What is
UX research?
To design & build a product that will add value to your users’ lives, you need to first understand your users – their behaviors, motivations, pain points, & so on. The research process in design, aka, UX research is the systematic study of your targeted user groups yield meaningful insights & contexts for your product design. Through varied UX research methods, we first observe & analyze target demographics, draw insights via different scientific user research methods, that lay the groundwork for solutions that meet user needs/expectations & deliver value to customers.
Why does your product need
UX research?
UX research is the backbone of the user-centered design process. The main goal of this process, which is the primary step in any design process, is to gain a deeper understanding of who you are designing for. UX research methods unlock critical user insights, contexts, & perspectives that will help take informed decisions & make user-centered products, instead of working on assumptions. A thorough UX research enables
- Finding accurate data & insights
- Identification of right demographics, early adopters, etc.
- Elimination of unwarranted assumptions
- Continued iterations for optimal product design
- Reduced wastage of efforts & resources (esp at later stages)
- Decreased learning curve for the users
- Validation of hypotheses
- Robust competitor analysis
- Understanding the real ROI of UX design
UX Research
methods
Quantitative research
Numbers never lie. And that’s why the first UX research technique we employ is the quantitative research method. In this UX research methodology, UX researchers evaluate user behaviors & aptitudes through numerical/statistical evidence.
How is it done?
Qualitative research
Understanding the complex human psyche needs more than just numbers. Qualitative research is where we deep dive into the “why” of the user behavior through keen observation of users in their environments & contexts. This is where we unearth the human angle of data (extracted in the quantitative research phase).
How is it done?
Heuristic evaluation
In simple words, heuristic means “I find/discover”. A heuristic evaluation is the process where usability experts (including designers) test the usability of a platform – be it website or an app. This step in the UX research process enables designers to get an expert review & outlook about an existing design or prototype.
How is it done?
Usability testing
While a heuristic evaluation is done by a usability expert, the usability testing is where user groups themselves test the website/app/software to gauge how user-friendly it is. Here, a small group of target users are selected to look for usability errors, ease of use, & ability of the platform to land on user expectations.
How is it done?
Competitor analysis
Competitor analysis in UX research is a critical step in analyzing the existing landscape of solutions available to your target users through a detailed analysis of functionalities, features, flows, (& feelings) offered by your competitors. These insights can then be strategically employed to create a more fulfilling & superior experience for your users.
How is it done?
Ethnographic research
Ethnographic research in the UX research process brings UX researchers into the real-life environment of the users (aka, the field), in order to remove any glaring holes or blind spots in our understanding of the users’ needs & behaviors. Ethnographic research aims to provide a more holistic & contextual view of your users where UX researchers immerse themselves completely in the users’ natural environment.
How is it done?
