Putting the 'You' in User Research

Toledo Codes hosted "Putting the 'You' in User Research: Usability Lessons for Young Software Developers," featuring an engaging presentation by Blade Frisch, a PhD candidate in Computational Science and Engineering at Michigan Technological University. The event was a tremendous success, bringing together our local tech community for an evening of learning, networking, and collaboration.

About the Presentation

Blade shared his journey from software developer to user researcher, drawing on his diverse background in music education, computer science education, special education, Android development at Ford, and his experience founding an assistive technology startup called Frischly Made Tech.

His presentation addressed a critical aspect of software development that often goes overlooked: understanding the end users of our products. The talk wasn't designed to transform attendees into user researchers (as Blade noted, it's "truly a specialized skillset"), but rather to introduce key concepts and convince developers of the value of basic user research.

Key Approaches Covered

1. Read Up (Research): Looking at what's currently being done through Google searches, company websites, and industry events — understanding that "lived experience is NOT the same as research!"
2. Talk to People (Interviews): Both casual conversations and structured interviews with actual users (specifically NOT other developers) to gain perspective and context.
3. Observe People (Ethnography): Watching users in their natural environments to see what they actually do versus what they say they do.
4. Test with People (Usability Testing): Having users complete specific tasks to identify where designs break down — which Blade emphasized with, "If you do nothing else, do this!"

Key Takeaways

Blade concluded with three essential points:

1. "Being a developer is not enough to make usable software"
2. "Any developer can learn basic usability skills"
3. "Work with usability experts to take your idea from code to product"

He emphasized the importance of diverse teams that include UX/UI designers, graphic designers, content designers, and researchers — not just developers.

Recommended Resources

• "Just Enough Research" by Erika Hall
• "Validating Product Ideas" by Tomer Sharon
• "The User Experience Team of One" by Leah Buley
• "Interviewing Users" by Steve Portigal
• "Observing the User Experience" by Elizabeth Goodman, Mike Kuniavsky, and Andrea Moed
• "User Research" by Stephanie Marsh
• User Interviews Platform

Photos

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