DECO2019 
Tutorial Week 10: What makes an insight? 
Today’s 
Agenda Result Section Examples 
What is an Insight? 
What Makes a Good Insight? 
Results 
A concise, factual summary of your findings. 
It is common to use tables and graphs. 
In general, you won't discuss your results 
here. Any analysis of your results usually 
occurs in the discussion section. 
Present your results in a consistent 
manner 
Present your information in a clear 
and logical sequence. 
Use charts, tables, graphs and 
pictures to demonstrate your results 
These are collectively called "figures" in a report. 
Make sure that each of these is labelled and 
numbered consecutively.  
Tips for waiting about your results: 
There are many ways to 
write your results 

Using the theme name 
as a section title to 
establish structure 
Recounting and stating 
facts that come from 
the research 
Embedding user 
quotes into the writing 
Shows both points of 
view in the research 
Research Insights 
The following section applies to your final 
assignment, not the current one 
All the user research in the world doesn’t matter 
if you don't produce insights that designers, 
businesses or other researchers can use. 
How do we define user insights? 
They come from analysis and synthesis 
Designers should be able to act on them 
They provide a guide/path for better decision-making (and don't give one 
solution) 
They should be easily findable 
Here are some of the common ideas I read about insights: 
How do we define user insights? 
These points feel like the generic definition of a user research insight: an 
actionable recommendation, based on research, that a designer/researcher 
can use to make better decisions. 
There isn’t necessarily anything wrong with this definition, but I believe it 
puts ideas into a small box. It makes insights product-focused, instead of 
user-centric. Insights are NOT observations, quantitative data trends, or 
what a customer wants. 
Instead, lets think of insights this way: 
A nugget of truth about human behaviour that pushes us to 
challenge our preconceived notions about how people act or 
perceive the world. They reveal to us the underlying motivations 
behind behaviour. 
Many times I see insights that aren't 
insights, so, before we define what 
an insight is, let's start with what an 
insight is not: 
What does not count as an insight? 
An Observation  
You can observe a participant doing something and record something 
interesting they are doing. You can do this through ethnography, ESM or 
contextual inquiry.  
However, an observation, on its own, is not an insight. An observation 
cannot tell us why a person is acting in that way, and insights need to be 
able to convey the motivation behind the behaviour. 
What does not count as an insight? 
Quantitative Data Trends 
Data trends tell you a lot about what actions users are taking on a product. 
However, similar to the the previous slide, they do not tell you why 
participannts are acting in that way.  
There is little context to the situation when looking purely at quantitative 
data, and it can't give you a clear indication for the next steps.. 
What does not count as an insight? 
Something With a Short Shelf Life 
Insights tend to have an impact over a few months (or even years), and 
they can influence future research and design. If you have information that 
will solve something today—but won't have an impact in the future—that is 
most likely a finding, not an insight. 
A common finding could be participants struggling with logging off social 
media. That is not an insight. That is a finding. That doesn't mean you don't 
share it, but don't confuse findings as insights.  
What does not count as an insight? 
A preference or a wish 
Just because a participant/user tells you a preference or a request, 
doesn't mean you have an insight on your hands. When they say, "I would 
love this feature..." you can't use this as an insight and build what they ask. 
Dig deeper into why they want the particular feature to understand the 
outcome they desire. This outcome is the underlying motivation and is 
much more valuable than a feature wish. 
Now that we have shattered what an 
insight is not, let's take a look at what 
an insight is. 
What is a Research Insight 
A discovery about human behaviour, and the underlying motivations 
behind that behaviour 
Information that challenges what we believe about participants and 
how they exist in the world 
Knowledge that uncovers fundamental principles that drive us towards 
seeing particpants in a new way 
Cool, but this is still a bit ambiguous and feels high up in the 
clouds when considering our day-to-day work.  
Not every participant or research conversation will reveal 
such earth-shattering information about the human mind 
and behaviour. If it did, I believe user researchers would be a 
lot more famous and utilised.  
So, let's ground this in reality 
Insight Maker Checklist 
Insight Maker Checklist 
Well Informed 
Are your insights informed by multiple data points—including secondary research, lived 
experience, and subject matter expertise? 
More than an Observation 
Does it offer insight into how or why a phenomenon is occurring? Does it offer a 
compelling reframe of something we already know? 
So What? 
Does it help people understand why it matters? Does it capture a tension or a shift that 
needs to happen? Does it connect to project impact objectives and learning aims?  
Sticky 
Is it memorable, interesting, and repeatable? Can we link to a metaphor? 
Actionable 
Does it inspire action and novel solutions? Does it spark generative design 
opportunities? 
Example of turning themes 
to insights 
Themes 
Making Collaboration Work With 
Different Students 
Positive Outcomes of Peer Learning 
Overcoming Learning Isolation 
Platform Shortcomings 
Meeting Student Needs 
Emotional Factors 
Need for Connection  
Need for Support 
Need for Motivation 
Insights 
How to write impactful insights 
State the context and background 
Put the person reading the insight into the situation. Explain what the 
current situation is for the participant, which will also give meaning to the 
research project. 
Explain what you have learnt 
Based on the current context, what was the key learning you gleaned? 
The critical learning may be an unexpected attitude or behaviour. It could 
also be a problem or barrier your participant experienced. 
Articulate the root cause (the why) 
Explain why a particular behaviour or attitude is coming up in the research, 
or why a participant is facing a specific problem. 
Talk about motivation 
Being able to explain the motivation behind why the learning occurred is 
what makes an insight great, and is the most critical part of figuring out 
how to help participants. Find the frustration that surrounds any given 
experience, and you will locate the core motivating factors. 
Communicate the consequences 
What does this particular insight lead to, or what impact does it have on 
future design or research? Explain what will happen if you don't act on this 
insight. What the participant feels is the ideal end-state. 
How does this relate to the last 
assignment? 
Discussion 
Explains and argues the interpretation of the 
evidence in the report, and accounts for your 
findings to explain their significance within 
the context of other research. 
To what extent was each research 
question answered? 
To what extent are your findings 
validated or supported by other 
research? 
Were there unexpected variables that 
affected your results? 
On reflection, was your research 
method appropriate? 
Can you account for any differences 
between your results and other 
studies? 
Checklist for your discussion: 
Thank You