Summary
UX research takes plenty of inspiration from anthropology and design principles, but what about our friends in Instructional Design (ID)? Contrary to popular belief, ID is way more than creating school curriculums and offers a whole new perspective on what it means to drive truly meaningful insights. ID’s time- and lab-tested principles all drive towards creating measurable change in students (or users), and its lessons are easy to adapt into the user research world. In this session, you’ll learn about basic ID process and learning theory, how to apply that to research projects, and finally how ID can help you rethink the classic UX heuristics evaluation. By diversifying the disciplines we pull from, we’ll become stronger and more flexible researchers who can tackle any kind of problem
Key Insights
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User research and instructional design share similar goals: understanding user behavior and enhancing learning experiences.
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Bloom's Taxonomy outlines cognitive dimensions of learning, from basic recall to creating new ideas, which can refine user research methodologies.
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Clear, specific goals derived from instructional design principles lead to more actionable findings in UX research.
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Avoid vague terms like 'understand' in research goals to focus on measurable behaviors instead.
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Instructional design emphasizes the importance of defining project goals early in the research process for clarity and direction.
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Scaffolding new knowledge onto existing frameworks enhances user understanding, crucial in UX design.
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Reverse Bloom's Taxonomy allows for non-linear learning paths, suggesting creative approaches in user journeys.
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Having instructional designers collaborate with user researchers can enrich project outcomes and foster cross-disciplinary insights.
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Identifying cognitive gaps in user behaviors can inform more effective solutions in product design and research recommendations.
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The principles of productive failure in instructional design show how struggle can enhance retention and learning.
Notable Quotes
">> Our job is to explore behaviors driven by knowledge, making insights that can alter what our users learn and do."
">> Instructional designers have to be outcomes-oriented, executing their work based on achieved behavior changes."
">> Bloom's Taxonomy makes us focus on what we can actually do with information, not just memorization."
">> When writing research goals, try to avoid vague cognitive terms like 'understand.'"
">> Instructional design is not just about teaching; it's about creating effective experiences and materials that drive behavior."
">> Mapping the learning journey can reveal cognitive gaps that need addressing to improve user experience."
">> Productive failure suggests that the human brain remembers struggle well, aiding learning."
">> Collaborating with instructional designers can provide valuable insights for user researchers."
">> Using Bloom’s Taxonomy can help refine recommendations and ensure they are contextually relevant."
">> Users often need to demonstrate application of knowledge to truly learn; this is where our focus should lie."
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