Lately, research methods for UI & UX have been garnering a lot of attention from people all around the world. This is happening because everyone is striving to create the most engaging user experience for their potential clients.
To get this done, people are making use of not only qualitative UX research methods but also quantitative methods.
Understand the meaning of these terms:
When we talk about these methods, we are also talking about the user. These methods allow us to study their behavior and form patterns that can be used to design products. The race to capture the attention of the user is becoming increasingly fast. Having a user experience that is engaging and invigorating to the user is important. Otherwise, you are going to lose out on your potential clients.
There are a number of tools that we use at UIUX Studio to ensure that we create the best and the most engaging content for you. In this article, we will be sharing with you a few of our oft-used methods of research. We have been using these methods to ensure that we stay ahead of the race and can deliver the best and most differentiated product.
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How to choose the right method for UX reasearch?
Our design company use qualitative research methods for UX to get the job done. There are certain questions that we always ask ourselves before we choose a research method. They are about what the user is struggling with? What does the user want? And how can we contribute towards making it better? The answers to these determine the research method we take up.
In the following lines, we have spoken about the research methods that we use. You can go through them and try to pick the one that suits your needs the best. They are not equally well-suited for all operations and differ on the nature of the job.
The eleven ways of UX research:
1. Five-second tests
One of the most effective methods, the five-second test, gives the user only five seconds to observe. The users are shown an image for five seconds and then asked about the perception that they formed. This is because an average user spends only seconds on a platform. Thus, it is important to catch their attention in that span.
With the help of this test, one can easily know the information that was conveyed to the user. This data can be analyzed to make the program more attractive and engaging to the user.
2. Usability tests
In reality, what are UX research methods? They are ways to gauge the reaction of the user to your program. As quantitative UX research methods go, usability tests are quite useful. They record the reaction of the user in real-time. The user operates the program while under observation.
The researcher, meanwhile, is taking down notes on the observation of the behavior of the user. This provides real data about the program. This can be used to enhance the user experience and to make the product better. The goal is to know if the design that you made is interactive and easy to understand or not.
3. Tree tests
A tree test is a great way to test the navigation on any site. Then what are research methods for UX doing for you? Well, they are helping you create a better navigation plan for your platform. A tree test checks what the natural course of action is by a user when they are looking for information.
In a tree test, they are provided with only the tree-structured outline of the site. The users are then asked to figure out a number of locations in a given time. The response that it generates tells about the efficiency of the design.
4. Card Sorting
As the name suggests, card sorting is one of the best methods by which you arrange cards. The way the user arranges the cards before them shows their understanding of the series of events. This is a great intuitive exercise that gives an insight into how the mind of the user works.
The researcher gets to understand the mental mechanics of the user. It is also helpful in exposing any biases that might have affected the research. It is equally engaging for the user too.
5. Surveys
They are one of the best methods as they allow you to reach a large number of people. The data that you gather comes from a large group of people and is, thus, diverse. The kind of response that you get is also entirely up to you.
In this, you design the questionnaire that goes around for data collection. There can be a number of types of questions that you can put up. They can be either open-ended or close-ended. The responses can either be subjective or objective.
6. Diary study
As these methods go, this one is stretched over a long period of time. As the name suggests, it requires the study of a diary of the client. In this diary, the client records all their interaction with the product. This record can be in the form of a photo, a text, a note, etc.
It is spread over a long period of time. And at the end of it, the researcher gets to know what the user feels. In this type of study, the researcher has to remain available to the subjects of the study.
7. Focus groups
Focus group study is one of the qualitative User Experience research methods. As the name suggests, it is done with a group of people in a controlled environment. The aim of the study is to know the perception of the group about a product or program.
Since it is a qualitative research method, you need to prepare thoroughly for it. The questions that you provide will determine the answers that you get. So it is better to be specific about what is UX research methods that you adopt. A good way to be in control will be to have a well-defined goal and a preplanned narrative to guide the discussion.
8. Field study
One of the better qualitative UX research methods is a field study. Much like in a science class, a field study asks you to step out of the lab. A field study is not done in your controlled environment but in the outside world. In the course of a field study, you study the user in their environment.
It allows you a better understanding of their thinking and their wants. Since you are in their environment, you get a better understanding of what they want and how they interact with their surroundings.
9. User interview
One of the best quantitative UX research methods is conducting a user interview. In this, you get to ask questions from the user about their experience. The answers that you get from them will determine your data. And the quality of your data depends on how well you frame your questions.
Knowing what is UX research methods is not enough; you also need to be able to implement them effectively. In a user interview, you are required to frame questions that have a breadth.
Having empathy allows you to understand the user’s perspective better. And when you are curious enough, you start to ask meaningful questions. And these questions help you become a better designer.
10. Participatory design methods
One of the quantitative UX research methods is the above-mentioned one. In this method, the users are given the option to create a product of their liking. This is an excellent method when it comes to collecting data from a large source. With the rise in the number of participants, you gain accuracy in the study.
The users have to tell what they made and why they made it. This data can then be incorporated into your work to create an engaging product. Since this product has been made from varied data, it will find some resonating notes from a lot of users.
11. Eye-tracking
These methods track the movement of the eye of the user to know where they are looking. It allows the researcher to know what holds the attention of the user and for how long. But this method requires the users to wear a tracking machine before they begin the research.
The data gathered from this is in real-time and authentic. The participants perform a number of tasks in which their engagement is noticed. These tasks range from simple interaction to pathfinding and natural functioning.
And it’s a Wrap!
When it comes to these research methods, it is best to choose one that fits your needs the best. There are both quantitative UX research methods and qualitative methods. In the end, it is up to you to pick the one that suits your research needs the best. There are also constraints like resources and time that you need to account for.
