Importance of User Feedback
The first step in the discovery phase is to understand who your users are going to be. Do not design for yourself only as not everyone is like you or thinks like you. So, research to try and find out what needs you are filling for them—what are their pain points right now? Are they familiar or brand new to the concept? Just remember your user may vary. Understand the commonalities or differences that they may have so that you can cater to them. Input from representatives of real users is by far the easiest and safest way to ensure that, before you build anything, you’re on the right track.
User research methods
There are many ways to learn about users.
Try to decide what’s important, and then choose which approach is best. Things like interviews or focus groups with typical users are a great way to start (a variety of members of the public, staff from a company, or even your friends), depending on your project. Surveys are questionnaires about what they do right now and how they feel about it. Market research, using reports and statistics or anything else that is available. Also, observing them use different apps or websites can give information as well. Formal lab-based usability can track people’s expressions.
– Remember not to try and lead the user into answers with your questions.
Personas
They are essentially a profile of a user, a story of who they are, what motivates them, their preferences, their hobbies, and other information that can be used to characterize them. There can be dozens of personas depending on your project. Give more flavor and life to your personas, and the more you can tailor your design to them.
Giving your persona a name and a photo can help bring it to life. From there, you should understand your persona’s points of view and attitudes, with a backstory to how they use previous and existing products.
Characteristics and demographics are also important, along with capturing your user’s key goals. Try to also define some measures that can mark on a scale, such as how cost-sensitive they are.
Look for a solution by brainstorming with an open mind and clarifying goals and requirements. Firstly, let’s define your goals, and we’re looking specifically at the described phase of the UX process. Think about what specific goals the user might have, what the outcome should be, or other information or key points that you might find useful. Try and frame the questions to yourself such as what the user will have achieved if they’re successful, how should they feel during it.
Brainstorming is about casting the net wide, thinking up lots of different possibilities without going into too much detail on each one. Don’t analyze or criticize at this stage. Throw about different ideas and concepts without judging them.
