Quantative vs. Qualitative Research and Data: Inspiring Great Design

I read an article recently that touched on the difference in effectiveness of quantitative data versus qualitative data in the overall UX design process. The article can be found here (http://tinyurl.com/62gj87x), for those that want to read it (see point number 6, "Using quantitative data to inform decision-making can be uncomfortable for UX professionals").

In my years of design Web sites, apps, software, and other types of digital experiences, I will say that I'm driven by research to inspire the design process. What do we know about who we are designing for? Who are these users? How do they behave? What is the general contextual environment for use?

But I will also say that the value of quantitative research techniques and data is almost always never that helpful to the design process. For me, as a UX professional, my focus has been much more on qualitative data sets and models, and qualitative research techniques.

Quantitative data sets is never particularly inspirational. Focus groups may deliver useful information on what a group thinks, but not how a single user will behave. For that, please just give me a handful of one-on-one research or participatory design sessions. Sitting with an actual users, in front of a prototype of any kind (hand sketch, full design interactive prototype, anything) is infinitely more helpful to delivering a great UX design than any online survey, focus group, clickstream analysis, or marketing segmentation.

Unfortunately, though, so many clients still distrust research samples that are not "statistically significant". For that data, I look to later-stage design testing (to evaluate and articulate true business effectiveness of the new design).

Quantitative or Qualitative? Definitely Qualitative. Smaller, richer data sets are always more insightful and inspiring to the Experience Design process

Role of Empathy in Design, and Leadership

I love this article by David Kelly of IDEO on the role of empathy in managing others:

http://www.fastcompany.com/1746447/qa-with-david-kelley-of-ideo

As any UX designer will tell you, good UX Design requires a good understanding of who you are designing for: user centered design is predicated on insight into the target user (who they are, how they behave, and even their attitudes). UCD methods have lots of techniques to document that insight, including profiles, personas, scenarios, experience models, and others. As part of that insight, empathy is foundational component, although one that is sometimes harder to articulate. However, it's critical that a design team identify with a user's context (their needs, behaviors, and attitudes). It's that identification that is based also upon empathy: seeing the design challenge from the perspective of a user.

I love Kelley' points about how this relates to managing others. Also, I think his points have particular relevance to managing the wide range of others typically involved in the development UXD work. UXD work involves such a wide range of disciplines and practices (IA's and Interaction Designers, Visual Designers, Technologists, Content Strategists, etc) that it's critical for a the manager of the design process to identify and empathize with the various team member's perspectives on the design challenge (how an IA sees the challenge as compared to the Site Developer). UXD is such a particularly inter-disciplinary design process, that great solutions overall are based upon getting great ideas and input from all of the independent team members. And, in order to do that, empathy for those creatives is definitely required.