Resource #3: Synthesis for open source

The third resource in our user testing series is all about the synthesis process. After conducting a series of user tests, it’s necessary to put together and reorganize the data that came out of them - that’s synthesis. During a user test, you might get a few “Aha!” moments, but there also will be insights that you need to piece together. Through synthesis, you’ll be considering themes, connections, triggers, and what’s missing. It’s important to make sense of a user test both on an individual level, and as a team. This synthesis resource specifically helps teams work together to find a common understanding that serves as the foundation of future work.

In this resource, we documented the setup process, how to do affinity diagramming, and facilitating synthesis. We had a lot of fun connecting the information to our experiences working in open source, and included several real life examples. After a synthesis process, the next steps for your team are prioritization and sharing out. We mentioned these briefly, but look forward to expanding this content in the future.

We highlighted this resource during the community events: