Group Assignment 3 – Product

Discovery and Customer Validation

Due Dates
• Assigned: 14th October (week 6 class)
• Part 1 Due: 21st October (week 7 class)
• Part 2 Due: 8th November (Friday before Veterans Day)
• Submissions are due online at bCourses by 3:59pm
• Grading feedback sessions (Assignment 3) scheduled Tue 11/12 – Sun 11/17

Credit: 10%

Instructions
• Complete this exercise in your assigned groups – due to the workload, we recommend that you assign
tasks to team members and focus on areas suited to individual skills. Ensure overall workload is evenly
spread across the team, however. Learn new skills if necessary.
• Complete the assignment based on your proposed product solution from Assignment 2
• Ensure readability for your submission. Do not complete an essay or use extensive prose/long
paragraphs. Thoughtfully use document design, layout, headings, bullets, visuals, and tables.
• Suggested length is outlined below (not including title page, artifacts, or appendix) – be concise and
objective (include unexpected or negative outcomes and implications)
• You will create two “artifacts”; marketing collateral and a visual or prototype of the product user
experience. We encourage a rich submission with video, designs, websites, clickable mockups, and/or a
partially working prototype (as defined in class).
• The assignment is out of 100 points as described in the included rubric (see below)
• Submit one set of documents per group – include an accessible, permanent URL to artifacts if online
• Please use the following naming convention: “GroupName_Assignment3_186_Fall2019_Part1/2”
• Include the full names of all your team members on the first page of the submission
• Example past student submissions are available on bCourses

Approach
The assignment is designed to practice the techniques discussed in class for designing and conducting
basic user interviews – including creating a draft product user experience. Your group should meet and
work together frequently to allow time for brainstorming, documentation, and discussion.

Building upon Group Assignment 2, your proposed solution forms a hypothesis you can validate with
your target audience. Later group assignments continue building on your work. In Group Assignment 4,
you will use the feedback you have received to create a Product Backlog and a set of feature
requirements.

Utilize concepts and tools introduced in class and outlined in detail in Chapter 5 of the textbook. Pay
close attention to the best practices and techniques described. Because of the long-lead nature inherent
in building artifacts and recruiting for interviewees, it is an imperative you start the assignment promptly.
For Part 1 you will submit your collateral, wireframe or draft clickable mockup, interview goals, script, the
overall timing, and each question’s estimated time. This will be approximately 2-3 pages. For Part 2, you
will submit updated collateral, an improved clickable mockup, interview documentation, and feedback
report. For convenience, a checklist is below.
PART 1 – DRAFT SUBMISSION (UPDATE FOR FINAL SUBMISSION)

A. Create Artifacts (Wireframes or Mockups, and Collateral)

You will be using these to test with real live potential users. Submit copies or links to your artifacts with your
draft and final submission.

1. Build a piece of collateral that communicates your product and value proposition. Use any
method you wish – be creative!
You must be able to take your collateral into the field with you. It should convey your message quickly.
Avoid focusing on features, however; describe benefits instead.

Promotional collateral ideas

ü Introductory video
ü Product marketing brochure
ü Fake website
ü App-store download screen
ü Crowd-funding with a Kickstarter or Indiegogo
campaign (fake or real)

2. Create a draft prototype of your product's high-level user stories. Use any method you wish
such as websites, mockups, videos, or physical prototype.

Seek input and advice from Instructors if needed. Your draft product does not need to perfect – show
us the direction you are taking. You will continue to evolve it and make it higher fidelity for Part 2.

Important considerations for your prototype

ü The more realistic (interactive and visually appealing)

your prototype, the better your testing will be. A high-
fidelity prototype is ideal.
ü Or opt for a set of "clickable mockups," sequenced
screens showing the flow of major functionality and
features (but without a back-end capturing data).
ü Pay attention to content (graphics and text) ensuring
it is of sufficient standard to enable user interaction.
Make sure the wording and content are similar to
what a real product would show, or otherwise your
users will be confused.
ü You can also use any online or physical world
prototyping or design tool, including HTML/CSS, and
mobile application development tools.
B. Write Interview Script – You will be using it to test with live potential users (Approx. 2-3 pages)

3. Document your interview goals – you will design your script around testing these.
What are the two or three most important things to learn through the user testing (in terms of value and
usability)? Do not overreach. Relate these goals back to Assignment 1 and 2 – they should be consistent.
You will only have a few minutes with each user so aim to test something specific (such as one set of
features, a flow, or a set of benefits) and focus your testing on one customer type.

