Calculate, interpret, and report the numbers from your quantitative UX studies

Collecting and reporting numbers is the backbone of quantitative UX. Learn the statistics needed to understand and analyze the numbers you get from UX research, and the types of predictions you can make from such numbers.

Who Should Attend

  • People who are comfortable with math, Excel formulas, and basic statistics concepts such as means and medians
  • UX practitioners who are currently working on analyzing a quantitative study or will design and analyze quantitative usability studies in the immediate future (~6 months)

For an overview of quantitative benchmarking methods, consider taking Measuring UX and ROI before this course.

What You'll Learn

01 Understand essential statistics concepts in a UX context
  • Center and variability of a data distribution
  • Continuous, discrete, and binary metrics
  • True-score theory
  • Measurement error
  • Confidence intervals
  • Statistical significance
02 Determine how much you can trust your data
  • Why a design with better metrics might not actually be better
  • How to verify whether the numbers from a study are trustworthy 
  • How to protect your quantitative study from measurement errors
  • Which questions to ask when presented with numbers
03 Learn statistics methods and how to apply them to UX data from a variety of sources
  • Master statistical tools for analyzing UX performance metrics (success rates, task-completion times) and self-reported metrics (single-ease questions, SUS, NPS)
  • Compare differences between designs
  • Understand if your design matches a desired benchmark
  • Decide how many participants to recruit for your study to get reliable results
  • Structure research studies to maximize statistical power and relevance
04 Report quantitative findings clearly
  • How to share your results with stakeholders
  • How to avoid statistics-heavy language
  • Preventing misuse of numerical findings by using the right language

This Course Includes

  • Individual hands-on activities using statistical calculators and Excel
  • Quizzes to check your understanding of statistical concepts
  • Cheatsheets for deciding which statistical test to use
  • Glossary of statistical terms
  • Recorded videos of all statistical procedures used in class
  • Solutions for all statistics activities

Materials Required

  • One large monitor or two monitors to easily switch between multiple windows
  • Microsoft Excel installed on your computer (preferred) or Microsoft Excel online. Numbers won't work. Google Sheets may be a good substitute, but we don’t guarantee that all formulas will work
  • Excel function language (for formulas) set to English

Why NN/g

What People Say About This Course

  • Everyone who is looking at numbers from user research should take this class. Researchers, designers, product managers. It drives home the fact that you can't take numbers at face value; you need to figure out if you can trust them. Great class with a fantastic professor.

    Patricia
    Travelers Insurance
  • This course was a good review of statistical methods, and an excellent detailed overview of when to apply particular methods to different situations. I will be able to apply what I have learned immediately in my job.

    Amanda
    Northrop Gruman
  • I have been taking statistics/data analysis courses on other sites that are more generalised. It was SO helpful to learn about it directly through a UX lens. There were examples and connections made that I had never considered.

    Kelly
    ExperienceLab
  • The course was really useful, I learned a lot about statistics. It was a bit complicated to understand at the beginning, but it's really valuable in the end. The instructor was also really clear and helpful.

    Magali
    Greenpeace International

Frequently Asked Questions

How will I get the link to the Zoom meeting for the course?

60 minutes before your course begins, your link will be available when you log into your NN/g profile.

Can I watch a recording of the course?

Virtual courses are live events that extend throughout the day and include many periods of interactive exercises. The learning experience cannot be replicated by simply watching recordings after the event. We will not be making course recordings, and making your own recordings is not permitted.

Will I be able to network and get to know other participants?

You'll join a Slack community for both course-related discussion and networking with fellow participants. You'll also be able to use the Slack workspace before, during, and after the event to maintain your connections. You'll be invited to join the Slack community the week before the event starts.

What equipment will I need to participate in NN/g live online courses?

You'll be streaming video and audio to your computer, and also speaking with other participants. Make sure you have:

  • A laptop or desktop (using a tablet is not recommended)
  • A stable high-speed internet connection
  • Speakers or headphones
  • A microphone
  • A webcam
Do I really need a microphone and webcam?

White it's possible to attend our virtual courses without your own webcam or microphone, you will not be able to fully participate in learning activities. Many of our courses use hands-on practice as the primary way of learning design and research techniques. You'll learn more during these activities if you can fully participate, and your collaboration partners can see and hear you. We also recommend using headphones.

Do I have to download any software?

All courses use Zoom and Hightail, a file-sharing service. Some courses require the use of Google Drive apps or Miro. All tools are free to use and do not require you to create an account, but you should ensure your device permissions allow you to access these tools.

  • Zoom is a video conferencing service. Our meetings follow security best practices, including passwords and waiting rooms. We recommend installing the Zoom app, which is free. If you are not able to install the Zoom software, you can also join through Chrome web browser. Test your access to Zoom.
  • Hightail will be used to share downloadable course materials (such as PDF copies of presentation slides). Test your access to Hightail. (If your network blocks you from access Hightail, during the event our conference team will be able to assist you with alternative ways to receive your course materials.
  • Google Drive apps are used for collaborative learning activities. If you are not able to use Google Docs or Sheets, you will be able to download copies of the activity materials, but may not be able to fully participate in group work. Test your access to Google Docs.
  • Miro is an online whiteboarding tool and is used for collaborative learning activities in some courses. You can download the Miro app or open a Miro link in your browser.
Will my internet connection be fast enough?

You will need a stable internet connection with a minimum of 3 Mbps (up and down) in order o participate in 
NN/g virtual courses. Ideally, a faster connection speed of 25 Mbps download and 5Mbps upload is recommended to ensure HD video and audio quality. If you are using a WIFI network, disconnect all other devices from that network to improve the streaming quality. Check your internet connection speed.

Can I join from my phone or tablet?

We do not recommend attending our classes from a small-screen device. Although you will be able to connect to the meeting, it will be difficult to see the detailed examples shared during class. It will also be extremely difficult to participate in collaborative exercises which require typing and interactive documents.