Author: Kristine Remer

Kristine Remer is a CX insights leader, UX researcher, and strategist in Minneapolis. She helps organizations drive significant business outcomes by finding and solving customer problems. She never misses the Minnesota State Fair and loves dark chocolate mochas, kayaking, escape rooms, and planning elaborate treasure hunts for her children.

An Alternative to the Hamburger Menu?

What is a GOOD alternative to the ubiquitous hamburger menu? Ahh… It’s difficult to find a mobile site that doesn’t use it. By alternative to the hamburger menu, I don’t mean what icon is a good replacement.

Digitizing the Output of a Customer Journey Map Workshop

There is a customer journey mapping detail that no one seems to freely share… How in the world do you get the data from hundreds of sticky notes into an editable, digital document? Here’s how I did it.

UX Word of the Day: Chunking

Whenever you go to a baseball stadium or other sports arena, do you ever complain because the seats are broken up into sections? Sections make it easier and faster to find your seats. Imagine having to carry your hot dog and beer past 400 people who are already sitting in their seats.

The Pros + Cons of Using Google Docs for Diary Studies

To uncover deeper and more nuanced customer insights, one of my go-to research methods is the diary study. When conducting a usability study, phone interview, or online survey, I can only capture a specific point in time in the participant’s life. Alternatively, a diary study captures a richer view into what a customer is thinking and doing in the moment … Continue reading “The Pros + Cons of Using Google Docs for Diary Studies”

UX Word of the Day: Information Scent

When a crowd forms around a street performer, you become immediately curious, too. You slow down. You stand on your tip-toes to see over people’s heads. To get someone to be curious online—to scroll or to click—you have to first catch their attention.

How I Find UX Research Participants

I see the question “How do you find usability participants?” a lot on Quora and Slack. The simple truth is, there is no secret place to find participants. But, there are many places to find willing volunteers.

UX Word of the Day: Banner Blindness

People only see what they’re looking for. Unless it’s car keys. Or my eyeglasses. Getting people to see what’s right in front of their face is a universal problem. Both metaphorically and, in the case of websites, quite literally.

Usability in a Box (My Usability Toolkit)

Having a baby changed everything about the way I conduct usability studies. In the first 6 weeks after returning to work from my second maternity leave, I conducted 4 concurrent usability studies. Four sets of everything: Four sets of participants to recruit. Four sets of test materials. Four sets of client stakeholders. Before that, I … Continue reading “Usability in a Box (My Usability Toolkit)”

UX Word of the Day: Orientation

You are here. If you’ve ever traveled to another city, then you immediately understand the importance of knowing where you are relative to other things. And you probably know very well the anxiety — or fear — of feeling lost, confused, or disoriented in a strange city. Where is your hotel from where you’re standing? … Continue reading “UX Word of the Day: Orientation”

UX Research Toolkit: How I Plan User Research

Before conducting any type of user research—whether a usability study or phone interviews—it’s best to start at the very beginning. (Though probably never a UX researcher, Maria von Trapp had it exactly right.)  Creating a user research plan is a very good place to start. My first step in writing a research plan is to conduct one or … Continue reading “UX Research Toolkit: How I Plan User Research”