UX research is the systematic study of how people think, behave and use products, carried out to inform design and product decisions. It combines qualitative methods, such as interviews, field observation and usability tests, with quantitative methods, such as surveys, analytics and A/B tests.
Why it matters
Teams are poor at guessing how others will use their product. Research finds real problems earlier, when they are cheap to fix, and prevents building features nobody needs. Generative research explores needs and context before design begins, while evaluative research tests a specific design, such as a prototype, for ease of use. Findings feed personas, user flows and priorities in a product requirements document.
Example
A usability test of a signup form:
- Recruit five target users.
- Ask each to create an account while thinking aloud.
- Observe where they hesitate: three people cannot find the password rules.
- Redesign, then test again.
Testing with about five participants per round often reveals most major usability problems, though not rare ones.
Common mistakes
- Asking leading questions that suggest the answer.
- Treating what people say as identical to what they do.
- Testing with colleagues instead of real users.
- Doing research but not sharing or acting on it.
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