Referred in

Evaluate, not validate, problems/ideas

We often say "to validate" a problem or an idea. This language smells of Confirmation bias . People think associations. (See Associations…

Confirmation bias

Tendency to seek out information that confirm what we already assume or believe to be true. Tags: user research ID: 2021-0319-093…

Content testing method

Test your content on its own for understanding. This is almost like a Usability testing but for content. Put in front of people, let them…

Distribute knowledge from customer interviews

When talking to customers, it's very important that you don't create a learning bottleneck by talking to them alone and not sharing what you…

Establish the general need in customer interviews before zooming in on details

When you have a specific idea in mind, it's a mistake to zoom in on it too early in the interview. You need to establish if the person has…

Focusing illusion in product management

When you talk to customers about a specific problem, both sides will overestimate the problem's importance. As customers "focus" on that…

Four types of user research

We can identify four types of user research: 1) Strategic research Generative, informs long-term strategy, is about discovering problems and…

Framework for design synthesis

Rachel Hinman offers a three step framework for Design synthesis after gathering lots of data from research: What we heard and saw Capture…

In customer interviews, ask about specific past behaviors

Asking customers/users directly what they need or how they generally do X or how often they do X...all of that results in inaccurate answers…

In customer interviews, talk about their life instead of your ideas

When you're trying to evaluate a problem ( "Evaluate", not "validate" ) by talking to customers, it's too easy to ask bad questions and get…

Jobs-to-be-done (JTBD)

"Jobs theory" developed by Clayton Christensen aims to describe why do customers do that they do. They "hire" products and services to do a…

Mental model diagrams (method)

Mental model diagrams are a way of visualising the internal representations people have about things (how they think and feel about…

Mental models in design

Mental model is a representation of how something works based individual's existing knowledge and previous experience. It's really a set of…

People tend to speak about problems in terms of solutions

People naturally think and talk in terms of solutions instead of the underlying problems. When you talk to users about their problems, they…

Placing objects in space reflects our understanding of a given concept

How we arrange/place/sort objects in space, reveals our understanding (internal representation, "mental model") of a given concept. This is…

Product trios should do customer interviews together

In empowered teams, the customer knowledge or the "voice of the customer" shouldn't be a monopoly of one person. That gives them too much…

Relationship of design research, synthesis and innovation

Design research is about generating data that can unlock innovative ideas. Kolko talks about innovation as something that isn't just new but…

Research questions are not interview questions

Research questions = what you want to learn Interview questions = what you actually ask People often make a mistake of taking research…

Uncover the need behind a feature request

When people make a feature request, your job as a designer/researcher is to dig to understand the underlying need. People tend to speak…

Usability testing

Qualitative research technique for evaluating usability of a product or prototype. One of the most common ways of ensuring that people can…


If you want to discuss this note, send me a message on Twitter.