Guiding your team strategy with User Research Principles
at DesignOps Global Conference 2020
Type
talk
Transcript of Emma Boulton's Design Ops Global Conference (May 2020) talk. As interim research director at Babylon Health she used the Eight Pillars of User Research and ten team principles organised around efficiency, visibility, quality and connectedness to set Research Ops objectives — from standardised infrastructure and roadmap visibility to critique groups, training, and a company-wide research taxonomy and Research Library.
People
Emma Boulton
Methods
User InterviewsUser interviews explore people’s circumstances, experiences and needs through a guided conversation. Use them when you need to understand a problem in depth or learn how a service fits into someone’s life. Recruit current or likely users, prepare open questions and possible follow-ups, and ask for concrete examples rather than idealised accounts. Start with consent, listen carefully, and allow useful unexpected topics to emerge. A discussion guide keeps the research focused without turning it into a rigid questionnaire. Interviews can accompany usability tests when you also need to observe people using a service.
Research RepositoryCentralised storage, tagging, and synthesis of research insights
Design CritiqueDesign critique is a structured discussion of how well a design meets its objectives. Present the work with its purpose and relevant context, then invite colleagues from different disciplines to identify strengths, problems and questions. Ground feedback in the intended outcome rather than personal taste or judgement of the designer. Use critique while work can still change, repeating it as the design develops. It provides informed perspectives for improvement; it is distinct from a final approval meeting or an expert compliance review.