~ customers -can- actually articulate their problems
A lot of people cite the preceding quote and declare it hopeless to talk to customers. But hidden in this quote is a customer problem statement: had customers said “faster horses,” they would really have been asking for something faster than their existing alternative, which happened to be horses.
Given the right context, customers can clearly articulate their problems, but it’s your job to come up with the solution.
— 📖 Running Lean
~ Split Testing is susceptible to local maxima
— Just enough Research
in user research, find the habits
How does the user already solve the problem you are trying to solve for them (if indeed they do)? What are their physical and mental habits around the problem, and their relevant beliefs and values? We frequently hear from entrepreneurs who are trying to create a habit around a new product. Habits are hard to change, as anyone trying to kick one will attest; inserting a new hook into an existing habit is much easier.
— Just Enough Research
~ in user research, talking to the wrong people is the worst thing — you learn nothing
You can learn valuable things by asking the right people the wrong questions. If you’re talking to the wrong people, it doesn’t matter what you ask.
— Just Enough Research
you can user test at any stage; just do it
Wait until next week. We’ll have a better sketch on a bigger napkin.
WHAT MY CLIENTS ALWAYS SAY WHEN I TELL THEM I WANT TO SEE THE DESIGN THEY’VE SKETCHED ON A NAPKIN
— 📖 Rocket Surgery Made Easy
~ use Third-Party studies to understand consumer and user trends
— Just Enough Research
But most of the people we encounter are skeptics. They’re looking for an easy way to keep things the same. They’re uncomfortable with the tension that change brings, and will conceal that fear with objections that seem like thoughtful feedback. It’s not.
—— Seth Godin
~ the neutral answer in a questionaire is hard to interpret clearly
“Neutral” could mean anything from “I don’t understand the question” to “I’m not comfortable taking a position” to “I reject the framing.” Just something to keep in mind as you think about how much it’s really possible to glean from survey.
— 📖 Just Enough Research