Welcome to Step Six of our series on how to kickstart user testing for your security product.
- Step 1: How to choose what to test
- Step 2: How to find the right people
- Step 3: How to set up the session
- Step 4: How to conduct your first session
- Step 5: How to organize your findings
- Step 6: How to present to the team ←This post
- Bonus Step: How to get buy-in for more research
All the valuable insights from your research won’t have any impact until you share what you’ve learned with the rest of the team. The best way to champion the value of user research is in how you present your findings. Let’s get into it.
Present the TL;DR first
When presenting, start with the TL;DR version – the most important findings and overarching themes. Resist the temptation to include every minor detail. Instead, summarize key points and use quotes, clips, and examples to make the insights relatable. Spend a little time practicing your presentation and emphasis the “what this means” behind the results.
Tell a story
When you share with your product team, build a narrative that connects the insights rather than listing findings.
Ex: In the configuration section, multiple users had questions about specific settings and what each option required. “Where would I find which options are available?”, was a common refrain. How might we provide just-in-time documentation on those specific settings to guide the user without them digging through lengthy documentation?
Keep the narrative of your story simple by summarizing your main findings, and showing examples of any patterns you find.
Be objective
Make sure you are not presenting biased points that reinforce your hypotheses. The goal is to learn, not prove you were right.
Make clear recommendations
Don't just present your findings, but explain what this means. After your team understands the significance of the data, leave time to discuss key takeaways with your team. Lead your team in deciding which actions should be taken based on the findings and feedback. Then, create action steps to implement in your application.
It all comes down to this
The most important thing is to focus on providing actionable insights rather than just raw data. User research is meant to inform design decisions, so present the findings within a way that leads to clear recommendations with their assumedand impact.
The next time you run a test, try applying these steps to unlock the full potential of your results. You’ll be surprised by how much more impactful your findings will be.
If you need help, ask us anything at hello@sodiumhalogen.com
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