Recruiting Participants
Recruiting participants involves identifying and selecting individuals who are representative of the product's target user base to partake in user research activities. This process ensures that the insights and feedback gathered are relevant and actionable.
Goal
We need to recruit relevant participants to ensure that the insights and feedback gathered from user research activities are representative of the product's target user base.
Context
Stream Teams need to be running continuous research so there is an on-going need to recruit participants. Therefore it is critical that the team focuses on a process that is efficient and effective.
Methods
Existing Customers
| Method | Description | Benefits | Considerations | Best Suited For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live Chat Pop-ups | Automated messages that invite website visitors to participate in research during their visit. | Immediate engagement, high visibility, easy to implement. | May be perceived as intrusive, low completion rate. | Websites with significant traffic, early-stage feedback. |
| Customer Advisory Board | A group of customers formed to provide feedback on products and strategies. | In-depth insights from highly engaged users, builds customer relationships. | Time to set up and manage, may not represent all user types. | Long-term product development, strategic feedback. |
| Existing Interactions | Utilising interactions from sales or support channels to recruit participants. | Leverages existing relationships, high potential for engagement. | Privacy considerations, may bias towards users experiencing issues. | Feedback on existing features, usability improvements. |
| Social Media / Email Outreach | Using social media platforms or email platforms to invite followers or targeted audiences to participate in research. | Broad reach, cost-effective, quick to implement. | Response rates vary, audience may not represent target users. | Brand loyalists, trend analysis, initial user feedback. |
Non Customers
| Method | Description | Benefits | Considerations | Best Suited For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online Interviewee Tools | Platforms that facilitate finding and scheduling participants for online interviews. | Streamlines recruitment process, access to a diverse pool of participants. | Costs associated with platform use, participants may not be customers. | Remote user research, qualitative studies. |
| Recruitment Agencies | Specialised agencies that recruit research participants based on specific criteria. | Access to targeted participants, time-saving. | Costly, less control over participant engagement. | Specific user groups, high-quality user data. |
| Referral Programs | Encouraging current research participants or customers to refer others. | Expands participant pool through networks, potentially more engaged users. | Requires incentives, potential for homogeneity in participant pool. | Expanding user research reach, diverse qualitative feedback. |
| Public Events and Meetups | Engaging with potential participants at events related to your product or industry. | Direct interaction, opportunity for immediate feedback. | Logistical planning, ad-hoc so not suitable for continuous research. | Community engagement, product launches, real-world feedback. |
Inputs
| Artifact | Description |
|---|---|
| Research Objectives | Clear and focused goals for the research effort. |
| Research Plan | A detailed document outlining the research objectives, methodologies, timeline, and resources. |
Outputs
| Artifact | Description |
|---|---|
| Automated Recruitment Pipeline | A pipeline for automatically recruiting participants based on specific criteria to ensure that teams maintain a continuous flow of participants. |
| Scheduled Interviews | A calendar of interviews with participants who have agreed to participate in the research. |
| Survey Audience | A list of potential participants, including their background and context. |
| Field Study Participants | A list of potential participants, including their background and context. |
| Diary Study Participants | A list of potential participants, including their background and context. |
| Card Sorting Participants | A list of potential participants, including their background and context. |
Anti-patterns
- Over-reliance on Convenient Samples: Relying too heavily on easily accessible participants, such as friends or family, which may not represent the target user base.
- Ignoring Diversity: Failing to recruit a diverse group of participants, leading to skewed insights that do not fully represent the user base.
- Lack of Clarity in Communication: Failing to communicate the purpose, requirements, and incentives for the study clearly, leading to confusion or mistrust among potential participants.
- Inadequate Screening: Not thoroughly screening participants based on the research criteria, resulting in unqualified participants that may skew the research findings.