Description

This handbook is about how to define and scale user research processes and practices by applying Operations Thinking. Operations Thinking is an approach to building, scaling and embedding human-centric design in any organisation to develop or improve products and services.

This book delves into how to systematically establish and embed user research capabilities within an organization, guided by the principles of Operations Thinking and the comprehensive 8 ‘P’s framework that is focused on Processes, Practices, People, Performance, Places, Products, Principles, and Prioritising.

Each ‘P’ is thoughtfully accompanied by an associated canvas, collectively forming a comprehensive toolkit for defining and refining user research processes and maximizing their organizational impact.

By using the ‘Ops’ Canvases, the book empowers teams to cultivate processes within a human-centered design paradigm, integrating design thinking, Lean UX, and Agile principles.

Managing research operations is challenging and the book explores topics such as budgeting, project management, and logistics, as well as strategies for building and maintaining a successful research team while curating knowledge and sharing actionable insights.

A community of practice needs to formulate and define a set of principles that guide that community based on governance and ethics. The book discusses the importance of ethical considerations in research, such as protecting the privacy and confidentiality of participants, and obtaining informed consent.

At the end of this book I have compiled a range of resources for you to use with links to websites and a bibliography of useful books and further reading.