Conducting a Preliminary Group UX Survey Activity for My Master’s Thesis
Introduction
As part of my Master’s thesis, Developing the UX Playbook: A Research-Driven Approach to Optimizing Digital User Journeys, I conducted a group UX survey during class to gather valuable insights from my peers and colleagues. The goal was to explore the challenges designers face in advocating for UX research, assess the demand for a UX Playbook, and understand preferences for its format and features. This collaborative exercise not only provided critical feedback but also validated the relevance of my research questions and objectives.
Why Conduct a Group Survey?
The survey aimed to address these key objectives:
- Identify the obstacles UX professionals face when integrating research into workflows.
- Determine the value of a structured UX Playbook for improving processes and stakeholder communication.
- Gather insights into preferred formats, features, and real-world applications for the Playbook.
Conducting the survey in a classroom setting allowed for immediate feedback and a diverse range of perspectives, with participants varying in experience and professional roles, from designers to developers and researchers.
Key Findings from the Survey
The survey highlighted several critical pain points and needs, summarized as follows:
- Challenges Advocating for UX Research
– Difficulty convincing stakeholders of the value of UX research due to time, budget, and resource constraints.
– Misconceptions that UX is primarily aesthetic rather than research-driven. - Demand for a UX Playbook
– Participants expressed strong interest in a tool offering structured guidance and templates for UX research.
– The Playbook was seen as a valuable aid for advocating research’s ROI to stakeholders. - Current Tools Fall Short
– Tools like Figma and Miro help with collaboration but lack step-by-step guidance.
– Many existing tools are theoretical and fail to provide practical application steps. - Preferred Formats
– Most participants favored a combination of cards, PDFs, and interactive web tools, suggesting flexibility and adaptability to different project types.
– Other innovative suggestions included digital games and books for increased engagement. - What Makes the Playbook Stand Out
– Key features desired include customizable templates, real-world case studies, and persuasive arguments tailored to stakeholders.
– Participants emphasized bridging the understanding gap between designers and clients as a critical success factor.
How These Findings Shape My Thesis
- Refining the UX Playbook Concept
The feedback confirmed the demand for a structured, actionable Playbook that simplifies UX research processes while providing persuasive arguments for stakeholder advocacy. - Designing for Flexibility
The preference for multiple formats (cards, PDFs, web tools) will guide the Playbook’s development to ensure it meets a variety of use cases and user preferences. - Addressing Stakeholder Challenges
The Playbook will incorporate ROI-focused arguments and evidence-backed insights to help designers communicate the long-term benefits of UX research. - Iterative Testing and Validation
The survey results highlight the importance of usability testing during the Playbook’s development to ensure it aligns with real-world needs and workflows.
Takeaways from the Group Survey
The group survey underscored the critical role of user research not only in UX design but also in developing tools like the Playbook. The diverse input from participants helped validate the need for a practical and persuasive resource that empowers designers and bridges communication gaps with stakeholders.
This experience demonstrates the power of collaborative research in shaping actionable solutions for real-world problems. With these findings, I am excited to move forward with prototyping and testing the UX Playbook, ensuring it becomes a valuable tool for designers and businesses alike.
Link to presentation and survey:
https://www.figma.com/deck/8000GnnIX79i1Pe36UXpe4/Playbook-11.12?node-id=1-635&viewport=-92%2C-108%2C0.51&t=4CsTYHWDSlChpfLD-1&scaling=min-zoom&content-scaling=fixed&page-id=0%3A1
Link to Survey Summary:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1E6TcYw1Bd-nZGiDtmZVfJuY7BYG5qX_y/view?usp=sharing
