Scales are data collection instruments that assign a numeric value to individual characteristics. There are a number of types of scales that are useful in design research. Some of the most common types are:

• Rating scales – A rating scale asks participants to evaluate aspects of a product or service and to assign a predefined value to it, ranging from highest or best to lowest or worst.
• Likert scales – A Likert scale (pronounced lie’ kurt or lick’ ert) has an initial statement, and then a 5 point scale that ranges from strongly agree on one end to strongly disagree on the other end.
• Semantic differential scales – A semantic differential scale presents personal attributes as a scale of polar opposites. Participants assign themselves, or researchers assign participants to a position on the scale that indicates the degree to which they match one end or the other of the scale, or where they fall in the middle.

Scales isolate personal characteristics that are key factors in online behavior, and designate degrees on the scale where each participant would either place themselves, or where the researcher would place them based on responses to questions and exercises. The individual dimensions represented on the scale are usually derived from an initial set of user data. In a pinch the research team can brainstorm a relevant set of dimensions based on direct or indirect experience with use behavior.

Copyright 2009, Paul Bryan, Usography Corporation (www.usography.com)

Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/in/uxexperts

Below is an example persona that was created to represent a segment of mobile phone customers. (FYI: This persona is partially based on Gizmodo’s iPhone demographics article, and was uploaded to the ixda discussion group in answer to a post).

Name: Christine Martinez

Age: 31

HHI: $82,000

Location: NYC

Education: Bachelor’s degree, Communications

Job title: Human resources generalist

Marital status: Single, involved in medium term relationship

Internet IQ: High

Shopping IQ: High

Adoption segment: early majority, fashion forward

Primary goals related to cellphone purchase: Email access, web browsing, car safety

Most relevant features: Touchscreen, Pandora access, voice activated dialing, social media app integration

Drivers: Convenience, customer service, cost of phone+data plans, in-sync with trends

Loyalty: High, despite frustration, does not want hassle to switch.

Favorite web sites: Zappo’s, Amazon.com, Hotels.com, woot.com

Internet profile: 2 hours per day, non-email internet usage

Technology profile: Dell laptop (provided by job); iMac at home; iPod touch; iPhone 3G

Social media profile: Averages 45 minutes per day on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, delicious

Favorite TV shows: Dancing with the Stars; Grey’s Anatomy; Men in Trees

Reading now: Ad Age, Ad Week, BrandWeek, Outliers, The Time Traveler’s Wife

Characteristics that impact purchases: Tracks deal web sites like woot.com and , always searches for coupons, willing to spend to not appear out of touch, does not monitor bills

Business value: Periodic high impulse spend despite cautious purchase patterns; refreshes technology every 2 years; open to fashion add-ons

Purchase barriers: What she reads has a big impact on purchase decisions. Negative remarks in Twitter or other social media interpreted as fact. Depends heavily on smart search feature to find products. Wants to see how she or home will look with product, so she often won’t buy until her friends have it.

Purchase Tunnel Dropoff: Difficulty viewing total price before purchase, lack of clear arrival date, lack of clear return policy, better deal on similar item that has same appearance value

Requested content/features: High-level comparison that includes discounts, feature demos, toll-free customer service that is in USA with phone number on web site home page

Switch behavior: Low-switch behavior. Unlikely to switch complex services unless she feels customer service has cheated her. For non-complex switch situations, e.g. cable TV, will switch when she sees an ad with clearly superior pricing and equivalent feature set. Unlikely to switch for features.

Quotes:

-       I am on a mission. I go to the Internet with a specific purpose in mind. I don’t browse around for no practical purpose (except Zimbio and YouTube)

-       I want to see what other people say about it before I make a decision. If a product is good, it will be popular.

-       I don’t trust those companies you never heard of before.

-       I don’t want to start from scratch every time I go back to a web site. I like stores and web sites to remember me, the ones I trust, that is.

-       I bought it at Best Buy because I had a 10% off coupon

-       I don’t like a lot of marketing noise. I don’t trust it and when I see a lot of mixed marketing messages it makes me think that they are desperate and confused about what they are selling.

Method for tracking this customer type with web analytics:

-       Entry through marketing campaign on affiliate site that has content targeted to 30 yr. old single female

-       Purchases fashion accessory that has higher than average price

-       Views many photo pages, does not view many detailed specs pages

-       Responds to clickthrough articles and ads with fashion and appearance as main topics

-       Search terms: most popular, best deal

Typical purchase scenario:

-       Sees ads on TV and billboards

-       Sees friend with product

-       Google search

-       CNET review

-       Discussion forums (professional, technical)

-       View in store

-       View cost breakdown

-       Search for coupons, deals

-       With a discount, on occasion when she feels prosperous, takes the plunge, buys 2 or 3 accessories to make product look better

Experience gaps:

-       Product links from Facebook pages of friends to catalog

-       Realistic visual cost meter on services

-       Customer service guarantees

-       In-store video product details mixed with humor, popularity, and deals; accessible on web site for replay

Copyright 2009, Paul Bryan, Usography Corporation (www.usography.com)

Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/in/uxexperts