Understand your potential users

Understand your potential users by conducting primary research.

Sessions
5
Steps
18
Last edited
Feb 28, 2022
Created by
Nova

About this process

Understand your potential users by conducting primary research. First, define your market segments; secondly, identify your assumptions, find interviewees for your research and gather key insights.

Sessions at a glance
#SessionSteps
01Market Segmentation502Finding interviewees203Preparing interviews704Interviews (Notes)205Segmentation: Discussion 12

The process in detail

5 sessions · 18 steps
01

Market Segmentation

5 steps
  1. 1

    3 Top markets.

  2. 2

    Early adopters.

  3. 3

    The anti-buyer.

  4. 4

    What characteristics make someone a buyer?

  5. 5

    What additional information do you need to discover about each segment?

Read the full text
1. 3 Top markets.

Focusing on your top 3 or 4 markets (6 max), define their key characteristics. Geographic: Countries, nations, cities, etc. Demographic: Age, gender, sex, education, family, and income. Psychographic: Lifestyle, social class, and personality. Behavioral: User status, usage rate, benefits, occasions, and loyalty attitude.

Work on the whiteboardBusiness market segmentation
2. Early adopters.

Who would be the early adopter and why? Early adopter: An early adopter is an individual or business that will use a new product or solution. This user usually is excited about the product or solution and helps companies grow by providing feedback.

Write a note
3. The anti-buyer.

In this step, identify and define those people you don't want to target.

Write a note
4. What characteristics make someone a buyer?

Open the board and think about your buyer and your anti-buyer. What do they have in common? What do they do different? How do they think differently? How do they feel the pain? How would you use this information to better target your buyer? How would you use this infomation to find them? What channels will you use?

Work on the whiteboardBuyer & anti-buyer
5. What additional information do you need to discover about each segment?

What additional information do you need about each segment? What are you assuming, and what should be tested? Answer the following questions. Ask yourself how you know the answer, and estimate how accurate your answer actually is. How often do they suffer? How long, What amount of time/money is wasted by the problem? How do they talk about the problem (pain)? When? Why can't they solve it themselves? How have they tried to solve the problem and failed? What if they could solve it? What would life be like? Show them the possibilities of a life without suffering. Show them the reverse of all the things we identified above. What is your solution? What is the physical nature of it? What is included?

Write a note
Business market segmentation
  • MARKET 1
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  • MARKET 2
  • MARKET 3
Buyer & anti-buyer
  • Example: Male
  • Example: Female
02

Finding interviewees

2 steps
  1. 1

    Where?

  2. 2

    Prepare your template.

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1. Where?

What channels are you using to reach your buyers or users? Linkedin: Inmail Forums: Reddit, Google, Quora or Twitter Competitors social media

Choose one or more
  • Email or phone call: Passionate people using your solution or people who sent a complain.
  • Email or phone call: Your power users (high engagement and frequent users)
  • Twitter: Who is using you hashtags? Who is sharing content related to your solution?
  • Live-chat: People that asked questions.
  • Social media: Follow your competitors and contact their clients/users.
  • Linkedin: In mail.
  • Other methods and channels.
2. Prepare your template.

Create one or two templates and test them out. Make sure you are adapting the message to each potential customer. Example: Hi Sam, I read your article on [X] - it was really inspiring! I am looking to [X] and you got me thinking about [X]. I have a software company trying to improve [ X(Example:Remote work)] I am not looking to sell anything, but since you have so much expertise with [X], I would love to get your advice on our product so we don't build the wrong thing. If you are available, I'd love to chat for 20 minutes - Mon or Tu morning? Thanks your any help! [NAME] Tips: BE SHORT (4 - 7 sentences) BE PERSONAL: Mention how you found them. For example: “I read your blog post on… it was great!” BE VALUABLE: Having a conversation with you should be valuable. For example: “ It will help our organization out” or “ We value your opinion and your expertise” or create an incentive ($$$)

Write a note
03

Preparing interviews

7 steps
  1. 1

    What is the objective?

  2. 2

    Create a list of things you are going to need during the interview.

