Boxes and Arrows recently published a great article on how Bolt|Peters researched Usability for the video game, Spore.

Authors Nate Bolt and Tony Tulathimutte note:

Consider how video games are currently researched: market research-based focus groups and surveys dominate the landscape, measuring opinion and taste in a controlled lab environment, and largely ignoring players’ actual in-game behaviors. Behavior is obviously the most direct and unbiased source of understanding how players interact with the game—where they make errors, where they become irritated, where they feel most engaged. When Electronic Arts engaged Bolt|Peters to lead the player research project for Spore, we set out to do one better than the usual focus group dreck by coming at it from a UX research perspective.

As an Information Architect, I believe that we need to be paying more attention to not only the words, but also what is not said by clients and customers; and I think the videos below provide a great example of the power of such an approach.

I would rather spend weeks with clients, (read: real people), listening to their thoughts, frustrations, and joys to better structure and label information, then to stare at endless reams of data from web analytics!

Bolt|Peters incorporates both UX and IxD elements in creating a home like setting for gamers when testing. I love this approach. No one-way mirrors, board rooms, or sterile testing areas – just a comfortable place that matches the environment where gamers would likely be playing.

In my opinion, this is a stellar example of how traditional approaches, User Experience (UX) testing and Interaction Design (IxD), can be joined to create more innovative and successful products and services.

This first video shows multiple clips from the UX testing and the reactions from users. Carefully observe the body language and facial expression of the gamers being taped; most of what they are communicating has little to do with the specific words they are saying during the testing process.

To experience this idea yourself, turn off your speakers and just watch the video. Then play the video back again and hear what they said; I think you’ll be surprised by the accuracy of your assumptions.

Spore Research: Outtakes from bolt peters on Vimeo.

The second video provides greater context to the environment in which users were tested and outlines the value of such an approach in creating a great experience for gamers from the first launch.

Science of Fun from bolt peters on Vimeo.

We can learn so much from other disciplines! I’m not saying we’ll always agree on the best approach, but I believe if we genuinely want to learn from others’ experiences, the sky is the limit to what we can create.