Identifying Key Insights

This exercise intends to synthesise user research into refined list of key insights.

Introduction

This exercise takes a Product Manager through identifying what was common, unexpected or illuminating from user research. They'll then group these into themes and use these themes to generate statements of the key insights.

This method will give a list of key insights supported by data, quotes and observations. Breaking the workshop down into four steps allows the Product Manager to focus on each step and understand the process of synthesis.

Required Materials

Post-its

Workflow

1. Product Managers should each write the most common, unexpected or illuminating stories that came from user research on separate Post-it notes. It is important to think about underlying behaviours and motivations of the user. Also, they should include things which falsified their previous assumptions.

2. One at a time, each Product Manager should then add all the Post-its to a board where everybody in the room can see.

3. As a group, the Product Managers should re-arrange the Post-its into groups based on commonality.

4. Now, name the themes, identifying what it is that links the Post-its in each group. This should be done as a group with the Product Manager leading. Other Product Managers can suggest different phrasing or highlight where an observation seems out of place.

5. Create a statement for each group that would transform the theme into a core insight. This should encompass all of the data, observations and quotes within the group. It should also read differently to the quotes, observations and data from which it came - the insight statement should be a broad analysis of the detailed research.

6. Now, repeat steps 3 to 5 for each Product Manager's research.

Collaboration

Asking the Product Managers to work together in synthesising their research will encourage a fresh perspective from outside of the organisation. This helps to avoid bias in the grouping and will provide a deeper insight statement at the end. Allowing the Product Manager to lead and be supported by other participants will encourage collaboration and mediation between participants.