UX research methods: Deciding which to use for your project

Choosing the right method in UX research can be confusing because it has to be tailored to your specific product and rely on your unique organizational goals.

Each research method has its own unique strengths and weaknesses, but being able to identify the best one to apply to your case is the key to UX research success.

Therefore, it is critical to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the most popular UX research methods and clearly understand the application possibilities and constraints, considering which might make the difference in the choice of one over the other.

Let’s walk you through some of the most common UX research methods to make choosing your option easier.

• Overview of different UX research methods
• Strengths and weaknesses of each UX research method
  • Interviews
  • Field studies
  • Focus groups
  • Diary studies
  • Surveys
  • Usability testing
  • Five-second testing
  • A/B testing
• Considerations for choosing the best UX research method
• Examples of successful UX research projects, and the methods used
• Tips for conducting effective UX research
  • Recruiting participants
  • Develop a research protocol
  • Use analytical tools

Overview of different UX research methods

The different UX research methods each have their own strengths and limitations, and selecting the right method is essential for gaining meaningful insights. Here are the most popular UX research methods:

• Interviews: involve asking questions to gain insights from users. It is important to start with a wide context, avoid bias, ask questions that focus on tasks users are trying to complete, and analyze the data
• Field studies: a research method where researchers observe people in their natural environment to understand their behavior, needs, and constraints. It is useful for understanding the context in which users complete tasks and gaining a better understanding of customers
• Focus groups: involves studying a group of people and their beliefs and opinions on a topic, usually through face-to-face meetings or video conferencing tools. It can help understand how users perceive a product, identify important features, and discover problems users experience with the product
• Diary studies: a research method where users keep logs or diaries to uncover their behaviors, activities, and experiences over an extended period. It is important to plan well, decide on the type of feedback, and determine triggers for the diary entries
• Surveys: helps gather both qualitative and quantitative data from a group of participants to gain meaningful insights. Surveys can include close-ended or open-ended questions, and it is important to formulate questions correctly to get accurate responses
• Usability testing: involves observing people completing tasks to evaluate usability, using various methods. Method selection is based on research goals and resources, and usability testing should be conducted early and often
• Five-second testing: gauges users’ first impressions by showing them an image for five seconds. The method is useful for assessing messaging effectiveness and attention-grabbing techniques, capturing users’ initial perceptions
• A/B testing: allows testing of design variations to find the most effective one for conversion optimization. The method involves presenting users with two different versions of the design and asking for feedback, with a focus on the prevention of biases and ego-based decision-making

Strengths and weaknesses of each UX research method

The existence of various research methods could confuse you about which method is best suited for your specific situation.

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However, accessing the strengths and limitations of each method might help in identifying your preferences, while experience with all of them might give an additional advantage in understanding the best fit — trying and learning from mistakes is the way to perfection.

Interviews

Strengths:

• Provides rich and detailed information about users’ experiences, preferences, and opinions
• Allows for follow-up questions to clarify responses and gain a deeper understanding of the topic
• Helps build a relationship with users and gain trust
• Can uncover new and unexpected insights

Weaknesses:

• May suffer from bias or social desirability effects
• Requires skilled interviewers to avoid leading questions and extract relevant information
• Time-consuming and expensive to conduct, especially with a large number of participants
• Results may not be generalizable to a larger population

Field studies

Strengths:

• Provides a realistic view of how users complete tasks and interact with products
• Allows for the observation of behavior in a natural setting, providing contextual information
• Can uncover problems that users might not be aware of or might not report in interviews or surveys
• Provides a broad range of data types, such as visual and audio data

Weaknesses:

• May require specialized equipment or access to specific locations, making it difficult and expensive to conduct
• Observers may interfere with the natural behavior of participants
• Results may not be generalizable to a larger population
• Researchers may struggle to maintain objectivity and avoid bias when collecting and analyzing data

Focus groups

Strengths:

• Allows for the exploration of a wide range of opinions and perspectives in a short amount of time
• Provides insights into how users interact with each other and their social dynamics
• Can uncover new insights that would not have been obtained through individual interviews
• Allows for immediate feedback and discussion among participants

Weaknesses:

• Participants may be influenced by others’ opinions and not provide independent feedback
• May suffer from groupthink or dominant participants influencing the conversation
• Requires skilled moderators to guide the conversation and extract relevant information
• Results may not be generalizable to a larger population

Diary studies

Strengths:

• Provides rich and detailed information over an extended period
• Allows for the collection of data in a natural setting
• Participants have control over their own data and can report on their own experiences
• Can provide insights into changes in behavior or attitudes over time

Weaknesses:

• Requires participants to commit to recording data over an extended period, which can lead to high attrition rates
• Participants may forget to record important information or not record it accurately
• Results may be influenced by the participant’s memory, attention, or motivation to report accurately
• May not provide a complete picture of the participant’s experience, as they may not report everything they do or feel

Surveys

Strengths:

• Can collect large amounts of data from a large number of participants quickly and easily
• Allows for the collection of both qualitative and quantitative data
• Provides standardized responses, making it easy to compare and analyze data
• Can be used to obtain data on a wide range of topics

Weaknesses:

• Participants may not provide accurate or truthful responses
• Can suffer from response bias or question order effects
• Close-ended questions may not capture the nuances of participants’ opinions or experiences
• Results may be influenced by the quality of the questions or response options

Usability testing

Strengths:

• Provides objective feedback on how users interact with products
• Allows for the identification of problems and areas for improvement
• Can be used to compare products or designs
• Can be conducted remotely, making it accessible and cost effective

Weaknesses:

• May not capture the full range of user experiences or behaviors
• Can be influenced by the tester’s biases or expectations
• May not replicate the natural environment in which the product will be used
• Can be time-consuming and expensive to conduct with a large number of participants

