conducting user research
Research is so important because it helps uncover key insights and provide an understanding of the problem at hand in order to design effective solutions.
1. Context Gathering
What do you know about your users key tasks, pains and gains. What is important to the business, what are their objectives. What do you know about the space around your design problem, competitors, social trends etc.
2. Proto-Personas
Hypothesize your users based on existing knowledge, assumptions and beliefs. They provide a starting point from which to begin evaluating.
3. Research Plan
A research plan will helps determine why you are doing research, what the goals are and how you will achieve them. Formulate these goals based on assumptions about your users, business objectives and the design environment.
4. Research Methods
There are an infinite number of research methods to chose from, but it helps to align these with your goals to select the right ones.
- Usability Testing
- Diary or Camera Studies
- Concept Testing
- A/B Testing
- Interviews
- Social Media Study Card Sorting
- Concept Testing
- Surveys
- Participatory Design
- Questionnaires
5. Synthesis
Take the research data, organize it, analyze it, structure it, turn it into insights and demonstrate these insights with evidence that will enable design solutions. The key is to find patterns and priorities.
- Affinity/ Mind mapping
- Personas
- User Scenarios
- Customer Journey Maps