In an earlier article, we described a pilot study from 2015 in which we investigated how to measure tech savviness. Building on the published literature, we generated candidate items that measured three aspects of tech savviness: what people know, what people do, and what people feel. In that pilot study, we assessed knowledge using a
How do you measure tech savviness? Abstract constructs such as usability, trustworthiness, intelligence, and desirability can be difficult to measure. The same applies to tech savviness. But to paraphrase Potter Stewart, we know a tech-savvy person when we see one. Tech savviness should matter to UX researchers. When we measure an experience, we don’t want
User experience research has many methods. Some methods, such as usability testing, are used frequently and have been around for decades. Other, more recent additions, such as click testing, are useful variations on existing methods. Selecting the right UX method means narrowing down the available methods to those that will address (1) the primary research
What is tech savviness? While it might be hard to define, you probably know someone whom you consider tech savvy—they might even be your go-to person for solving tech issues. Or maybe you know people who aren’t tech savvy and struggle with all technology. But why should UX researchers care? The concept of tech savviness
Surveys are one of the most popular methods in applied research. While many have argued that surveys are overused, it’s hard to believe that surveys have no place in multi-method UX research. When conducting survey-based research, you’ll often encounter the terms census, poll, and questionnaire used in conjunction with—and often interchangeably with—the term survey. But
Crafting survey questions involves thinking first about the content and then about the format (form follows function). Earlier, we categorized survey questions into four content types (attribute, behavior, ability, or sentiment) and four format classes (open-ended, closed-ended static, closed-ended dynamic, or task-based). As with any taxonomy, there are several ways to categorize response options (e.g.,
When approaching a UX research project, one of the first things to consider is the method. And UX research has many methods. Methods can be categorized as quantitatively focused (e.g., A/B tests) or qualitatively focused (e.g., interviews). Most UX research methods can collect both qualitative and quantitative data. For example, surveys often collect both closed-ended
Surveys are an essential method for collecting data. But like all research methods, surveys have their limitations. Unless the survey is administered by a facilitator, a respondent has only the survey’s instructions, questions, and response options for guidance. Earlier we wrote about ways to improve the clarity of your questions and certain words to watch
Post-mortems and retrospective accounts are valuable for understanding what went well and what went poorly. This applies not only to investigations of critical events, such as crimes and plane accidents, but also to experiences with products and services. But the usefulness of people’s recollections of events and experiences rests on the accuracy of their memories.
The first questionnaires appeared in the mid–18th century (e.g., the “Milles” questionnaire). Scientific surveys have been around for almost a hundred years. Consequently, there are many sources of advice on how to make surveys better. The heart of each survey is the questions asked of respondents. Writing good survey questions involves many of the principles
