UX research? What is this that is talked about so much? If you work in the field of product design or are interested in being, this is a concept that you should know perfectly.
Previously we told you about UX/UI design and what it was for. Today we go into detail and zoom in on one of the most important parts of the product design process.
And best of all: if you like research, all you have to do is take the courses that we bring you at the end of the article so you can start working as a UX researcher, a profession that is on the rise in all companies.
Prepare your Sherlock Holmes magnifying glass and let’s go, at once, to investigate what UX research is, what it is for, and how it is carried out. 🕵️
What is UX research?
UX research is part of the user experience design concept. You could say that it is the first step in that development, but in reality, it is a process that is repeated and appears throughout the entire journey towards the creation of a product.
To correctly understand the concept, we are going to divide it into two parts:
What is UX?
The acronym UX stands for “ user experience ”. Basically, this concept is related to the design of products that provide “ meaningful and relevant experiences ” to users.
“Starting to venture into UX/UI is to start questioning everything that happens around the user and their journey in your product”.
This questioning is done thanks to techniques and methods of UX research.
What is research?
Its literal translation is “research”, and it covers a lot of techniques and concepts that we will see throughout this article. For example, have you heard of benchmarking? And what about the customer journey map?
UX research encompasses these two techniques and many more. It seeks to obtain information and quality data to create products that satisfy the desires, cover the needs and eliminate the “pain points” of the users.
Basically, a UX researcher, as the professional in this area is called, is in charge of preparing the way so that the designers and the content team (about which you can learn more in the UX writing course ), can make the prototype perfect for the product in question.
Before, during, and after the product design process, the UX research team will be in charge of testing it and proposing the improvements they deem necessary. It is a cycle that does not end!
UX Research: Benefits
Now that you are more or less clear about what UX research is and what it is for, let’s analyze the benefits of implementing it in product design.
The main advantage is being able to know what the user wants and needs before launching it. UX research, unlike other digital or traditional marketing methods, focuses on the user, rather than on the problem and the solution (product).
Applying UX research tools allows you to know in advance what is expected of a product, and this undoubtedly leads to better business results.
Another advantage is that the UX researcher is responsible for testing the product several times and at different stages of the project. This minimizes the margin of error and allows new insights to work on. And to discover what your users hide in the depths of their minds, you must be clear about what an insight is and what it is for.
UX Research: Step By Step
UX Research is another way of referencing that process, and in order to carry it out, you need to follow these essential steps:
- Know the project you are going to work on and its context.
- Identify the public in detail and create a user person (or several if required).
- Define the UX research techniques to be used.
- Investigate, investigate and continue investigating. Even once the product is already available to the user, continuing iterating and improving: is what UX research is all about.
UX Research: Methods
Today there are numerous UX research techniques: some require more resources (human and monetary) than others, some are free, and many can be done remotely.
What are the UX research methodologies to use for a project? Here are the techniques most used by researchers:
Interviews with users:
This is a qualitative method in which a UX researcher meets with the participants one by one to talk in-depth about certain topics. You can do it in person or remotely (in this case, it is important to record it).
Poll:
It is the typical quantitative research method. It allows obtaining general data to specific questions. One of the most used platforms today to do surveys is Google Forms.
Focus Group:
This UX research technique seeks to create groups of between 3 and 12 participants, guided by a moderator, in order to achieve a debate among them and obtain insights on certain topics.
UX Benchmarking:
It is an in-depth analysis of your competition. It seeks to evaluate aspects such as vocabulary, accessibility, aesthetics, and usability, among others.
Eyetracking:
Also used in visual neuromarketing, it consists of a device that allows the movement of a person’s eye to be followed while they interact with the product.
Card Sorting:
This UX research technique par excellence makes users group topics into different categories, which allows them to get an idea of what the information architecture is expected to be like.
Customer journey map:
It is the visualization of the route that a user makes when using a certain product.
Map Conceptual:
This simple UX research technique is used to group topics and concepts, establish hierarchies and relate elements.
User testing:
This is an essential part of the entire UX design process. As its name indicates, it is about testing the product with real users to get feedback on it. One of the apps that can be used for this purpose is UsabilityHub.
Test A/B:
It is a widely used method both in UX research and in other disciplines, where different designs of the same site are tested by groups of users so that they interact with each design. A useful tool for implementing A/B tests is Adobe Target.
UX Research: Jobs
What you have read so far, did it interest you? Can you imagine working as a UX researcher? We have good news! Working in this profession is quite easy if you show that you have the right skills for the position and the necessary knowledge.
We give you some tips to be a successful UX research professional:
- Always be aware of UX trends.
- Know and test the new programs for UX designers.
- Be curious: question all the behaviors, doubts, and insights of the users. Do not forget that UX research is about that: research.
- Bear in mind the premise of always working for the user, beyond commercial interests.
- Try new and different UX research techniques in each project.
- Do frequent training and update yourself on new practices. The easiest way not to miss any course is through the premium membership: you will have new courses every week and exclusive mentoring.
Now yes! You already have all the tools to start meeting and researching users. Take product design to another level by applying UX research.
See you in the next article! 🚀
