I deliver User Research, Usability and UX processes. I focus mainly on design optimization, and base my development on User-Centric & ethnographic methods.
I like to inspire stakeholders and engage them into the core values of the design process through dynamic workshops.
My Name is Lucas, and I am a Usability and User Researcher.
Toolbox
Every User Researcher has their own toolbox. One that takes shape through the years. Each element added by curiosity or public demand.
Trial-Error and personal preferences helped me acquire the tools I have to offer clients, based on each particular situation.
I want you to take a look at my very one Usability and User Research Toolbox.
Some of them are obvious choices, like Usability Testing; Others are a little more innovative, like Visual Anthropology. Others are more academic, such as Ethnographic Interviews; and others are there to explore many possibilities, like Prototyping.
I am really interested in the development of Personas and the multiple applications they have all around the Design Process.
So come on in, take a look at what I have to offer and let me know how I can help you make the world of your users (and design team) a better one – one project at the time!
Workshops
I like to DO things. I like to TEACH things. I don’t agree with Woody Allen when he says that “Those who can’t do, teach. Those who can’t teach, teach gym”. I like to do things while teaching.
I have designed and developed a series of workshops for the different stages of the design process based on design thinking and participatory design.
Most of the workshops are focused on those that need to develop a product: Designers, Developers, Project Managers.
My goal with each of the workshops is that participants can go back to their desks, their white boards and create better products that are connected with their users’ needs.
Portfolio
For the last few years I have worked as a freelance and in-house consultant for different clients.
As a consultant I was only a part of the project for a short period. Sometimes my participation was longer than normal, but in average my participation was for about 3 weeks.
Many of those projects were done under Non-Disclosure Agreements, so while I can’t talk about the products or the results, I want to showcase here a short reference of the methods that were used on each one of them.
LEGO House
This project was the longest running project I had as a freelance so far. I started working with them as part of my involvement with SnitkerGroup. Six months into the process I became a freelance and remained part of the testing team. I was involved for almost 2 years on this project.
I had many roles on this project. Usability Specialist, documenting, test runner (I made sure we could have a nice and smooth test), A/V equipment, coordination with the recruitment agency, coordinating with other usability consultants, video edition, qualitative data analysis, interviewing the children and their parents before and after the testing session.
I was so invested on this project, that I base many of my current workshops on the way that the design and testing team worked together. I based my Master’s thesis on this project and its implications for the design workshop and design thinking processes.
Grundfos - Intranet
In 2001 Grundfos released a modern and advanced Intranet for its core customers. Fast forward to 2013 and that Intranet is not modern, it is old.
My role as a consultant was to go out and do ethnographic interviews with a group of users in relation to the new Intranet Prototype. This project was more than just Usability Testing, it included Ethnographic Research on location and interviewing users about their relation to their work experience with Grundfos and how they use the intranet at work.
I used classic usability tools such as Think Aloud Test, both in person and remotely. I also conducted several Ethnographic Interviews with the users, but also the design team. The results were presented to the client and the designers through a workshop.
My goal, beyond the scope of the research, was to bridge the gap between Users and Designers during the research phase, and between the Design Team and the Technical Advisors during the workshop.
Momondo - Places App
While I worked at SnitkerGroup, I was part of the Usability Research for a brand new application developed by Momondo.
This app was already in its later stages, and while not ready to launch, it was well ahead in the process. The Usability Research that I did was not to validate the design, but to help the team focus on what was important for the users with a working prototype.
There were 10 Usability Testing sessions over 2 days. After each session there was a quick recap and sharing of insights by all those that were observing the test. At the end of the day there was a wrap-up to talk about all the testing done during the day. A quick findings list was send to the client 2 days after the test was over, and a full report was delivered after 5 days.
It all ended with a presentation/workshop with members of the design, development and management teams.
NFBio - Website
This Project was a combination of Rapid-Iterative Design, Usability Testing and Non-Moderate Remote Testing.
I had two distinctive roles during this project: Project Manager and Usability Specialist.
Besides the 12 Usability Tests that were conducted by one of my colleagues, there were also 10 more that were done remotely by an external company. My main task as Project Manager was to coordinate the tests and collect the data.
As the Usability Specialist I was in charge of designing the study, the interview guides, observe the testing sessions, do the data analysis and present the results to the client.
Oddly enough, the most difficult part of the project was to present the results to the client. Because we worked so well during the testing sessions, and they were quick to tell their developers to implement small changes, by the time I had to present the results, almost all of the findings were already corrected and the suggestions implemented.
Nets - Prototype
This was a challenging but really interesting project. I was asked to work on an idea the client already had and to come up with two added designs. For this I was asked to create 3 Paper Prototypes: One for the client’s own idea and one for each of my own designs.
After a quick Workshop it was decided that I would create 2 final paper prototypes to be tested with 20 users. The first prototype was a combination of the client’s idea and my first design. The second prototype was solely my own design.
I developed the question guide, set up the testing facilities and worked closely with the project manager and the in-house UX during the testing sessions.
During the test, I was both observing and creating new screens for the paper prototype. It was difficult to persuade the team that it was a good idea to do quick changes in between each iteration of the test, especially when we had 20 users. It took only a few testing sessions before we started trying new ideas and exploring new solutions.
Contact
Blog
I am not a Designer
I am not a designer
I don’t do pretty graphics
I don’t do pretty interfaces
I help others create good products
I help designers create great experiences
My product is the process
My product is the journey, not the destination
What I Believe In
I believe in Users.
I believe that users hold the key to what they want.
But I believe that research, design and creativity can find the right solutions for what users really need.
We all want gold. What we really need is a nice sandwich.
I like to work with design workshops, involving as many relevant social groups as possible: Users, Designers, Developers, and if possible, even that person that once in a while is going to glance at the product and think: “whoa! that’s interesting”.
I’ve been working as a User Researcher and Usability Expert for the last five years, and I am ready to take on a new chapter on my professional journey: Usergrapher.com
I don’t believe in multitasking, but I do have a sense of urgency that would let me know when to move to what needs to be done, and give it 100% of my attention.
And I love to learn and share that knowledge with others.