4. Using best practices and the onion model from the textbook section “Structuring and
conducting user interviews”, brainstorm questions for each stage - such as getting to know
the target user, existing solutions, and users' expectations.
Include at least one question using your collateral (to test your value propositions). Include at least one
user-centric goal-driven task for the user to complete using your prototype (to test usability).

5. Script out your interview from start to finish.

Include an introduction, build rapport, and add your closing statements. NOTE: your script should use the
same questions from (4), do not generate new questions or be inconsistent with (4).

6. Estimate and note a maximum time for each question and calculate the overall interview time.
If it doesn't feel like an appropriate length, decide what to prioritize - make sure time limits and
expectations are reasonable. Don't rush: it is better to get richer information around fewer questions than
get vague answers for all.

NOTE: after Part 1 is submitted, continue to develop your collateral and product. For your final
submission you must go beyond a wireframe to a higher-fidelity clickable mockup or prototype.
Also start recruiting potential interview candidates now…
PART 2 – FINAL SUBMISSION

C. Conduct Interviews

1. Find and qualify three-to-five potential target users to interview.

Qualify means to verify they are representative of your stated target audience.

Tip: You can find your audience in several ways. Ask friends – but avoid close friends,
recruit them online, ask for help on blogs/websites, use Facebook, go to where they
hang out. (Ask for permission of the owner if on private property.) If you are having
trouble finding target users, contact the instructors.

2. Document a short paragraph overview about each.

Include in your report: name; background; values; demographics (rough age; gender; occupation); and
other relevant information. Take a photo or video if you can.

3. Conduct your interviews, following the best practices introduced.

Conducting your Interviews

Ø Pay attention to best practices outlined in the textbook under “Structuring and
conducting user interviews”.
Ø Interview in pairs – one to ask, one to document.
Ø Keep detailed interview notes – you will be required to include quotes from your
users in your report and a copy of your notes in the assignment’s appendix.
Ø If you wish to tape the conversation or take photos or video, ask permission first.
Ø In between interviews, note any questions that didn’t work very well – and make
adjustments to your script accordingly. (Submit your updated script in your final.)

D. Write Report and Recommendations

4. Write up a report in whatever format your team prefers. Among other things, please address
these questions. (Approx: 5-8 pages)

Considerations for your Report

Ø Use any reporting format the team prefers.

Ø Elaborate, answer objectively, and include specifics – make your report actionable.
Ø Include evidence (quotes and observations) from the interviews to support all your
points.
Ø No need to strictly answer each point below in turn, but do make sure you touch on
these somewhere in your report.
Methodology:

Introduce each of your interviewees in a brief paragraph.

Summarize your techniques for finding, qualifying, and getting them to participate. What did you learn
about the challenges of recruiting and qualifying?
Which interviewing best practice was the most challenging to follow? What specific interview experiences
support this?

Results:

What kinds of relevant problems and needs did users say they have? Did you learn anything new about
your target audience/personas?

What solutions do they use today to address their needs? What do they like/dislike about those?

Did they seem to value solving the problem you propose? What evidence (use quotes from your sessions)
support this?

Unaided, what problem did the users think your product solved? What were their first impressions? Did
they struggle at all figuring out what your product does?

Given the collateral, what were user reactions (positive and negative) to your product offering and value
proposition? Did any particular benefit stand out over others?
What feedback did you receive that was consistent from all users? Where were there inconsistent
opinions?

For the user story tasks, what were the areas the users struggled with the most? What usability issues
were revealed? Did they give up? Did you have to assist them?

Were there any other general observations? Were any of these a surprise to you?

