UX research
Looking to optimise your product’s user experience? The UX research phase is essential to understand your users’ needs and motivations. UX research is a key stage in the design of any digital product or service. It gathers valuable information that will steer your strategy and your decisions.
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What is UX research?
UX research consists of gathering information about users’ needs, expectations and motivations. It reveals how users interact with a product or service, in order to optimise their experience and answer their needs effectively. It spans several data collection methods, such as user interviews, user testing and data analysis.
UX research is often part of a UX audit, carried out by an experienced UX designer. It’s a multidisciplinary discipline combining aspects of psychology, ergonomics, design and marketing. Its aim is to improve a product or service’s usability, satisfaction and effectiveness, grounded in users’ needs and expectations. UX research gathers both qualitative and quantitative information, which can then guide the design.
It’s an iterative process that runs throughout a product or service’s lifecycle. It can take place at different stages of the design process, from the initial research phase to the continuous evaluation of the user experience.
UX research methods
Several UX research methods can be used to collect data about users and their experience with your product. Here are some of the most common:
User interviews
Talking directly with users to gather information about their needs, expectations and behaviours. Interviews can be structured, semi-structured or unstructured, depending on the research goals. This method yields detailed qualitative data about users and their experience.
User testing
Observing users as they interact with your product, to understand how they use it and identify any problems.
Analysis of existing data
You can also study the data already available about your users — demographics, product usage data, user feedback and more. This method complements the information gathered through other research methods.
UX research: the stages
Define your research goals
The first stage is defining your research goals. Determine what you want to learn and what you want to achieve through the research. A few questions to ask:
- What information do you want to obtain?
- Which problems do you want to solve?
- Which decisions do you want to make?
- What do the stakeholders expect?
Plan the UX research
Once your research goals are defined, it’s time to build a plan: the research methods to use, the participants to include, the resources needed and the deadlines to meet. A few things to factor in when planning UX research:
- Research methods : for instance, if you want to understand how users interact with a new product, consider user testing.
- Participants : selecting participants who are representative of your target audience matters.
- Resources : identify what’s needed — time, budget, people, data collection tools and so on.
- Deadlines : set realistic deadlines for each stage.
Collect the data
Now it’s time to collect data. A few tips:
- Prepare your data collection material: questionnaires, interview guides, test scenarios and so on.
- Recruit the participants and clearly explain the research goals and what you expect from them.
- Run the user interviews, pay close attention to the participants’ answers and take detailed notes.
- Use the right data collection tools: audio recorders, cameras, eye-tracking software and more.
Analyse the data
Data analysis consists of examining the information gathered and drawing conclusions from it. A few steps to follow:
- Organise your data in a systematic, structured way.
- Identify the themes and trends emerging from your data. Look for recurring patterns, similarities and differences across participants’ answers.
- Interpret the results of your analysis and identify the main conclusions and recommendations for your project.
- Use statistical analysis methods, if needed, to quantify and validate your results.
Tailor-made support
Run your UX research with digitags
UX research is an essential stage of a product’s design process. If you’d like to take on the exercise but lack the resources in-house, we can help. At digitags, we offer a hub of 1,600+ freelance experts and tailor-made support: we discuss your needs and find the expert best placed to answer them. Let’s discuss your project!
