Archive for Video

Real Ethnography vs. Fake Ethnography

// November 13th, 2008 // 3 Comments » // Video

By Aviva Rosenstein, Ph.D.

Is it a method, a process, a discipline or a literary genre? Cultural anthropologists want you to know that you’re probably not doing “real ethnography” in design research — does that make your research findings less valid? I’ll talk about the difference between “fake” and “real” ethnography, connections between user research and ethnography, and why “doing it wrong” in the field may be the right thing to do for your users, your clients, and your organization.

Design and Research: Ships in the Night?

// November 13th, 2008 // No Comments » // Video

By Steve Portigal

Is there a (healthy) codependency between research and design? What happens when organizations try to use design to address research and design? What happens when organizations use research to address research and design? Steve will examine the status quo and what can happen when things play out differently.

How Mental Models Helped Teams Do What They Dreamed (Part 2/2)

// November 13th, 2008 // No Comments » // Video

By Indi Young

Are there [m]any examples of how “the transformative and the amazing” stemmed from a user research seed? If you think of the interface or the product being the way that people work together as a team, I’ve seen a lot! I’ve seen how mental models help people ward off requests from corporate for stupid ideas, how the models increase qualified leads, make sense of where a process is broken, convince VCs that another round of funding is a good idea, and that a new product line requested by execs shouldn’t be pursued … yes, stopped in its tracks. I’ll present short case studies of how transformation for the people within an organization still counts as amazing.

How Mental Models Helped Teams Do What They Dreamed (Part 1/2)

// November 13th, 2008 // No Comments » // Video

By Indi Young

Are there [m]any examples of how “the transformative and the amazing” stemmed from a user research seed? If you think of the interface or the product being the way that people work together as a team, I’ve seen a lot! I’ve seen how mental models help people ward off requests from corporate for stupid ideas, how the models increase qualified leads, make sense of where a process is broken, convince VCs that another round of funding is a good idea, and that a new product line requested by execs shouldn’t be pursued … yes, stopped in its tracks. I’ll present short case studies of how transformation for the people within an organization still counts as amazing.

How to Lie with Design Research (Part 2/2)

// November 13th, 2008 // No Comments » // Video

By Dan Saffer

Doing design research is hard. Some would say too hard. And the results…well, the results might not be what you want them to be. How can we make our research data support the products we want to make, not just those the users need, and make some good $$$ at the same time? Come find out.

How to Lie with Design Research (Part 1/2)

// November 13th, 2008 // No Comments » // Video

By Dan Saffer

Doing design research is hard. Some would say too hard. And the results…well, the results might not be what you want them to be. How can we make our research data support the products we want to make, not just those the users need, and make some good $$$ at the same time? Come find out.

What Mobile Research Accomplishes, in 15 Minutes

// November 12th, 2008 // No Comments » // Video

By Dr. Kris Mihalic

Understanding mobile users is challenging, not only because the context of the user changes constantly. The fast-paced mobile environment demands for continuous adaption and iteration of services, products, and features. How to best setup research in such an environment? How to ensure that the results are valid while still executing fast? How to cope with technical and contextual constraints? And, how to explain this complex topic to an audience in 15 minutes?

-->

-->

Photos from URF08

IMG_8768nate trying to whistleIMG_8677IMG_8727IMG_8574