Using the SCQA framework in UX Research
A way to quickly improve your storytelling skills
One of the most common issues UX professionals face is getting executive buy-in. We often spend weeks or months working on research projects and when we finally present our insights, nobody listens.
One reason why this occurs is the way that many UX researchers present information. I’ve been guilty of this myself... Sharing a 10-page report including loads of information about the process used, etc, is not what busy stakeholders want to see.
Storytelling skills can help us overcome this. If you find yourself struggling with this, don’t fret. There are ways to improve. A quick way to achieve this is by using the SCQA, a framework for structuring information, which allows you to structure your message in a clear, attractive, and narrative way.
What is the SCQA?
The SCQA was developed by Barbara Minto to improve consultancy reports and it was first introduced in her famous book The Pyramid Principle. It is a framework that’s commonly used in various fields including business, policy, and science. It stands for Situation, Complication, Question, and Answer, four elements we need to create a compelling story. Each element is explained in detail below:
Situation: This should be your starting point and it’s often something your audience already knows and acknowledges. It mostly contains a set of facts that everyone in your team should agree upon.
Complication: This is the challenge you are trying to solve. It’s the reason you conducted the reason in the first place. By introducing the problem to the audience you create a sense of urgency. If there is a problem, it is natural to want to find a solution.
Question: This is a question raised by the previous Complication that needs to be solved. This can be phrased in different ways but it is important to clearly outline the problem here. In UX research here’s where you can include your hypothesis. The Question makes the audience curious; did you find the Answer?
Answer: This is the answer to the Question raised. This is the key part of the story in which you let the audience know how you solved the Complication and answered the Question. The answer should lead to action.
Using this framework can improve your process of creating a story as well as the way you work when it comes to solving problems. It allows you to have more control over the structure of your story and helps you decide what to include in it.
In addition to this, presenting your insights using the SCQA framework results in a more comprehensible and interesting story that’s easier to follow for the audience. By providing a context and building up to the Answer, you also create a sense of urgency, grabbing the audience’s attention and making them more likely to act upon your insights.
The SCQA framework makes your message clear, urgent, and interesting.
The SCQA Framework can be used whenever you need to communicate complex information to your audience.
I always try using the SCQA in the executive summary slide of a presentation. What is the executive summary? It is the first slide your audience sees; it’s crucial to capture their attention so that they continue listening to you and it’s also important to provide a clear summary of the main points of your research.