5. Research with Users Flashcards
Why should we engage users for research? (6)
Expert evaluations and guidelines are no substitute for research with users.
User experience goes beyond accessibility. It’s not just about the technology, it’s about how it fits into people’s lives and only users can tell us about this
Accessibility guidelines don’t cover everything
Experts use ATs differently to end users
Experts can only find some of the problems
What are the 3+1 phases of inclusive UCD research?
Plan
Conduct
Analyse
+ Ethics, which applies to all stages of research
What are the American Anthropological Association (AAA) Statement of Ethics? (5)
Do no harm
Be open and honest
Obtain informed consent
Make your results accessible
Protect your data
What steps are included in the Planning stage of inclusive UCD research? (6)
Why? - Research questions and objectives
Who? - Participant profile
How many? - Sample size
Where to find them? - Recruitment strategy
What are you going to do? - Method
How are you going to do it? - Method “protocol”
In which stages of the design process (Research, Design and Evaluate) can/ should we involve users?
All of them!
Research - To understand context and needs
Design - Asses different design solutions with users and identify which ones we should keep/ discard
Evaluation - Ensure that there are no issues after launch
What should we recommend as a next step after completing an accessibility audit?
Engage with users
What is the motto of the Accessibility movement?
“Nothing about us, without us”
We can ensure that we are not making decisions without their input by engaging users across the 3 stages of UCD
What are the 3 levels of participation from users?
Doing to - Coercing, educating, informing. Lowest level of participation, we don’t want users to have to learn or adapt to out technology e.g. writing manual. This is not UCD
Doing for - Engaging, consulting. Getting into UCD. Users should be involved in the process of making technology but they are not really part of the team. They are informants of evaluators and are spoken for by the researcher/ designer
Doing with - Participatory design
Done by diverse designers is the next step
What should we consider when thinking about who to recruit for research? (2)
Diversity - Introduce access needs for all research and consider diversity within specific groups
Relevant aspects beyond disability - disabled people are not just disabled
How many participants should we include in a research study?
It depends on the method
6 - 12 for interviews (per participant type)
5 for usability testing
Balance between diversity, time, cost and feasibility
What are some of the ways we can recruit participants for research? (3)
Recruitment agencies. Screener is key!
Charities and advocacy organisations
Reaching out to people yourselves (e.g. social media, community groups, own website, customer lists, etc)
What are some popular UCD methods? (4)
Semi-structured interviews
Usability / accessibility testing (in the lab)
Participant observation / contextual inquiry (like usability testing but in the wild)
Experience prototyping / role playing
What are the 5 things to consider for the Method Protocol? aka, HOW we will conduct research
Location - Remote or co located?
Technology - Must not be a barrier
Artefacts - Must be inclusive
Timing - When? 90m. Breaks.
Risk assessment
What do we need to consider if research if co-located? (5)
Is the physical space accessible?
Can it accommodate support (people and/or animals such as guide dogs)
Provide clear instructions on how to get to venue and what to do upon arrival
Cover travel costs
Consider going to participant’s homes
What do we need to consider about the technology we use for research? (5)
Enabler - Must not be a barrier
Accessibility - Must be accessible
Familiarity - Use what P’s are familiar with
Back up - What if P’s don’t have access to chosen tech?
Privacy and confidentiality - Third parties
What do we need to consider about the artefacts we use for research? (4)
Inclusive - P’s must be able to interact and carry out tasks with artefacts
Disabled designers - Involve in production of artefacts
Accessibility audit - Make necessary fixes before engaging with users
Pilot test - Conduct a pilot test or artefact walkthrough with a person with lived experience first
What do we need to consider about timing for research? (3)
Time of day - when would participants prefer? Travelling at rush hour can be very stressful, take medication in the morning etc
Extra time - Allow for ET in case of AT set up, translations, time to complete tasks
Breaks - Research can be tiring!
In general, how long do research sessions last?
60 minutes as a general rule of thumb but plan for 90m with ET
What do we need to consider about risk assessment for research? (6)
Potential adverse events / hazards
Who could be affected
Level of risk from those hazards
Existing controls to mitigate risks
What else you may have to do to mitigate risks
Consider indemnity insurance
What do we need to consider when conducting research?
Train the team - understand accessibility guidelines and AT
Get to know participants - preferred lang, access and communication needs
Accessible materials - Create accessible docs and online questionnaires
Technology (again) - Test everything, have a plan B and explain to P
Inclusive facilitation/ moderation - Communication, flexibility, breaks
What are some tips to facilitate research sessions with people who are visually impaired?
Introduce - self and people in the room.
Setting - describe room and where tech and recording equipment is
Directions - to be where to sit. Offer guidance (elbow, no grabbing)
Animal - space for guide dog. Don’t interact
Screen reader - ask to slow down
What are some tips to facilitate research sessions with people who have a hearing impairment?
Speak directly - to the participant not the interpreter
Interpreter - provide seating
Face - the participant when speaking
Attention - get participant’s attention before speaking
One at a time - difficult to understand if more than one person speaking
Speak normally - unless stated otherwise. Not too loud, hearing aids can be sensitive
Write - offer to write down what you’re saying
What are some tips to facilitate research sessions with people who have a mobility impairment?
Accessible - Make sure the venue is accessible and meets P’s needs
Space - Provide space for a wheelchair, a cane or other mobility aids.
Assistant - Provide seating for a personal assistant or carer
In reach - Make sure participants can reach and operate equipment.
Do not move - mobility aids without asking first. keep in reach
Clipboard - to hold materials if no table
Respect personal space