Five-second testing

Strengths:

• Quick way to gather initial impressions of users
• Cost-effective method of testing
• Helps to identify potential issues or areas for improvement in design
• Easy to administer and analyze results

Weaknesses:

• May not provide a comprehensive understanding of the user experience
• Time constraint may not reflect real-life user interactions
• Results may be influenced by personal bias or preferences
• Limited information on how users actually interact with the design beyond initial impressions

A/B testing

Strengths:

• Allows for testing of different variations of a design or webpage
• Provides data to support decision-making and validation of assumptions
• Can be used to optimize the design for specific goals (e.g., conversion rate)
• Helps to control for variables that may affect user behavior

Weaknesses:

• May not capture the full user experience or account for all variables that could influence behavior
• Can be time-consuming and expensive to administer
• Requires a large enough sample size to ensure statistically significant results
• May lead to decision-making based solely on quantitative data, without considering qualitative insights

Considerations for choosing the best UX research method

When it comes to conducting UX research, the method you choose will depend on the stage of the design process you’re in and what you want to know. It’s important to conduct research first to understand how your product will meet your audience’s needs before testing its effectiveness.

While all research methods have value, it’s often better to observe users’ behavior to discover their needs rather than ask them outright. You’ll also need to decide if what people think and believe or what they do with the product is more relevant to your question. It should also be noted that quantitative research typically assesses success, while qualitative research determines thoughts and motivations.

Once you’ve determined the type of research needed, consider the product’s context in your question to narrow your focus.

However, factors like cost, time, and resources may impact your choice of research method. UX researchers also need to stay in contact with business stakeholders to ensure that research aligns with business goals. Ultimately, the right researcher can make or break a study.

If you have a small budget, consider starting with a small usability test with five users. If you have a short timeline, conduct an expert review and plan for a usability test in the next phase of development. At any stage in development, consider conducting one or more small usability tests and building improvements into the product as you iterate product design and testing throughout the development cycle.

Examples of successful UX research projects, and the methods used

While I already mentioned a lot of research methods, now it is time to get some insights into the best practices and grasp the feeling of how a successful application looks like in real-life scenarios.

An example of a practical application A/B testing is Spotify, which used this method to determine that users preferred a tab bar instead of the standard three-line menu icon on their mobile app. This resulted in a better user experience and decreased subscription churn, making it clear how A/B testing can have a significant impact on businesses.

Another user research strategy is usability testing, which produces both qualitative and quantitative data. The data gathered from usability testing can be applied in various ways depending on the type of testing and desired outcomes. I mentioned it more than others, as it seems that a lot of great companies constantly use some kind of usability testing to improve their performance.

For example,the world’s largest airline Ryanair’s official website utilized usability testing to increase improve the UX metrics of the website and create a better experience for clients, refreshing its look according to 21st-century expectations. The continuous work of more than 200 employees and an additional large group of testers provided the result that helped the company to stay on top of the airline industry as the website started not to just look better, but to work faster, attracting more clients. Hence, such work has to be ongoing as trends shift while the company has to stay on top of the competition, providing only the best for its clients. Therefore, major companies concentrate on continuous usability testing to increase sales.

An important note here would be that for specific product types, such as an ecommerce website or medical device, there are recommended research methods. When seeking responses from a large number of respondents, consider using a survey delivered electronically via a link or survey platform. On the other hand, if the website or app focuses on experience rather than usability, the chosen research method will usually go with interviews or surveys.

For example, some gaming apps might work just fine, but the visual aspects and music are just not enjoyable for the users, and the only way to grasp such feedback is to access qualitative responses from users in one way or another.

Tips for conducting effective UX research

Recruiting participants

Recruiting participants for low-cost UX research can be challenging, but there are ways to make it easier. A free 190-page report from the Nielsen Norman Group offers guidelines on how to set up and manage a recruiting program.

You can also use online tools like Doodle to sync schedules and Zoom, Google Hangouts, or Skype to conduct remote interviews, reducing the time it takes to organize multiple in-person interviews. While remote interviews may not provide as much data as other research methods, they can be useful in discovering usability issues and gauging user interaction with these issues.

It is important to ensure that your tested audience’s demographic is diverse and that you prepare by gathering adequate resources and background information. This can help you answer any questions your UX team may have and avoid bias and possible negative feedback from one demographic that you missed during the UX research.

One-on-one interviews can be beneficial because they allow you to focus on specific issues and go in-depth. This eliminates the risk of “groupthink” that can occur in focus groups, for example.

Develop a research protocol

Developing a research protocol can help you stay organized and focused during your user research. This protocol should include tasks you want your participants to do, how much time you’ve set aside for the session, a script or description that you can use for every session, and your process for recording the interviews and looking after participant data.

Use analytical tools

Analytics tools can also provide valuable quantitative data for your user research. Free tools like Google Analytics and low-cost tools like LogRocket can help you answer questions such as how long it takes for users to complete a task, where they click, how far they scroll, what features are most popular, what paths people usually take, and when they leave.

However, it’s important to pair this raw data with real qualitative user research for insight. Plan ahead and collect useful, properly structured raw data that can be analyzed with as little effort as possible.

Conclusion

In conclusion, understanding the strengths and weaknesses of different UX research methods is crucial for creating effective user-centered designs. Interviews, field studies, focus groups, diary studies, surveys, usability testing, five-second testing, and A/B testing each offer unique insights into user behavior and preferences. When selecting a method, it’s important to consider factors, such as the research goals, target audience, and available resources.

To conduct effective UX research, recruiting diverse and representative participants, developing a research protocol, and utilizing analytical tools are all key factors.

Overall, incorporating UX research into the design process can lead to more satisfying user experiences, and choosing the most appropriate method can make all the difference.

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