A user research and experience lab has opened at Bristol’s harbourside arts centre Arnolfini.
The space is for Bristol's technology sector to conduct and observe qualitative research and usability testing.
The lab was built by service design specialists Mace & Menter and includes an interview room and a large observation room with audio and video streaming.
It also has studio microphones and speakers, 4k cameras and 65-inch screens.
Mace & Menter will also use the space to run its own research - carrying out face-to-face interviews and usability tests, and exploring a problem or a design concept for clients.
Sam Menter, Mace & Menter’s co-founder and managing director, said: “Our work is all about the experience of the people we design for, but also of the people we are working with.
"Experience is about so much more than what we deliver, it’s also about the journey. When we were designing and building the lab, we thought carefully about both the participant and the observer experience.”
Using a lab to observe how people use a digital product or service means companies can base decisions around future strategy and development on evidence rather than guesswork so the product has a higher chance of succeeding.
Sam added: “User research is fundamental to the way we work. We involve the users of a service in discovery and throughout the design process.
"Running research in a space where a wider group can observe means you get much more out of the work."
Mace & Menter works with organisations including the Government Cabinet Office, DCMS, Policy Lab, Scope, and V&A.