  3. 3

    Prepare the introduction

  4. 4

    Prepare the questions

  5. 5

    Prepare the process

  6. 6

    During the user interviews

  7. 7

    Analysis and Findings

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1. What is the objective?

Define your design challenge/ product challenge or problem you are trying to solve. Define your goals.

Write a note
2. Create a list of things you are going to need during the interview.

For example: Create a Card deck to guide the conversation. Provide Pictures and add them to the board Zoom or Skype call (videorecording) Email invitation Prepare the introduction, questions and the thank you message Gift Card - The Interviews rely on the user giving their opinions, recalling events, and discussing them. If the event is hard to explain or recall use card decks or images to help the user remember.

Work on the whiteboardUser Research Interviews Prep Board
3. Prepare the introduction

Hi, my name is [ NAME ] and this is [ NAME ]! As explained during our [EMAIL, PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS] we are conducting research about [BUYING BEHAVIOURS, CLEANING BEHAVIOURS, etc]. The purpose of this research is to ...

Work on the whiteboardUser Research Interviews Prep Board
4. Prepare the questions

Create a list of general questions. We have a few categories on the board based on the purpose of the questions. Add additional categories if you need them.

Work on the whiteboardUser Research Interviews Prep Board
5. Prepare the process

Add all your questions on a timeline.

https://nova-labs-1.s3.amazonaws.com/pub/d7E9wjeMERHjQZiDJJixFCg-Screen Shot 2020-04-03 at 12.48.46 PM.png

Add alternative questions. Add your assumptions. Use the empathy board to understand your user and create these assumptions.

https://nova-labs-1.s3.amazonaws.com/pub/KQA8A9BREjfTkqbjQPFGYpS-Screen Shot 2020-04-03 at 12.50.43 PM.png

Work on the whiteboardUser Research Interviews Prep Board
6. During the user interviews

Follow the process and the questions during the interview. During or after the interview add the notes to the board. Compare those notes with your assumptions. Provide a link to the video for future references. For multiple interviews add their name or use different sticky note colors. Show some empathy by asking related questions.

https://nova-labs-1.s3.amazonaws.com/pub/vSfRvGPPTtyGumNnajvyNx2-Screen Shot 2020-04-03 at 12.51.53 PM.png

Important tips: Don't make assumptions. Ask the user and challenge yourself on those assumptions. Make sure you take notes. You need to write down exactly how each person talks and says things. Do not take notes using your own words or a representation of what you think they mean. Observe their behavior and micromovements. Take notes of facial movements, pauses, etc

Write a note
7. Analysis and Findings

You can open the board to discuss and analyze findings with your team. Once everyone is happy with the analysis you can move forward and share your highlight and key insights here. Keep in mind that User Research Interviews are not used for product testing. these interviews will help you know whether people believe they would use a design or idea. The Interviews rely on the user giving their opinions, recalling events, and discussing them.

