User Research
What is it?
User research, often referred to as user experience research, is a set of tools and methods practitioners use to learn customer needs, behaviors and motivations. User research allows us to build empathy for our users. By understanding their needs, motivations, and pains, we can craft desirable solutions. We employ different types of research methods appropriate for the type of learning we’re trying to gain, and depending on the life cycle of the product or service.
User Interviews
User interviews are a fundamental research tool. Being able to speak directly with users allows the team to understand what their needs and pain points are. User interviews can be used to validate a solution or surface new opportunities for the team.
- How to Create an Interview Discussion Guide
- Sample Discussion Guides
- Moderation and Note Taking Tips
- User Interview Synthesis
Prototyping
A prototype is a visual to help you think about a design, communicate it to a team, and show it to users. Prototypes can vary in fidelity from paper sketches to digital mockups.
Usability Testing
Usability testing is a tool used to measure how well the degree to which a solution solves problems . It typically involves sessions observing an end user’s interactions with a product, to ensure that the design allows the user to achieve their intended goals. This can occur with an existing product or a prototype.
Accessibility Testing
Accessibility testing is the practice of ensuring your product is usable to as many people as possible, including those with visual impairments, hearing disabilities, and other physical or cognitive conditions. It also involves the practice of ensuring that your user research participant pool has representation by those who have physical or cognitive impairments or, by those who regularly use assistive tools in their regular use of technology.
Continuous Discovery
Continuous Discovery is the idea that teams should be continuing to uncover new opportunities by talking to end users, even past the initial Discovery & Framing Process. Continuous Discovery should drive product strategy. We believe that continuing to conduct user research in parallel with product development will help teams continue to de-risk the riskiest product assumptions. This way we balance the introspection on data from the actual, real, working software we just delivered into the field alongside exploring future product growth opportunities.
Why Do It?
User research is needed to unearth deep, practical insights about your product’s users that bridge the gap from broad customer insights to specific design decisions. Without user research we’re guessing what users need and not testing assumptions, placing a lot of risk on what we’re building and possibly not providing any value to our users.