google sheets: user journeys & evaluative research

context

I led research for an extensive 2-part, 3-segment research project for Google Sheets. Google is one of our clients at AnswerLab. I was the sole researcher on this project.

problem

The Google Sheets team lacked a detailed understand of how various user segments utilized mobile Sheets versus desktop Sheets and why. They needed to understand user motivations over time in order to ensure that all versions of the product addressed all users. They also needed to prioritize product/feature improvements based on user research in order to inform their roadmap.

Example of Google Sheets mobile interface.

goals

• Evaluate the mobile versus desktop Google Sheets experience for 3 major segments - large enterprise users, small to midsize business (SMB) users, and those using the product primarily for personal purposes.

• Understand why these users switch from mobile Sheets to desktop Sheets and vice versa.

• Identify needs unique to each user group.

• Identify unmet user needs.

• Prioritize product/feature improvements based on user needs and business impact.

• Map users journeys for each segment.

method

1. Diary Study: Large numbers of participants from each of 3 user segments participated in a diary study conducted via Revelation. I tracked their daily Sheets activities via recurring diary entries and the course of 7 days.

2. In-Depth Interviews: Exemplary participants were selected from each user segments. I conducted in-depth user interviews in order to gain a deeper understanding of each user’s personal context and motivations. Interviews allow me to dig more deeply into unique personal experiences over time, providing key information required for our user journeys. I also asked them to complete typical tasks while screen sharing mobile/desktop while pointing out what was working well versus what needed improvement. This allowed me to better understand their real-time activities. I probed one-on-one in order to understand exactly where snags were occurring, where their needs were not met by the product, and what we could potentially do to address these issues.

outcome

I created an extensive report with visuals of usability issues and maps of user journeys (example map in similar style below). The report included key recommendations in order of priority and was provided in a format designed for presentation to high-level stakeholders. The team used the report and recommendations to prioritize feature improvements and to generate new feature prototypes. They also used the findings for longer term reference to troubleshoot/reference during iteration.