process.
But it’s also a strategic
tool that drives business
and assures
engagement with what
you put out in the world.

1. Research doesn’t have to be its own project.
2. Never rely on one source.
3. Treat research like something you would design.
4. Make insights tangible.
5. Iterate.
ADVICE
5 Things to Remember

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Select References
237
Design Research:  
Methods and Perspectives 
Brenda Laurel, Ed. 
MIT Press
The Elements of User Experience, 2nd Edition 
Jesse James Garrett 
New Riders Publishing
Exposing the Magic of Design:  
A Practitioner's Guide to the Methods and
Theory of Synthesis 
Jon Kolko 
Oxford University Press
Interviewing Users:  
How to Uncover Compelling Insights 
Steve Portigal 
Rosenfeld Media
Observing the User Experience, 2nd Edition 
Mike Kuniavsky et al 
Morgan Kaufman
Storytelling for User Experience 
Whitney Quesenbery and Kevin Brooks  
Rosenfeld Media
Universal Methods of Design:  
100 Ways to Research Complex Problems,
Develop Innovative Ideas, and Design Eﬀective
Solutions 
Bruce Hanington and Bella Martin 
Rockport Publishers
Mental Models: 
Aligning Design Strategy with Human Behavior 
Indi Young 
Rosenfeld Media
The following are a few (of many) great books that may support you in your work,
many of which are referenced in this workbook.

ADAPTIVE PATH | UXI
Design Research Q&A
238

Check out the UXI Alumni
LinkedIn Group
Check your email for an invite to join the group

Thank You.
Pier One
San Francisco CA
94107-110
415-495-8270
Nick Remis 
@dreamis

UX Intensive Copenhagen | Day 2 | Design Research

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