Analytical research

You can turn to many sources for data about users. The most obvious is website analytics, which provide a lot of information on where users have come from and what they are trying to achieve. It will also help you to identify points in the process where they have given up.

But be careful. Analytics are easy to read wrong. For example, don’t presume that a lot of clicks or long dwell times are a sign of a happy user. They could indicate that they are lost or confused.

Social media are also a useful source of data. Tools such as SocialMention⁵ tracks mentions of a brand and whether those mentions are positive or negative.

Tools such as SocialMention help you gather data about how the brand is perceived. (View large version⁶)

Search data also provides valuable insight into what users are looking for, revealing whether your existing website is providing the right information.

Finally, consider running a survey. This will help you build a more detailed picture of users’ questions, feelings and motivations.

Anecdotal research

Although data can build a compelling case, it does not tell a story by itself. For that, you need anecdotes of user experiences. You can get these by speaking to users in interviews or on social media.

You will also discover that users volunteer experiences by posting them to social media. Be sure to collect these mentions because they will be a useful reference point in your final map.

Speaking to front-line staff who interact with customers daily, such as those in support and sales, is another useful way to understand customer needs.

The detail of the research will be constrained by your time and budget. If your organization has many different user groups, then creating detailed customer journeys for each might be hard. Therefore, focus the research on primary audiences.

You can make educated guesses about the customer journeys for secondary audiences. Do this by workshopping solutions with front-line staff and other internal stakeholders. Although this “quick and dirty” approach will not be as accurate, it is still better than nothing.

Be careful to make clear what has research behind it and what does not. Making many decisions based on assumptions is dangerous. Once management sees the benefits of research, they will be willing to spend more time on it.

With your research complete, it is time to create the map.

Presenting your customer journey map

As mentioned, there is no right or wrong way to produce a customer journey map. Normally, it will be some form of infographic with a timeline of the user’s experience. But it could just as easily be a storyboard or even a video.

A customer journey map has no set form. Use whatever form most clearly communicates the story. (Image: Jonathan Lupo⁷) (View large version⁸)

The goal is to ensure that the user’s story remains front and center in people’s minds. Get a designer to produce the graphic to ensure it is as clear as possible and grabs people’s attention.

Whatever its form, the map should contain both statistical and anecdotal evidence. It should highlight users’ needs, questions and feelings throughout their interaction with the organization.

Producing a clear map is a design job. Work with a designer to find the right approach. (Image: Philips⁹)

Don’t make it too complex. It is easy to get caught up in the multiple routes a user might take. This will just muddy the story.

The graphic is not meant to map every aspect of the customer’s experience. Rather, it should tell a simple story to focus people’s attention on the customer’s needs.

Think of the customer journey map as a poster pinned to the office wall. At a glance, people should be able to see the key touchpoints that a user passes through. It should remind them that the customer’s needs must always be at the forefront of their thinking.

The map should be clear and simple, something you could pin to the office wall.

There are so many ways to approach the customer journey map. I would love to hear of any good examples you have seen.

—

1.http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/01/29/better-user-experience-using-storytelling-part-one/

2.http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2011/09/the-value-of-customer-journey-maps-a-ux-designers-personal-journey.php

3.http://media.mediatemple.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/1-broadband-provider-journey-large-opt.jpg

4.http://mappingexperiences.com

5.http://www.socialmention.com

6.http://media.mediatemple.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/3-socialmention-example-large-opt.jpg

7.http://visual.ly/mobile-commerce-strategy-tactics?utm_source=visually_embed

8.http://media.mediatemple.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/4-mobile-commerce-strategy-large-opt.jpg

9.http://www.design.philips.com/philips/sites/philipsdesign/about/design/aboutus/Experience-Flows.page

Facing Your Fears: Approaching People For Research

BY CAROLYN CHANDLER

https://www.safaribooksonline.com/library/view/a-field-guide/9783945749180/chapter-6.xhtml

When working on a project, have you ever felt that you and the rest of the team were making a lot of decisions based on assumptions? Having to make choices with limited information is not unusual — especially in complex projects or with brand new products.

Phrases like “We think people will use this feature because of X” or “We believe user group Y will switch to this product” become part of the early deliberation on what to develop and how to prioritize. At some point, though, these phrases start to feel like pure guesses and the ground under your feet feels shaky. What can you do about it?

Regardless of your role in the project, one activity in particular will help your whole team build a solid foundation for product strategy and design: that is, approaching potential users for research, such as interviews and usability tests.

Such research is an important aspect of user-centered design. It helps you build products that are rooted in a deep understanding of the target audience. Among other benefits, interviewing potential users helps you achieve the following:

•more precisely define who the target audience is (and isn’t),

•face and challenge your assumptions,

•uncover unmet needs,

•discover the behaviors and attitudes of potential users firsthand.

You can conduct informal yet valuable user research yourself with practice and with guidance from great sources like Steve Portigal’s Interviewing Users and Steve Krug’s Rocket Surgery Made Easy. One thing that stops a lot of people from trying their hand at research isn’t just lack of experience, but a fear of approaching people and asking for their time. This obstacle is greater than many would care to admit.