Posted by Tony Tulathimutte on December 03, 2008 | Comments (0)
Part of why we've wanted to write this book was to clear up some of the questions we get asked all the time about remote research, and one of the most common questions we're asked is: what counts as remote research? Web-based card sorts? Online surveys? Phone interviews?
Just as there are different types of lab research (focus groups, one-on-one interviews, eye-tracking) there are lots of different types of remote research, too. We like to broadly divide all remote research into two types, which we call Moderated (a.k.a. synchronous) and Automated (a.k.a. unmoderated, asynchronous).
Moderated research describes any form of research where the researcher speaks and/or interacts directly with the user; in remote research, this usually comes in the form of a one-on-one interview, where the user and researcher speak over the phone while the user shares his computer screen. Automated research, on the other hand, has the researcher using some kind of online tool or service to gather information from users; there's typically no direct communication between the moderator and the users.
We'll be covering the different types of remote research in greater detail in the book, and on our remote research website, RemoteUsability.com. Until then, just remember: moderated and automated!
Posted by Tony Tulathimutte on November 17, 2008 | Comments (5)
Welcome, folks! We're glad to announce our new book, tentatively titled "Remote Research", which, you might be shocked to hear, is about remote user research. Usually, when we try to explain what remote research is, most people (and even professional user researchers) will sort of tilt their heads in a puzzled beagle-like way: they've heard of user research, and they know what a focus group is, but what exactly is remote user research? How can you research users if you're not there to watch them? Is it like a telephone survey?
Mostly, we're writing this book to avoid ever having that conversation again. We're going to explain what it is, how it might benefit you, and how to do it, in a quick and easy-to-digest 150-page guide. Although remote research as a whole is still relatively new and unknown, it's a well-developed field with established methods and standard practices. We'll explain the strengths and disadvantages of different types of remote research; we'll guide you through all the different tools, services, and resources you can use to get a study going; and we'll walk you step-by-step through designing, planning, and conducting a study, so you can do it yourself with minimal hassle.
So, who's behind this book? That is a delightful question. Nate Bolt is the president, CEO, judge, jury, and executioner of Bolt|Peters, a user research firm in San Francisco which has been specializing in remote research for nearly a decade. Tony Tulathimutte is Bolt|Peters's writer, blogger, and retro-minimalist French microhouse DJ, and he (or, I should say, I) will be co-authoring the book and taking charge of blog posts like these.
We've got a great idea of where we want to go with our book, but since we're still at an early stage of drafting, we would absolutely love to hear feedback, requests, and issues you'd like to see raised in the book. More than anything, we aim to please. Keep your RSS reader pointed at this blog for updates!
