User Research

A holistic understanding of user requirements is essential for optimal support and user friendliness. Techniques including contextual analysis, surveys, personas, usage scenarios and card sorting provide a sound methodological basis for finding out what really counts for the user.

Contextual Analysis

Contextual AnalysisClassic requirement analysis is driven by functional aspects and often derives from the conditions under which users interact with technical systems. This includes the physical environment, education, expertise as well as socio-emotional factors and organizational constraints.

The aim of contextual analysis is to enrich the plain functional requirements with insights gained about these aspects. By examining goals and conditions of work we can derive specific usability requirements.

Existing Knowledge

If there is already sufficient knowledge about contextual factors, the contextual analysis can be extended or replaced by a subsequent evaluation (testing or review).

Contextual analysis is a type of field study. Our well-tested approach is based on iterative, semi-structured interviews and observation of the real-life working context of the user. This allows us to bring to light tacit knowledge. Furthermore, this method reveals important information about potential bottlenecks, workarounds, error handling and organization-specific requirements.
Surveys

Surveys

Besides field studies, it often makes sense to conduct (online) surveys with larger groups of prospective users. This method is especially useful for obtaining first basic impressions and subjective assessments for further optimization. ERGOSIGN draws on large, professionally-managed panels that ensure a high response rate even for very specific questions.

Often it is the combination of contextual analysis and surveys that provide the ideal preparation for user centered design. Both methods avoid tedious guessing sessions and heated debate.

Personas

PersonasAmong other things, the central personas can be derived from the results of a contextual analysis. A persona describes the prototypical characteristics, goals and tasks of a user.

Afterwards a set of requirements in different granularity is defined for each persona, prioritized and successively refined. At the same time, the higher user experience (UX) goals of effectiveness, efficiency and emotion act as the primary assessment criteria.

Usage Scenarios

Usage ScenariosAbstract requirements are transported into concrete usage scenarios that describe a specific path of actions in the system. For instance, in an ERP context this could be the search, finalization and submission of an order.

Scenarios thus have the decisive advantage of orientating themselves to the major goals of the users. The design is then tailored to support users in achieving their aims. Scenarios can also be re-used as storyboards for evaluation prototypes.

Card Sorting

Card SortingFor the implementation of a user-oriented information architecture of web portals we frequently employ empirical card sorting methods. Prospective users organize concepts to reflect their point of view. This procedure can be simplified by CardSword, a tool developed by ERGOSIGN that allows an efficient aggregation of data and visualization of results via cluster analysis.