Generative user research
It’s easy to dive head-first into design. You know what needs to be done, so why waste time on research?
Organisations always claim to know their users. So why are most experiences organisation-centred? Poor customer service. Obscure departmental silos. Jargon. Difficult to use interfaces. Wasting customers’ time.
You don’t know what users want.
The people who work at these organisations aren’t stupid. They just don’t know what their users want. They lack empathy.
Forget surveys. Find out what motivates your users.
A “customer satisfaction survey” won’t cut it. Dig into what motivates your users: their goals, behaviours, philosophies, and emotions. It’s called generative research. A powerful technique is non-directive interviews with real live users, followed by some heavy-duty analysis.
Want more? Check out Indi Young’s book: Mental Models: Aligning Design Strategy with Human Behavior.