Story: The reason defines design

User research focuses on understanding user behaviors, needs, and motivations through observation techniques, task analysis, and other feedback methodologies. This field of research aims at improving the usability of products, services, or processes by incorporating experimental and observational research methods to guide the design, development, and refinement of a product. – Wikipedia

When we design products (SaaS, APP, website or graphic), we think about the user, target audience and their situation. It’s called persona in the UX process. We profile a name, age, gender, job, preferences and comprehensive personality. It helps us to achieve a consistent design.

I conduct market/user research in every project. If I can research efficiently, I can ask good questions to the client. The process will be much easier. Then, the quality of work improves in the end. Therefore, I learned about UX research.

What is User Research?

©Udacity

User-research is a discipline that is providing insights, keyword insights, into product users, their perspectives and abilities to the right people at the right time.

3 Key points:
– What do people need? ✔️
– What do people want?
– Can they use the product?

Not only for the new ideas, but we can also refine the product or service through UX research.

How to use research for a decision?
The first need to do is make a list of the questions(assumption) you are trying to answer. ✔️

5 MUST HAVE Skills for UX Research

©Kevin Liang

1. Understanding people and physiology
2. Listening(understand who, what, why) and question
3. Synthesis
4. Storytelling
5. Influence

Google UX Designer Raphael | How does UX Research and Design Work Together?

©UX Brighton: Susan Weinschenk – The Top 10 Things You Need to Know about Perception

He mentions about 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People by Susan Weinschenk. I found this video. Psychology is an interesting field. It’s good to know for all designers.

How To Conduct User Interviews Like A Pro

©CareerFoundry

– Have a clear goal in mind and plan questions when you interview a user ✔️

Preparing for user interview
– Setting research objectives
– Recruiting participants
– Finding a location

– How your target users talk about the product/service which you’re designing for problems

– When? Decide a direction, usability test,
– How? Setting goals and objectives/recruiting participants/ choosing the location and setup/asking the right questions
– Mention that there is no right or wrong answer

– Don’t take a note(record if interviewee agrees) ✔️
– Take your timed
– Avoid industry jargon
– More than yes/no closed question
– Finish strong

The UX User Research Process

©Robert Smith

3 different types of use research
– Background research(Persona), for who? for what?
– Usability testing, UX/UI test, does product meet user need?
– Research to understand ROI, evaluate/effectiveness before and after

It’s in circulation.

When to Use Which UX Research Method

©NNgroup

Types of UX research methods:
– 2 UX research methods, behavioral or attitudinal
– Other methods, quantitative or qualitative
– The other methods, tangible or not
– Survey
– Video recording
– Contextual user situation

The UX Research Methods Every Designer Needs To Know

©CareerFoundry

– Process of gathering insight about your user
– Understand user’s need, goal and pain-point ✔️
– Validate and invalidate own assumption
– Methods: quantitative, qualitative, attitudinal, behavioral
– Attitudinal bases on what people say, behavioral bases on what people do
– A/B test, survey, card sorting, eye-tracking

The Interaction Design Foundation: 7 Great, Tried and Tested UX Research Techniques

Creating Personas for User Experience Research

©PlaybookUX

– Persona = profile, clarify your target user
– Navigate design and feature decision
– Marketing persona, targeting
– UX persona, think about goals, aspirations, motivations ✔️
– Focus on 1-2 personas
– Photo, name, short bio, quote(describe the motivation and typical behavior pattern), brand, behaviors, goals, pain points, personality/characteristics, motivations.

Startup Lab workshop: User Research, Quick ‘n’ Dirty

©GV

Fullstory

Open Bookmarks Co. Blog UX Research

FullStory’s intuitive digital experience analytics provide you with key qualitative and quantitative insights so you can drive high-impact digital improvements.

Conclusion: Share why design

We profile the target audience through the UX research, but developing the persona is not the purpose. We develop it to align the direction for all stakeholder. For that, we have to explain the research result to them clearly. We have to accept constructive feedback and update it for the team.

I would like to be a designer/person who can communicate easily. When I meet a designer at a meetup event, I often see people who don’t open-mind. Many people are better designers than me, but they need soft skills. I like the creation process, but solving the problem through communication is my career goal.

Reference:

Toptal: The Complete Guide to UX Research Methods
Medium: UX Planet – UX research methods and when to use them
Dribbble: 5 Simple Habits to Improve UX Research

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