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

MethodDescriptionBenefitsConsiderationsBest Suited For
Live Chat Pop-upsAutomated 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 BoardA 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 InteractionsUtilising 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 OutreachUsing 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

MethodDescriptionBenefitsConsiderationsBest Suited For
Online Interviewee ToolsPlatforms 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 AgenciesSpecialised 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 ProgramsEncouraging 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 MeetupsEngaging 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

ArtifactDescription
Research ObjectivesClear and focused goals for the research effort.
Research PlanA detailed document outlining the research objectives, methodologies, timeline, and resources.

Outputs

ArtifactDescription
Automated Recruitment PipelineA pipeline for automatically recruiting participants based on specific criteria to ensure that teams maintain a continuous flow of participants.
Scheduled InterviewsA calendar of interviews with participants who have agreed to participate in the research.
Survey AudienceA list of potential participants, including their background and context.
Field Study ParticipantsA list of potential participants, including their background and context.
Diary Study ParticipantsA list of potential participants, including their background and context.
Card Sorting ParticipantsA 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.

Was this page helpful?

Previous
Developing Research Plan
© ZeroBlockers, 2024. All rights reserved.