Abstract

User research is global – yet despite its pervasiveness, practitioners are not all well equipped to work globally. What may have worked in Nigeria may not be accepted in Russia, may be done differently in Brazil, may partly work in China, and may completely fail in Kuwait. And what often goes less noticed, but can be equally vexing are technical, logistical and planning issues such as hiring qualified translators, payment procedures, travel issues, setting up facilities and finding test participants.

The Handbook of Global User Research is the first book to focus on global user research. The book collects insight from UX professionals from nine countries and, following a typical project timeline, presents practical insights into the preparation, fieldwork, analysis and reporting, and overall project management for global user research projects. Any user experience professional that works on global projects -- including those new to the field, UX veterans who need information on this expanding aspect of user research, and students -- will need this book to do their job effectively.

*Presents the definitive collection of hard won lessons from user research professionals around the world *Includes real-world examples of global user research challenges and provides approaches to these issues *Contains anecdotes and hard-won from the field that illustrate actionable tactics for practitioners

"Our products increasingly are finding their way around the world.  Usable designs need to reflect the diversity of those global users if they are going to be successful, and not just the perspective coming from one lab in a corporate headquarters.  Robert Schumacher’s Handbook of Global User Research is like a GPS system for navigating the complexities of that diversity.  It is packed with an incredible amount of practical advice, useful tips, and warnings about potential disasters." – Arnie Lund, PhD, CUXP, Director, User Experience, Microsoft

"Collectively, the authors bring decades and decades of hands-on experience to this book---and it shows. The Handbook of Global User Research offers a wealth of practical tips and advice you can readily rely on in your daily work. But it’s not just a list of do’s and don’ts: this book provides in-depth discussions and history of each topic covered. Anyone doing user research across borders should have a copy of HGUR on their shelf." – James Kalbach, User Experience Consultant, LexisNexis, author of Designing Web Navigation.