Overall, in what ways were the users positive about your product? What were their concerns? Did you
have standout insights that drove new thinking?

Recommendations:
What three recommendations do you have to take action on the feedback you’ve received? Why do you
believe these are the most important takeaways? Make sure these recommendations are answering the
interview goals you set out to test. Look back at your goals and report on each hypothesis. Do not just
focus on usability recommendations!

Submission Checklist
First submission Final submission
ü Collateral ü Collateral (updated)
ü Draft mockups or wireframe (a URL link is fine) ü Clickable mockup or prototype (not wireframe)
ü Goals, hypotheses ü Goals, hypotheses (updated)
ü Draft script with timings ü Script with timings (updated)
ü Two user tasks for interview ü Interviewee profiles
ü Final report and recommendations
ü Interview notes or recordings
 What will we be graded on?

PLAN: ARTIFACTS AND SCRIPT (50pts)

Collateral Provides a copy or link to the collateral. Collateral is creative, compelling, and of a sufficient quality to
(10pts) enable the scope of the assignment. Captures the proposed solution’s benefits and conveys the product
message immediately. At least one interview question leverages the collateral.

Mockups or Provides a copy or link to the artifacts. They are at least at the level of detailed mockups, ideally clickable
Prototype (low-level sketches or wireframes insufficient). Covers the key high-level user stories, and at a quality to
(20pts) enable the scope of the assignment. It is a realistic visual and/or physical representation of the interaction
and appearance of the proposed MVP.

Interview Goals Goals are clear and concise. Goals make sense in context to the high-level user stories from Assignment 2
(5pts) and/or assessment from Assignment 1. Covers both value and usability. Goals, Results and
Recommendations are closely aligned (the team focused on gathering data and results that match the goal).

Questions Incorporates broad, open-ended questions and specific, user-goal oriented tasks. Questions follow best
(15pts) practices. Avoids language that would bias the user or lead to generalizations rather than actionable
feedback. Designs the interview around the hour-glass and Onion models – sets context for the user and
builds trust. Includes an estimated time for each question and a reasonable, unrushed overall length. At
least one interview question leverages your collateral, and one task leverages your product for user testing.

FINAL REPORT (50pts)

Overall Objectivity Team includes positives and negatives. Does not pitch or bias the user. Elaborates in detail – rationally
(10pts) explains outcomes rather than just state or dismiss them. Liberal use of evidence such as quotes and
observations from all interviews including conflicting viewpoints, inconclusive points, and contradictions.

Readability Communicates concisely and in a structured manner. Lays out material in an easy to read format including
(10pts) tables, diagrams, bullets, lists, short paragraphs, and headings – balanced with concise (not verbose) prose.
Appendix includes detailed interview notes or transcripts (or links) and other helpful materials.

Recruiting and Best Profiles at least three qualified interviewees matching target audience. Describes how and the challenges
Practices for recruiting and qualifying test subjects. Self-analysis on best practices the team found challenging and
(5pts) why. Includes relevant experiences from interviews. Adapts their script to address any user confusion.

Results: Existing Description of relevant, high-priority target audience needs. Discusses the extent the user values solving the
Solutions (5pts) problem. Identifies existing solutions and how well they satisfy the target’s need.

Results: Your Description of user reactions to the product (with quotes) – includes benefits (value propositions), first
Solution (5pts) impressions, other feedback, and general observations. Explores possible explanations (without dismissing
the feedback). Discusses consistencies and inconsistencies.

Results: Tasks and Usability outcomes and issues clearly identified – e.g. features, confusing interface, unclear steps,
Usability (5pts) unintended outcomes. Discuss the experience for the user and observations of the team.

Recommendations Thoughtfully assesses feedback and develops three specific, actionable recommendations based on
(10pts) interview results. Goals, Results and Recommendations are closely aligned (the team focused on gathering
data and results that match the goal). Explained how testing will result in an improved product.

Team may make an optional resubmission after receiving feedback for regrading – you must highlight
changes for easy review by instructor.

Continue working on your product after the completion of Assignment 3.