Product Research Rules: A Foundational Guide for Accurate, Accelerated User Research that Delivers Insights in Four Simple Steps

Digital product research doesn't have to be difficult, take a long time, or cost a lot of money. Nor should it be a job solely for scientists or expert researchers. In this practical book, Aras Bilgen, C. Todd Lombardo, and Michael Connors demonstrate how your entire team can conduct effective product research within a couple of weeks--easily, cheaply, and without compromising quality.

Drawing from decades of experience in product development, the authors lay out nine simple rules that combine user research, market research, and product analytics to quickly discover insights and build products customers truly need.

• Recognize and avoid common research pitfalls
• Switch to the insight-making mindset that underlies all successful research efforts
• Find out how to look at data, formulate the right questions, and pick the right research method
• Learn interview techniques and research skills
• Analyze for insights collaboratively while avoiding bias
• Inspire action with your insights through powerful presentations and prototypes
• Learn how to involve a wide variety of stakeholders in research, from developers to executives
• Discover how you can make research a habit, not a one-off effort

C. Todd Lombardo ― Originally trained in science and engineering, he’s held positions ranging from scientist, to engineer, to product manager, to designer, and even professor. He’s the founder of ProductCamp Boston, and currently works on Product at Vempathy, an artificial intelligence app that helps product teams gain insight into their user behaviors. He also serves on the adjunct faculty at IE Business School in Madrid, as well as Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). He is a published O'Reilly Media author with two titles: Design Sprint (2015) and Product Roadmaps Relaunched (2017).

Aras Bilgen ― Aras provides design training and coaching for designers, business analysts, and executives. He held design leadership roles in finance and e-commerce domains. He was the Senior Vice President of experience design and front-end development at Garanti Bank, the Product Director for ÇiçekSepeti (the largest flower and gifting site in the world), a Product Group Manager at Monitise, and a UX planner at Intel for MeeGo and Tizen. He speaks at international design conferences, and the products he worked on have reached more than 160 million users worldwide.

Aras holds an MSc in Computer Science from Georgia Tech, a BSc from Bilkent University and currently pursuing a BA in Sociology from Anadolu University. He completed research internships at Microsoft Research Cambridge and Lancaster University, United Kingdom.

Michael Connors is the Executive Creative Director of Fresh Tilled Soil, a Boston-based design firm. He primarily leads strategic design thinking sessions for projects of all sizes. Throughout his 25+ year design career, he has been a hands-on designer for a wide range of deliverables for digital and print products. He was formally trained as a fine artist with an MFA in Painting. He has been a design consultant for major universities for many years and has regularly taught design at the higher-ed level. He is currently Adjunct Faculty at IE Business School in Madrid, teaching workshops on design thinking.