Its Our Research: Getting Stakeholder Buy-in for User Experience Research Projects

It’s Our Research: Getting Stakeholder Buy-in for User Experience Research Projects discusses frameworks, strategies, and techniques for working with stakeholders of user experience (UX) research in a way that ensures their buy-in.

This book consists of six chapters arranged according to the different stages of research projects. Topics discussed include the different roles of business, engineering, and user-experience stakeholders; identification of research opportunities by developing empathy with stakeholders; and planning UX research with stakeholders. The book also offers ways of teaming up with stakeholders; strategies to improve the communication of research results to stakeholders; and the nine signs that indicate that research is making an impact on stakeholders, teams, and organizations.
This book is meant for UX people engaged in usability and UX research. Written from the perspective of an in-house UX researcher, it is also relevant for self-employed practitioners and consultants who work in agencies. It is especially directed at UX teams that face no-time-no-money-for-research situations.

Named a 2012 Notable Computer Book for Information Systems by Computing ReviewsFeatures a series of video interviews with UX practitioners and researchersProvides dozens of case studies and visuals from international research practitionersProvides a toolset that will help you justify your work to stakeholders, deal with office politics, and hone your client skillsPresents tried and tested techniques for working to reach positive, useful, and fruitful outcomes

Prologue: The Usable Planet, by Gary Bunker

Introduction

Chapter 1: If life gives you limes, make mojitos! Identifying stakeholders, selling user experience research, and dealing with difficult people and situations

Chapter 2: Mmm... Interesting, so what exactly is it that you want to learn? Implementing your great participant interviewing skills on stakeholders; asking good questions, listening, saying the right things, and identifying research opportunities

Chapter 3: If you pick a methodology first, something must be wrong: Strategies for planning studies with stakeholders and techniques for developing the right research questions

Chapter 4: What’s Gonna Work? Teamwork! Hands-on techniques for collaborating and involving stakeholders in research planning, execution, analysis, and reporting

Chapter 5: The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place

Chapter 6: You can’t manage what you don’t measure: Signs that indicate research is being used well and how you can systematically track success (or failure)

Epilogue