Presented at the 2012 User Focus Conference.

1. So you think you can moderate?
Techniques to enhance your moderating skills
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Andrew Schall
Director of User Experience
SPARK Experience Design
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2. In this session:
• What kind of moderator are you?
• Understand what makes a good moderator
• The participant persona watch list
• Moderating Live!
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3. 1,200+ hours
moderating user research sessions
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4. So…are you a good moderator?
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5. Most people think they are
good moderators
(This is typically not the case)
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6. The spectrum of moderator personalities
Robotic Animated
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7. Attributes of a good moderator
• Friendly (but not too friendly)
• Flexible
• Open-minded
• Objective
• Curious
• Deals well with ambiguity
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8. How to be a good moderator
Do’s & Don’ts
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9. Remember that participants:
• Are often nervous
• Feel as though they are being
tested
• On their best behavior
• Have more patience
• Usually want to please you
(Experimenter Effect)
• Want to succeed
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10. Keep Quiet
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11. Observe
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12. Ask
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13. Reducing bias
Don’t let the participant know
what you are thinking
• Watch your verbal language
• Watch your body language
• Embody neutrality
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14. What to do when a participant…
• Asks you a question about the task
• Gets stuck
• Looks frustrated/confused/grunts/sighs
• Gives up
• Does the wrong thing and thinks they are wrong
• Does the wrong thing and thinks they are right
• Does the right thing
• Asks you if they got the task right
• Asks for your opinion
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15. Participant Persona Watch List
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16. The Mute
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17. The Talker
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18. The Naysayer
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19. Mr./Mrs. Positive
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20. The Designer
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21. Let’s try this out
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22. Q&A
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