International game user research

1. International game user research Observations and suggestions

2. Examples of differences • Are there cultural differences in gamers? • Japanese screen designs with DE audience • Japanese DS game with UK audience • Do you need different procedures? • Setting up test procedures for social games in EU • Japan face and name recording • Have you got the right equipment? • Power supplies

3. Planning

4. Insitu contact Session times Local holidays* Help with recruitment Review test materials Help with translation Locate moderator Know where to buy things Power supplies Scope out venues

5. Schedule • Build in extra time • Customs, weather, flights, visas, passports, time zones • Punctuality varies according to stereotype* • Bear in mind when scheduling • Ideally attend at least one session • Arrive day before for set up, final briefing

6. Facilities • Local user research studios • Office space • Hotel rooms* • Ideally centrally located*

7. Facilitators • Highly recommend local facilitator* • Even in English-speaking countries • Better than only recruiting English-speakers • Long term: consider hiring usability, or market researcher • Short-term, university with HCI, psych • Interpreter • Even if just for one day, or first few sessions • Wouldn’t try to facilitate through an interpreter • It’s just a muddle, slow, Chinese whispers

8. Session structures • Start from a position of strength • Confirm testing runs in your location • Or in the most similar location (language) • Maintain a similar structure across locales • In terms of question areas, questionnaires • Allow some benchmarking between locales • But give facilitators question areas • This allows room to express the question • To understand and note the wider thoughts • Not just transcribe verbatim • Distribute the session guide to the local team ASAP • Gather feedback

9. Analysis • Use the initial briefing to help set areas of interest • And the timeline • Run testing in the lead country first, if possible • Identify additional areas of interest • Use to inform the test team, and yourself • Create a structured template for reporting issues • Follow up with phone conversation • Ask for representative, subtitled clips

10. Debrief • Conference call • Not necessarily after the research is complete • Can be useful during the global analysis • Helps you to confirm findings from different domains • Helps to avoid natural tendency to focus on your own country • Cross-check key findings • Final debrief is always a good idea • Especially if you think you’ll be back