Write a note
User Research Interviews Prep Board
  • Guidelines & Tips
  • Introduction
  • Questions: The Process
  • Questions List
  • Create a process to start to finish from the introduction all the way to the tank you message.
  • Prepare your question and additional ones to look for tensions, to uncover insights about personal values, etc
  • General Guidelines Ask open-ended questions and avoid questions that can be answered yes or no. Be prepared for the interview and have a few questions or alternative conversation points to guide the interview in the right direction when this one takes side jumps. Do not ask questions like: Do you think it is important to have insurance? Do you want "X" functionality?
  • Prepare the introduction. During the introduction, you will introduce yourself and your team. Here is an example: Hi, my name is [ NAME ] and this is [ NAME ]! As explained during our [EMAIL, PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS] we are conducting research about [BUYING BEHAVIOURS, CLEANING BEHAVIOURS, etc]. The purpose of this research is [TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE REASON WHY YOU MAKE CERTAIN DECICION...]. This is important for our team because we would like to have meaningful insights to better inspire our team to develop a good solution. We want to hear your experience and thoughts and there are no right or wrong answers, we just ask for your sincere feedback. Your answers will be private and even we are not able to provide too much information now we are happy to provide you with more context afterward.
  • Questions to uncover values and personal habits
  • These questions are a good start but do not ask too many of these questions. Mix these questions with non-personal questions. Example: Start with: What is your Name? Where are you located? Where do you work and what is your role there? Walk me through your day to day life after work? Walk me through your morning routine?
  • Question 1
  • Question
  • Question
  • Question
  • Question
  • Question
  • Hi, my name is [ NAME ] and this is [ NAME ]! As explained during our [EMAIL, PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS] we are conducting research about [BUYING BEHAVIOURS, CLEANING BEHAVIOURS, etc]. The purpose of this research is [TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE REASON WHY YOU MAKE CERTAIN DECICION...].
  • Tasks
  • Assumptions + answers + observations
  • Assumptions + answers + observations
  • Assumptions + answers + observations
  • Assumptions + answers + observations
  • Assumptions + answers + observations
  • Assumptions + answers + observations
  • This is a sticky-note! Add your observations here.
  • This is a sticky-note! Add your introduction here!
  • Open-ended questions
  • Encourage people to tell you a story by asking questions like: What was challenging for you? Why do you think that happened? Tell me a story about the last time you ...? Walk me through the process ... Share with me ... How do you feel ... Do you remember the last time ... What did you do with ...? That is interesting! Tell more about ... (repeat their own word)
  • Thank you
  • Thank you for this conversation and for your time. We've taken great notes on your valuable input and feedback which will help our team design the next [ Product, Product experience, etc ]
  • Dig deeper and find tensions and uncover insightful information
  • Encourage people to tell you a story by asking questions like: What was surprising about ... or " I imagine that was a surprise for you..." What is contradictory? Why? what is the reason behind that?
04

Interviews (Notes)

2 steps
  1. 1

    Collect insights.

  2. 2

    Analyze results and add insights to the highlights and conclusion section.

Read the full text
1. Collect insights.

During the interview or phone call, keep this board open or take notes. Add one insight per sticky notes. Evaluate how people feel and their emotions. Do they sound excited? Are they confused?

2. Analyze results and add insights to the highlights and conclusion section.
Work on the whiteboardInterview Dialogue Whiteboard
Interview Dialogue Whiteboard
  • Neutral
  • Bad experience
  • Positive
  • Extraordinary experience (excitement)
  • Not working
  • Name
  • Name
  • Name
  • Name
  • Name
  • HIGHLIGHTS & NOTES
  • 1
  • Answer
  • Question
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  • Question
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  • Question
  • 4
  • Question
  • 5
  • Question
  • 6
  • Question
05

Segmentation: Discussion 1

2 steps
  1. 1

    Define your segment groups

  2. 2

    Top markets.

Read the full text
1. Define your segment groups

Have a discussion with your team about who the customers are and the different segment groups. Use this template as a reference. You can use different colors for different segments. Ask yourself: What is there - Age, gender, ethnicity, class, social status, geography, beliefs, habits?

2. Top markets.

Select your top markets (max 6) Describe each group in detail. The more details you have, the better you know your segments.

New Board
  • STATES & REGIONS
  • COUNTRY
  • CITIES & NEIGHBORHOODS
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  • MALE
  • FEMALE
  • #%
  • #%
  • 0-12
  • 13-21
  • 22-65
  • 66+
  • 0-12
  • 13-21
  • 22-65
  • 66+
  • EDUCATION
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  • EDUCATION
  • INCOME
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  • INCOME
  • LIFE STYLE
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  • LIFE STYLE
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  • PERSONALITY
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  • PERSONALITY
  • BEHAVIORAL User status, usage rate, benefits, occasions and loyalty attitude.
  • BEHAVIORAL User status, usage rate, benefits, occasions and loyalty attitude.
  • This is a sticky note!
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  • Top Markets
  • SEGMENT 1
  • SEGMENT 2
  • SEGMENT 3
  • Define this group.
  • Define this group.
  • Define this group.
  • SEGMENT 4
  • SEGMENT 5
  • SEGMENT 6
  • Define this group.
  • Define this group.
  • Define this group.
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Created byNova·Official process
Last edited Feb 28, 2022·5 sessions · 18 steps