Apr 14, 2020 | Happy Stories, Knowledge

Remote research tip #1 Make your test material accessible

The last couple of weeks, many things have changed quite rapidly. One of them is our beloved face-to-face user research. It’s simply not possible anymore to dive into our labs and chat with people about their digital experiences. However, user research should still be your top priority. The show can go on. Be it remotely. Remote research is just as valuable, it just comes with it’s own set of challenges. So it’s important not to dive in blindly. We’ve collected four simple crutches for you to help you get the most out of your research.

 

Tip #1

When conducting research in a lab, the moderator physically gives the participant access to an app, website, or prototype. If something doesn’t work, the moderator can take over the wheel and fix it. You have to be more careful about this when testing remotely, because jumping in is harder. Make sure that all the participants have access and can easily open the test material themselves. Ask yourself the following questions:

 

  • Does the participant need to download something to open the test material? Try to keep the effort for participants as minimal as possible. The more downloads and instructions needed, the less suitable your test material is for remote testing.
  • Is it accessible from other places? When using a website that is not yet public, in some cases the IP address of the participant needs to be whitelisted. Asking people about their IP address isn’t always an easy conversation – not everybody wants to share it. So if possible avoid sharing a website that requires participants to share their IP address. An URL that’s accessible from everywhere works best.
  • Which devices are suitable? If a prototype is made for a specific device or operating system, you have to take this in mind when either setting your recruitment criteria or informing the participants prior to the test. With phones there could also be size requirements you need to think of.
  • What is the right tool? Once you know your design is ready to test, you have to find the right tool to help you get the most out of your research. Read all about you need to think of in our next Happy Story.

       

      4 crutches for your remote research
      #1 Make your test material accessible
      #2 Choose the right tool
      #3 Include your team
      #4 Practice using the technology

       

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