Get Sprinting: The UX Experiment

Developing a Color Theory Experiment Using Five Day Sprints

Over the period of a semester I learned how to utilize a 5 day sprint method. Now these kinds of sprints are usually preformed in, you guessed it 5 days. But because I am not a professional, working UX designer just yet, we took a semester to complete our sprints. One a week, with a few weeks here and there that got skipped.

During this sprint I was developing my own user experience test, which was how color can effect a person’s mood and how designers can use color as a tool to give users a better experience. These sprints are lined up with my other article: Set the Mood, detailing the experiment, my goals, and the results.

After coming up with some experiment ideas, we got together in groups to discuss the different topics and decide which experiment idea would be the best one to pursue. I came to the group with one idea: Color Theory — how to use color to create a mood within an app. I was able to talk through with my peers what the benefits of this experiment would be, and if it was viable in the first place. After my experiment idea/topic was finalized I began the 5 day sprint.

Monday’s Sprint: Refine your Experiment

Working as groups, students are to springboard, refine, and critique ideas with peers in relationship with their individual group experiments.

The goals were to identify primary challenges, and talk with peers on how to solve those primary challenges. Then identify the primary target of the experiment. This was also supposed to be done within a 15 minute time period — they are called “sprints” for a reason.

“The sprint helped me narrow down the primary challenges. Which are, how to use color to direct emotion, and how to distinguish between using color for aesthetics are using it as a tool. It was difficult to get my ideas out in words, and be able to get good ideas out of myself, and out of my members. It was also difficult to find the scope of the project I wanted to focus on and flesh out. I feel like I need to get a little deeper into the project and start the research. I was able to set some priorities, which are getting color pallets designed for a specific mood fleshed out, and getting my initial research of colors done. Eric helped me frame up some possible solutions, and come up with ways to combat my challenges and hone in on the problem I am trying to solve, and the specific ways of how to solve it like a color wheel and swatches. I was able to identify my target as creating color pallets.”

Tuesday’s Sprint: Find a Sketched Solution

Moving from the target stage to the solutions stage, using critical thinking over artistry. Working as independently as possible, rather than groups, students are to push their ideas further along the path from the previous Design Studio Sprint.

1. The first goal is to Remix and Improve on the concepts that have been fleshed out in the last sprint. Work to review current ideas and not be afraid to look at old ideas and new inspiration. Just like homemade dough, look to refold once again to mix the essential ingredients.
2. The second goal is to sketch. Here it’s important to start to flesh out details on paper that have surfaced in the remix and improvement stage. Pencil and paper are the best solutions for this stage so sharpen up and get to scratching!

The goal of this sprint was to work through all the possibilities of your experiment, and figure out the key parts and pieces by writing down your thought processes on paper. This could be notes, diagrams, or sketches. The other half of the sprint was to come up with some prototype ideas to test your experiment with. You were to come up with at least 8 different kinds. This helped me see all of the options there were and better figure out what the best way to test my experiment would be logistically.

Tuesday’s Sprint sketches, notes, and ideas.

Wednesday’s Sprint: Decision Day

Moving from the solutions stage to the decision stage, using honest assessments of the elements found in the basic sketches. This is critical as decisions must be made on which elements in a design challenge make the cut.

1. Take the most recent set of sketches completed used to flesh out the core problem(s) in the proposed experiment and post them on the whiteboard or wall
2. Take a piece of paper and write down in one sentence what has been determined to be the core problem that needs to be resolved for the reviewers to focus their attention
3. Each member of the group should be remotely familiar with the experimental concept from the first Sprint and be able to assess the sketches for standout ideas as ‘speed critiques’
4. Without speaking to one another, group members should mark stand out ideas with circle stickers, to identify what aspects of the sketched solutions appear to be solutions to the problem identified
5. Take the new feedback and create a final set of sketches with any revisions focused on what was learned in the ‘speed critiques’ by peers

The goal of this sprint was to pick which prototype and ideas were the ones you were going to pursue. We got into groups, and explained our experiment, then showed each other our sketches and notes from Tuesday’s sprint. Then we took stickers and put ones by the ones we liked, and explained why we liked them, or didn’t like them. Giving each other recommendations, constructive criticism and helped each other decide which idea would be the best for our experiment.

It helped to show off our work to others and get their opinions, also to get a fresh eye on your designs is very nice. It is also helpful to work in groups and talk through your thoughts before diving into them. During this experiment I scaled down my testing prototypes from 3 to 1. It helped me determine the best prototype testing process and scale down to refine the most important pieces.

Wednesday’s Sprint Sticker Process

Thursday’s Sprint: Begin Rapid Prototyping

Moving from the Decide stage to the Prototype stage, the goal is to take the ‘fake it’ philosophy to turn your storyboard materials into a realistic prototype. Thursday is all about illusion — making a façade of a product to accomplish more in one day than in one week or one month.

1. Take the final sketches that were completed in sprint three and begin to organize the structure of the prototype being careful to plan for screens and what actions must be added to connect them (hint: it may be best to quickly create a flowchart)
2. Use only the essentials to test the concept (If something is not right, scrap it and start over)
3. It is important to only build just enough to learn, but no more — constrain yourselves from going to far and do not feel the urge to make the prototype look real a this point
4. Ensure that objects, text, and important links are all represented in the UI and notated on a prototype checklist (hint: if sketches are detailed enough use this as the checklist)

The goal of this sprint is come up with a prototype to eventually refine enough to use in your final experiment testing. These prototypes are rapid, so don’t get attached, and build them to answer your own questions AKA are these ideas I have actually tangible with the resources I have. Also we were to keep in mine that these prototypes were supposed to be used to find the “perfect” prototype for our experiment.

Friday’s Sprint: Get Interviewing

Moving from the ‘Fake It’ prototype phase to the Learn stage, the goal is to take the ‘fake it’ object of the experiment and do all that can be done to understand if assumptions are correct. Friday is all about interpretation — being curious about a problem and seeing if a new design idea has merit through interviews.

1. Set up a time to conduct short interviews with potential ‘Users’ of the product on the experiment
2. Conduct interviews

• A Friendly Welcome to start the interview
• A series of general, open-ended context questions about the customer
• Introduction to the prototype(s)
• Detailed tasks to get the customer reacting to the prototype
• A quick debrief to capture the customer’s overarching thoughts and impressions

3. DON’T ask multiple choice questions — DO ask five W’s and one H questions (What, Why, Where, When and then How)

4. Take detailed (meaningful) notes as to the responses and any observations associated with the experiment

5. Analyze the results to interpret how the interview provided insights to questions and assumptions

The goal of this sprint is to get user feedback. We were to interview people we thought could be potential users and see if they were even remotely interested in our concept. Most of my peers had actual products they were testing — they’re experiment was their app prototype, but mine was slightly different because I was really testing a color theory, and using my prototype as a conduit for that theory. So in my interviews I asked questions both about fitness apps, and their opinions on how color can effect mood or if they have noticed a trend in gym spaces and how they use their colors.

Interview information gathered from Friday’s Sprint

When I finished this 5 day sprint I was well on my way with my experiment. This process helped me come up with, refine, and execute my color theory experiment pretty well. If you haven’t tried this method it really helps to get you going quickly and help you figure out the most effective way to test your experiment.