Five design insights from working for 7 months at findmypast: bringing user-centred design to the company, and moving to a mobile-first world. Note: Not sure how much of it makes sense without my commentary, but knock yourself out.
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Customer and mobile first 5 insights from working at findmypast
16. Interested in the move to new devices?
? Ben Evans at ben-evans.com
? Good overview from November 2013: Mobile is Eating the World
? Subscribe to his newsletter
? App Annie at appannie.com
? Horace Dediu at asymco.com
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17. What we are talking about when we talk about mobile
21. and dont underestimate the web
Facebook monthly active users: September 2012
iPhone
11%
Android
14%
Not mobile
39%
RIM
5%
Feature phone
6%
Mobile web
23%
Source: "Facebook's 470m mobile app users" by Ben Evans
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Other smart
2%
26. We dont do focus groups ?that is the
job of the designer. Its unfair to ask
people who dont have a sense of the
opportunities of tomorrow from the
context of today to design.
Sir Jonny Ive, 2012
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32. Start your user research
? Chat to them online, or invite them to a caf
? User testing: ask them to accomplish some tasks
? Online user testing
? Face-to-face user testing
? Shadowing: observe users actions using a service
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33. User research tips
? 5 people is enough
? Dont ask them leading questions
? Observe what they do, more than what they say
? Look for themes
? Dont listen to your ego
? Share with people in your organisation
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34. Build a repeatable process, if you can
The bigger the organisation, the more important it is
(But, it is more important to do user research, and do it often, than to have a regular process)
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38. People swap devices 21 times an hour
"We were quite surprised, and I think the respondents were surprised as
well. Not only were they multitasking, but we were surprised at the sheer
number of times that they were ?ip-?opping from one device to another.
"Most people would have the TV on for the whole one-hour period, but
they would then use their phone, then go to the laptop, then back to the
phone, and so on."
Research by OMD, article published 3 January 2014
http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/news/1225960/
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58. Example
2. Inviting people to join
Do say
Begin, join
Explore your family history
User
Ok, Ill try it out. How do I start?
Hope its not too much hassle.
What do I need to tell them?
Tips:
?Keep the offer warm C
remember, its about stories and
people.
?Inject the user with excitement
about what they will do.
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Dont say
Register, sign up
Get access to X records
Create an account
Users feelings:
Optimistic, hopeful, impatient
findmypast
Join findmypast and begin your journey of
discovery. Its time to start exploring your
family history.
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84. Would become too easy
Boring
G
am
e
M
ec
h
an
ic
Dif?culty
Ze
n
Frustrating
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Time spent playing
85. Understands what is the game and what isn't
Not the game
Is the game
? The register form
? Finding records
? Navigation?
? Building a family tree
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86. Other parallels
From Josh Taylors Gaming and Virtual Realties
? MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer
Online Role-Playing Game)
? Activity happens at a similar time
? Hidden features
? Communal
? Passion
? Geeks (in a good way)
? Fun
? Addictive
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93. Family history: search or hints? Finding.
? On a mobile or touch device long search forms are frustrating and boring
? Hints, such as Ancestrys, are short circuit search
? On the app there is no way to search, just hints
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94. Those 5 insights
? Talk to your users
? We create services, not standalone products
? Your UI is your brand
? Family history is closer to a game than traditional web services
? For mobile in particular, understand those core interactions
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ajfox@?ndmypast.com @andrewfox