A Sample UX Research Plan


XYZ Phone Data-Entry Usability Test
by John Smith-Kline, Usability Researcher, jskline@example.com
Stakeholders: Wanda Verdi (PM), Sam Crouch (Lead Engineer)
Last updated: 13 January 2012
Background
Since January 2009, when the XYZ Phone was introduced to the world, particularly after its market release, journalists, bloggers, industry experts, other stakeholders and customers have privately and publicly expressed negative opinions about the XYZ Phone’s keyboard. These views suggest that the keyboard is hard to use and that it imposes a poor experience on customers. Some have claimed this as the main reason why the XYZ Phone will not succeed among business users. Over the years, several improvements have been made to data entry (such as using horizontal keyboards for most features), to no avail.
Goals
Identify the strengths and weaknesses of data entry on the XYZ Phone, and provide opportunities for improvement.
Research Questions
  1. How do people enter data on the XYZ Phone?
  2. What is the learning curve of new XYZ Phone users when they enter data?
  3. What are the most common errors users make when entering data?
Methodology
A usability study will be held in our lab with 20 participants. Each participant session will last 60 minutes and will include a short briefing, an interview, a task performance with an XYZ Phone and a debriefing. Among the tasks: enter an email subject heading, compose a long email, check news updates on CNN’s website, create a calendar event and more.
Participants
These are the primary characteristics of the study’s participants:
  • Business user,
  • Age 22 to 55,
  • Never used an XYZ Phone,
  • Expressed interest in learning more about or purchasing an XYZ Phone,
  • Uses the Web at least 10 hours a week.
[Link to a draft screener]
Schedule
  • Recruiting: begins on November 12
  • Study day: November 22
  • Results delivery: December 2
Script
TBD

http://uxdesign.smashingmagazine.com/2012/01/26/ux-research-plan-stakeholders-love/

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