The Verdict Is? : A Case Study Detailing the Courtroom Methodology as an Adaptable User Experience Research Method

The courtroom methodology is an adaptation of a market research technique that allows for the speed of a focus group with the more depth of understanding that usually comes from in-depth interviews and breadth of understanding that usually comes from surveys and other more wide-reaching methods. The elegance of this methodology is its adaptability, which allows for various configurations, modeled after a courtroom trial with different ‘lawyer groups’ presenting their cases, a neutral ‘jury’ determining a ‘verdict’ based on presented arguments, and a moderator managing and probing questions between and within groups, which is where the true value of this as a methodology is gained. A real example of this method as used by the YouTube Premium user experience team is detailed, as well as best practices and variants that can make this a go-to staple in one's HCI and UX research toolbox.