Susan_Mercer

Susan Mercer

Mad*Pow
On Twitter: @susanmercer

Bio:

Susan is currently a Senior Experience Researcher for a user experience design agency. The presenter has nearly 20 years experience designing and researching in the user experience field and has an MS in Human Factors in Information Design. While this presenter thoroughly enjoys using her design powers for good, she does have an evil side. She loves The Wizard of Oz and Wicked and her favorite threat to coworkers is “Don’t make me get the flying monkeys!”

Choosing the Right Research Methods For Your Project

It’s very easy for User Experience researchers to get stuck in the rut of using your favorite research methods for gathering information and getting user feedback. But, are you really gathering the best information that you can? Or are there other methods that are better suited for your project’s specific needs?

Don’t stress – we’ll walk you through the process of clarifying your research goals to make sure that you focus on the right problems. Then we’ll discuss the strengths and weaknesses of several methods for initial information gathering and evaluation – ethnography, interviews, surveys, diary studies, collaging, card-sorting, focus groups, desirability testing, and what situations they are best suited for.

We'll then put it all together with a structured method to help you select the best methods for your particular project. We'll have plenty of discussion and real-world examples and exercises along the way. You'll leave with a good understanding of when to use which techniques, references to learn more about each of them, and a process you can use on your next project to select methods and provide a solid rationale to your stakeholders.

Session Details

Date: Monday 18:00 - 21:30
Room: Plaza 10
Type: Evening Tutorial
Track: Tools & Techniques

Are you a Super Hero or a Super Villain? Using design psychology for good (and evil)

Design Psychology is a powerful tool to wield and can be used to the benefit or detriment of our users; motivating them to behave in ways that can be in their interest, or our own. Our panel of experienced professionals, each with an interest in different facets of design psychology, will choose a white hat or black hat - some taking the side of good and honest intentions, with others taking the dark side where manipulation and coercion reign. On which side will you fall?

Session Details

Date: Tuesday 16:30 - 17:30
Room: Plaza 11-13
Type: Ignite Session
Track: Design Psychology

Three 20min Unconference presentations

“Is it time to kill personas?”, by Marine Barbaroux;
“Anatomy of a UX practitioner”, by Samantha Yuen;
“Beyond just usability: desirability testing”, by Susan Mercer

Session Details

Date: Thursday 13:30 - 14:30
Room: Plaza 06-07
Type: Unconference
Track: Tools & Techniques

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Susan_Mercer

Susan Mercer

Bio:

Choosing the Right Research Methods For Your Project

Session Details

Are you a Super Hero or a Super Villain? Using design psychology for good (and evil)

Session Details

Three 20min Unconference presentations

Session Details