What is UX Research?

We can divide UX research into two subsets:

1. Qualitative research
2. Quantitative research

We can additionally divide UX research into two approaches:

1. Attitudinal – you listen to what users say—e.g., in interviews.
2. Behavioral – you see what users do through observational studies.

Appropriate UX research methods which you can use during a project’s four stages. Key methods are:

1. Discover – Determine what is relevant for users.
   • Contextual inquiries – Interview suitable users in their own environment to see how they perform the task/s in question.
   • Diary studies – Have users record their daily interactions with a design or log their performance of activities.

1. Explore – Examine how to address all users’ needs.
   • Card sorting – Write words and phrases on cards; then let participants organize them in the most meaningful way and label categories to ensure that your design is structured in a logical way.
   • Customer journey maps – Create user journeys to expose potential pitfalls and crucial moments.

1. Test – Evaluate your designs.
   • Usability testing – Ensure your design is easy to use.
   • Accessibility evaluations – Test your design to ensure it’s accessible to everyone.

1. Listen – Put issues in perspective, find any new problems and notice trends.
   • Surveys/Questionnaires – Use these to track how users’ feel about your product.
   • Analytics – Collect analytics/metrics to chart (e.g.) website traffic and build reports.