Shake up your team routine with a UXR hackathon

Plus, Intuit QuickBooks & MailChimp share how they globally scaled a small business research program, & we dive into How Might We statements

Launch your own user research hackathon It's easy to get into a research rut—and that's where hackathons come into the picture. Ready to shake things up and let down your hair? Nikki Anderson-Stanier shares how, along with a handy template.   TAKE ME BACK, BACK TO THE HACK(ATHON) Results from last week's community poll (n = 163) Typically how many probing or follow-up questions do you ask during a user interview? 45.4% | As many as it takes 29.4% | Depends on the interview length 13.5% | Between 2-4 11.7% | No more than 2 Globally scaling small biz success Intuit QuickBooks and MailChimp launched their "Adopt a Small Business" program to deeply understand their customer base. Over time, it evolved into a project that energized new company teams to participate in user research.    AROUND THE WORLD, AROUND THE WORLD How might we make "how might we's?" We've taken a deep dive into the archives to resurface and update a classic fan fave: How Might We statements. Use this simple guide to unlock action from your UX research.   TESTING, TESTING, 123 We need [UXR] managers now more than ever to keep growing the field and the discipline. So it becomes clear that UX research isn't just a trend or a fad, it's something that companies need. Monal Chokshi Senior Director, Head of Research & Insights at Dropbox Read more from Monal on the People Nerds blog! More we're discussing: It's no small feat to start your own user research business. For all the dreamers and doers out there, check out this first-person account. Who knows, maybe you'll get a few ideas yourself. Are you asking the right questions in your user interviews? Learn how to dig deeper with insightful follow-ups so that you can get the most out of your generative research. Diary studies are foundational to any UXR's toolkit. Whether you're learning to conduct them for the first time or looking to brush up on better techniques, this diary study guide has you covered. What we're hearing: With so many project requests...how do you prioritize? You need a UX Strategy. Here's a primer to creating one. UX research needs org engagement to matter. Check out this to add resonance to your research reports. How do we begin to assess quality and rigor in our qual UX research methods? Here's a start. dscout is a company composed of People Nerds working to make context-rich human insight an everyday habit across organizations. The dscout platform—Diary, Live, Recruit, and Express—enables remote qualitative research that brings researchers into the moments experienced and shared by real people. Curious about the platform or working with dscout? Talk to an account executive.  dscout, 222 North LaSalle St. Suite 650, Chicago, Illinois 60601, United States Unsubscribe Manage preferences

A roadmap to strike out on your own

Plus, learn how to ask the right questions in your one-on-one interviews, and revisit the archives for our popular diary study guide.

The foundation of a successful research biz For those who work full-time for a single employer, inevitably that little dream or seed of an idea pops up: what if I worked for myself? Nikki Anderson-Stanier shares how she took that seed of an idea and nurtured it into a successful business.   COFFEE IS FOR CLOSERS  This week's community poll Answer with a click this week, see the results in next week's newsletter.   Typically how many probing or follow-up questions do you ask during a user interview? 1. No more than 2 2. Between 2-4 3. As many as it takes 4. Depends on the interview length Turn your 1-1 interviews up a notch Are you asking the right questions in your generative research? We explore how to use techniques like active listening, key phrases, and even embracing silence to really get the most out of your session. CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION...? The holy grail of diary study guides We're taking another trip back to the archives, this time with our start-to-finish guide on how to run a highly effective diary study. Add it to your bookmarks for handy reference down the road. DEAR DIARY In the context of research, a lot of people are scared when they shouldn't be. Looking back, we have thousands of years of people building and making things where there was no researcher involved. Behzod Sirjani Founder at Yet Another Studio Read more from Behzod on the People Nerds blog! More we're discussing: Need to draw up a user research budget? Never fear. This simple guide walks you through the process and includes a template, so you can present those numbers with ease. Words are powerful—especially when you're choosing terminology to discuss and categorize a wide breadth of diversity. See how Best Buy continues to refine their terminology to make studies more effective. Check out another oldie but goodie. From stakeholder buy-in to choosing your participants, our updated guide to generative research will leave you feeling knowledgeable and prepared. What we're hearing: Trying to break into UX or product design? Try collaborating in your community—there's probably a thriving product design community right under your nose. UXRs are naturally creative, but that doesn't mean they're immune to following the majority. Here's a primer on groupthink and ways to counteract it across your team. Personas. Segmentation. User groups. All of these ideas rely on some conception of identity. Check out this breakdown to create more considerate groups. dscout is a company composed of People Nerds working to make context-rich human insight an everyday habit across organizations. The dscout platform—Diary, Live, Recruit, and Express—enables remote qualitative research that brings researchers into the moments experienced and shared by real people. Curious about the platform or working with dscout? Talk to an account executive.  dscout, 222 North LaSalle St. Suite 650, Chicago, Illinois 60601, United States Unsubscribe Manage preferences