Blog 64: 8 popular UX research methods
- Idea2Product2Business Team
- Jun 28, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 9, 2024
In blog 61, we looked at the four-step design mind map. Wherein, performing extensive user research is the first step. In this blog, we will briefly look at some widely used user research methods. For each method we mentioned the What, Why, How, Where, When, Tools, and an Example.
The main objective of these UX research methods is to uncover potential or current issues in the product. Also identify opportunities to improve design and user experience.
Usability Testing
What: Observe real users (participants) while they perform specific tasks on the product. Involves three elements, the facilitator, the tasks, and the participant.
Why: Leads to an iterative design and user experience that is driven by observations.
How: While, the participant completes each task, the researcher observes the behaviour and listens for feedback. Can be conducted without large budgets. However, users or participants will need to be compensated for their time. Generally, it is recommended to use at least five participants.
Where: Can be conducted in-person or remote. Two types of remote usability testing: moderated and unmoderated. In remote moderated testing, the facilitator interacts with the participant while the participant performs tasks on the product. In remote unmoderated testing, the participant completes tasks on its own.
When: This method is usually used during the iteration stage of design or product building (i.e., at least after the first version is launched).
Tools: A device having the product installed on; task sheets for the participant.
Example: The participant is looking to purchase a new laptop from a specific company. The participant is requested to go through the specific company’s website to decide.
Field Studies
What: Going out to the field to observe users within the environment they would normally be using the product in.
Why: To gather deep insights into user behaviour (within user’s natural environment).
How: Can happen through interviews, specific questions etc. Broadly of four types, direct observation, contextual inquiry (understanding the reasoning behind an observed behaviour), visiting users’ site/environment, and immerse into the user’s natural environment.
Where: At the users’ environment; Emergence of digital tools means field studies can be facilitated remotely.
When: Is conducted usually before design and in the discovery phase. The insights gathered prevent significant rework.
Tools: Digital meeting tools and video chat for remote field studies. In addition to questionnaires, survey sheets etc.
Example: Watch shoppers moving through a large shopping mall/retail store
Card Sorting
What: Participants are required to place individually labelled cards into groups according to certain criteria.
Why: Is used to discover users’ mental models for how content should be grouped.
How: Participants (as per their sensibility) need to organize a set of cards representing pages, links, images, page descriptions, etc. into groups.
Where: Either remote or in-person.
When: Is conducted early in the design process. As it helps designers generate ideas for possible navigation structures.
Tools: If in-person, index cards need to be grouped. If remote, then online tools such as Optimal Sort.
Example: The analysis helps to design a website/app’s navigation and content structure.
Tree Testing
What: To evaluate the effectiveness of a hierarchical category structure. Participants will have to find the exact location in a tree where specific resources or features can be found.
Why: Is used to validate a proposed or existing navigation structure by testing the findability of content.
How: Users interact with a hierarchical menu that has a series of navigation categories. As the participant selects a category, subcategories will emerge. Users continue to click till they find the specific resource they are looking for.
Where: Either remote or in-person.
When: Can be early in the design process or post the launch of the product (to gain ideas for future iterations).
Tools: If in-person, paper prototypes for tree testing. If remote, online tools such as Treejack.
Example: The analysis helps to design a website’s navigation categories and content structure.
Diary Studies
What: Participants themselves report their interactions and experiences. The reporting duration can range from a few days, weeks, etc.
Why: Is used to a) understand broad user behaviours b) learn user motivations and usage patterns c) understand how users undertake a certain activity.
How: Diary studies are a type of context method i.e., understand users’ contexts and environments. As participants themselves report their experiences, this research method is cost effective (however, costs incurred will include online tools).
Where: Remote, as participants report their interactions and experiences themselves.
When: Is generally conducted early in the design process before the actual product development starts. Can also be used after the launch of initial versions (to understand the user’s usage patterns).
Tools: Available tools include free and paid. Online tools such as dScout, SurveyMonkey, Google Forms, some messaging platforms etc.
Example: How do people use intelligent assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant?
Eye-Tracking
What: Eye-tracking equipment can track where a person is looking. Produces three types of visualizations: Gaze plots (qualitative), Gaze replays (qualitative), Heatmaps (quantitative).
Why: Studies in cognitive science show that what people think they do can differ from their actual actions. Hence, eye-tracking with visualisations can reduce subjectivity and arm researchers with concrete data.
How: Tracks eye movement to understand user attention. Eye tracking offers a data centric way to see how majority of the users’ mind work. It generates data in the form of heat maps and plots. This can help product builders optimise layout design, validate design decisions, detect user frustrations, and learn how to personalise user experiences etc.
Where: At a specific chosen location equipped with the eye-tracking equipment.
When: Conducted when the product is ready. To understand and track users’ attention while they use the product.
Tools: Requires assets such as eye-tracking tools, computers, and a specific location.
Example: Track a participant’s eye movement while browsing through a specific company website.
A/B Testing
What: A/B testing allows product builders to compare variations of the same page. And determine which will generate the best result.
Why: Is used by researchers to test their hypothesis on design with regards to the user conversion problem. Before creating the two variations researchers need to know … a) the precise conversion problem b) cause of the conversion problem c) the changes required to rectify the conversion problem d) possible outcomes of that change.
How: In A/B testing, we show different users two versions of the same design to identify which one performs better.
Where: Performed online. Generally, used by marketers and user-experience designers.
When: When the conversion metric is low. And we want to know which design/variation will solve the conversion problem.
Tools: Online tools such as Optimizely.
Example: Make a particular webpage with two variations for separate set of audiences. The variation could be in the ‘Add item to cart page’. Websites like Google, Amazon.com are constantly running A/B tests.
Clickstream Analytics
What: Clickstream data refers to the information collected while a user browses or navigates through a website.
Why: To measure user engagement. Can be integrated with other methods, such as A/B testing. To maximise our understanding on user engagement. By observing clickstream data, we can notice patterns in user behaviour.
How: Track user actions, such as page views, clicks, and scrolling. Provides a preview into how users navigate a website or app. We can leverage this information to make vital business decisions.
Where: Performed online. User actions are collected through tools, such as Google Analytics or Piwik.
When: Is conducted when the actual digital product/app/website is live.
Example: Learn what words users typed into search engines to arrive at our website, how long users were on a particular page, where they navigated next etc.
Also refer to blog 96 for 8 ways to stay close to customers; keep our product relevant.
Jump to blog 100 to refer to the overall product management mind map.
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All the best! 😊