UX Research

UX RESEARCH
WHAT IS UX RESEARCH?
• UX (user experience) research is the systematic study of

target users and their requirements, to add realistic
contexts and insights to design processes. UX researchers
adopt various methods to uncover problems and design
opportunities. Doing so, they reveal valuable information
which can be fed into the design process.
UX RESEARCH IS ABOUT FINDING INSIGHTS TO GUIDE
SUCCESSFUL DESIGNS
• When you do UX research, you’ll be better able to give users the best
solutions—because you can discover exactly what they need. You can
apply UX research at any stage of the design process. UX researchers
often begin with qualitative measures, to determine users’ motivations
and needs. Later, they might use quantitative measures to test their
results. To do UX research well, you must take a structured approach
when you gather data from your users. It’s vital to use methods that
• 1) are right for the purpose of your research and
• 2) will give you the clearest information. Then, you can interpret your
findings so you can build valuable insights into your design.
• “I get very uncomfortable when
someone makes a design decision
without customer contact.”
– Dan Ritzenthaler, Senior Product

Designer at HubSpot
WE CAN DIVIDE UX RESEARCH INTO TWO
SUBSETS:
1. Qualitative research
2. Quantitative research
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
• Its about Using methods such as interviews and ethnographic field

studies, you work to get an in-depth understanding of why users do
what they do (e.g., why they missed a call to action, why they feel
how they do about a website).
• For example, you can do user interviews with a small number of
users and ask open-ended questions to get personal insights into
their exercise habits. Another aspect of qualitative research
is usability testing, to monitor (e.g.) users’ stress responses.
• You should do qualitative research carefully. As it involves collecting
non-numerical data (e.g., opinions, motivations), there’s a risk that
your personal opinions will influence findings.
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
• This is having more-structured methods (e.g., surveys, analytics), you gather

measurable data about what users do and test assumptions you drew from qualitative
research.
• For example, you can give users an online survey to answer questions about their
exercise habits (e.g., “How many hours do you work out per week?”). With this data, you
can discover patterns among a large user group. If you have a large enough sample of
representative test users, you’ll have a more statistically reliable way of assessing the
population of target users.
• Whatever the method, with careful research design you can gather objective data that’s
unbiased by your presence, personality or assumptions. However, quantitative data
alone can’t reveal deeper human insights.
WE CAN ADDITIONALLY DIVIDE UX RESEARCH INTO TWO APPROACHES:
• Attitudinal – you listen to what users say —e.g., in interviews.

• Behavioral – you see what users do through observational
studies .
When you use a mix of both quantitative and

qualitative research as well as a mix of attitudinal and
behavioral approaches, you can usually get the clearest
view of a design problem.
USE UX RESEARCH
METHODS THROUGHOUT DEVELOPMENT
The Nielsen Norman Group—an industry-leading UX

consulting organization—identifies appropriate UX
research methods which you can use during a
project’s four stages. Key methods are:
1) DISCOVER – DETERMINE WHAT IS RELEVANT FOR
USERS.
• Contextual inquiries – Interview suitable users in their

own environment to see how they perform the task/s in
question.
• Diary studies – Have users record their daily interactions
with a design or log their performance of activities.
2) EXPLORE – EXAMINE HOW TO
ADDRESS ALL USERS’ NEEDS.
• Card sorting – Write words and phrases on cards; then let participants
organize them in the most meaningful way and label categories to
ensure that your design is structured in a logical way.
• Customer journey maps – Create user journeys to expose potential
pitfalls and crucial moments.
3) TEST – EVALUATE YOUR DESIGNS.
• Usability testing – Ensure your design is easy to

use.
• Accessibility evaluations – Test your design to
ensure it’s accessible to everyone.
LISTEN – PUT ISSUES IN PERSPECTIVE, FIND ANY NEW
PROBLEMS AND NOTICE TRENDS.
• Surveys/Questionnaires – Use these to track how users’

feel about your product.
• Analytics – Collect analytics/metrics to chart (e.g.)
website traffic and build reports.
CONCLUSION
• Whichever UX research method you choose, you need to consider

the pros and cons of the different techniques. For instance, card
sorting is cheap and easy, but you may find it time-consuming when
it comes to analysis. Also, it might not give you in-depth contextual
meaning. Another constraint is your available resources, which will
dictate when, how much and which type of UX research you can do.
• So, decide carefully on the most relevant method/s for your research.
• Moreover, involve stakeholders from your organization early
on. They can reveal valuable UX insights and help keep your
research in line with business goals. Remember, a design
team values UX research as a way to validate its
assumptions about users in the field, slash the cost of the
best deliverables and keep products in high demand—ahead
of competitors’.

UX Research

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UX RESEARCH

• UX (user experience) research is the systematic study of

– Dan Ritzenthaler, Senior Product

• Its about Using methods such as interviews and ethnographic field

• This is having more-structured methods (e.g., surveys, analytics), you gather

• Attitudinal – you listen to what users say —e.g., in interviews.

When you use a mix of both quantitative and

The Nielsen Norman Group—an industry-leading UX

• Contextual inquiries – Interview suitable users in their

• Usability testing – Ensure your design is easy to

• Surveys/Questionnaires – Use these to track how users’

• Whichever UX research method you choose, you need to consider

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