How to: Use video in UX case studies
There are several types of video content that can be used in UX case studies to explain or promote a project. Videos can be educational, commercial, explanatory, or entertaining, and when used in the context of a case study can augment both the reader's experience by breaking up the written content with an interactive and moving element, as well as help to tell the story of the design method or explain the product.
Video types to use in your case study
Introduction videos
The main purpose of this type of video is to introduce the person behind the site and welcome visitors. Unlike an “about” video, this is shorter, more concise, and tells visitors the core information they may need to understand the content or simply to put a face to the site.
Promotional/Commercial videos
This type of video is used to inform readers about a product/service and used in a case study can provide the context of the work in a quick and easy to consume format. This type of video presented at the beginning of the case study will help give an overview of the product's benefits while when used at the end can help wrap up with a business-to-consumer focus.
Example:
This video starts with a promotional commercial video of the benefits of the product. The second part of the video is a showcase of the design work done for the project.
Showcase videos
This type of video is used in or as a portfolio, otherwise called a “demo reel”, to showcase projects that have been previously done by the company or person. Usually, about 2–3 minutes long, this video is usually quite fast-paced and can show either a diverse or focused skillset. This I used to give viewers a quick overview of the kind of work you do generally or to tease the portfolio case studies.
Video testimonials
These videos share client or employer feedback and can provide the viewer with an understanding of the quality of your work or work ethic. This breaks up the written content of a typical testimonial section in the portfolio, but also requires more engagement by the reader to take an extra click to access the content meaning they might miss or skim over without viewing.
Background videos
This type of video is used more like a website design element, often in the hero section to tease a project or provide context to the work. Unlike a static cover image, a background video can capture attention quickly and add a storytelling element to the design.
Product videos
This type of video is often used in e-commerce to show off the features of a product. When used in a case study it can be a GIF of the prototype or an annotated video walkthrough. This can be an asset to showing more of the design than can be shown in static mockups since it takes up less space on the page with a higher return.
Example: ,
Zachery uses animation and voice-over to explain how the product works and its unique features creating an informative commercial that augments the process work shown in his case study.
Process videos
These videos can be used to show either a particular task like a focus group or to explain the process taken in the case study. One of the potential drawbacks of this format is oversharing information that is meaningless to the reader. For example, a video capturing a focus group could be too long and fail to add to the understanding of the project. This information may not be relevant to the reader since they are more interested in what you’ve done as a whole.
Target Audience
This type of promotion method works best with readers of the portfolio who have more time to stop and smell the flowers.
Typically, a hiring manager will skim and click as few times as possible to get an overall impression of if the candidate will be appropriate for the job. In contrast, if a recruiter is doing a deep dive into the portfolio- maybe after the candidate has made it further in the process- or if another designer is interested in the site, this method provides a more engaging experience.
These are the readers this method would appeal to purely based on the time taken to review the case study.
Appropriate Use
This method can be used in several different ways and offers good cross-platform promotion options. Since a video can easily distill content into a short window and is an acceptable upload format (or link) on most platforms, the same video can be shared on a case study, linked on social media, or linked from a pdf. This means the ROI on a video can be higher since the same format of promotion can span these multiple outreach methods.
A video also serves to draw people in and keep them wanting to know more. This means that conversion from seeing a video on social media can encourage people to click on the case study and spend more time on your portfolio site.
Based on the possible use cases and the goal of the owner of the case study, this method may not be necessary. For example, someone who is only looking to meet the gaze of a hiring manager may not put the effort into this method since the likelihood of it making a difference is low with this audience.
This method also takes both creative skills and knowledge of video production software like Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects to produce. Having these skills will make video production easier and faster, but there are plenty of online courses where you can learn these tools for free.
Success Criteria
The use of video in a case study –or to promote a case study online using social media or other methods– can be extremely helpful for conveying context or complex ideas. It can show a diversity of skills including graphic and visual design, production, video making, strategy, and especially the ability to convey or communicate a concept in another way. When used in conjunction with written and other forms of visual communication, it can augment the experience of viewing a case study while showing the skills of a well-rounded designer.
There are several criteria that would contribute to the success of this method.
Length
The video should be short. Depending on the purpose of the video, it should reflect the scope of what is being conveyed. For each video method, the suggested length should be:
- Introduction: 30 seconds- 1 minute
- Promotional/Commercial: up to 1:30
- Showcase: 2–4 minutes
- Testimonial: around 15–30 seconds per testimonial, no more than 2–3 minutes total
- Background: 10–15 seconds looping
- Product: 5–20 seconds looping
- Process: up to 5 minutes
Clarity
The video should be clear and direct. The purpose of the video should be obvious and familiar in format to the viewer. They should not have to question what they are seeing both in content and its use in the case study.
Content
The content of the video should augment the case study.
Does the video:
- Tell the story in another format?
- Align with the information presented in the rest of the case study?
- Add to the experience in a positive way?
- Improve the reader's understanding of the product?
The video should not:
- Distract from the case study.
- Be the only method of delivery for the information.
- Make the information difficult to consume or hard to understand.
Quality
The video should show design and look professional. The design of the video should not seem out of place in the portfolio, it should be clean and well designed. The text should be readable, the visuals should be appropriate and consistent, and it should be well branded.
Audio
Music or audio should be appropriate and audible. Audio controls should be available on the player window. The video should be understandable and meaningful without sound.
Format
Video should be embedded into the case study. The video should be uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo and embedded on the page. The video window should work and be active and removed from the case study if the video is taken off the hosting platform.
Whatever type of video you include in your next case study, as long as it meets the criteria set out in this article you will be sure to increase the retention of your readers and create a multifaceted experience. Integrating multimedia in any form can be the thing that sets you apart from other applicants. You’ll also be showing off a unique skill set that may be just what a client is looking for.
Experiment and try out new ways to showcase your work. Take a step beyond the process breakdown, and help the people reviewing your portfolio to really get to understand the application of your ideas to the real world.
