UX Research
Unlocking User Insights to Shape Better Experiences
UX research—or as it’s sometimes called, design research—serves many purposes throughout the design process. It helps us identify and prove or disprove our assumptions, find commonalities across our target audience members, and recognize their needs, goals, and mental models. Overall, research informs our work, improves our understanding, and make our work better.
1. Plan
Project background and research goals, which are part of the plan’s introduction, and the research questions. When they’re well-crafted, these elements provide a strong base for building the rest of a research plan. The introduction and research questions typically help design teams:
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Establish overarching research goals
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Identify who’s affected by the design
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Define the deliverables that the research should yield
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Ensure the quality of the research data
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2. Conduct the Research
The chart below is a representation of what I do in order to gather the best insights. Data is essential in creating the right app. Many so-called leaders make unwise decisions in thinking how an app is to be designed without relying on UX research and therefore leading to hardly any growth and revenue.
Must be moderated in person or teleconference
Where to Use
- Concepts (not yet developed)
- Wireframes
- Prototypes
What you learn
User needs, wants, and motivations. User pain points, aspirations, and goals. This is generally qualitative data.
How many participants?
5-10
How long will it take?
Interviews depend on test participant availability. Invitations should be sent at least a week in advance. Findings are immediate. 1-2 days to synthesize.
A group of people assembled to participate in a moderated discussion about a concept of topic.
Where to use
- Concepts (not yet developed)
- Wireframes
- Prototypes
What you learn
User needs, wants, and motivations. User pain points, aspirations and goals. This is generally qualitative data.
2 versions of a page, or 2 isolated variables (ex. red button vs blue button) are served equally to users to see which performs best.
Where to use
The best performing of 2 or more variables. Can be a whole page design or copy, images and other content.
How many participants?
Minimum 50
How long will it take?
- 1 day to prep the test
- Up to 1 week to run test
- Results are immediate. 1-2 days for analysis.
A technique where users try to complete real tasks on a website, app, device, or software.
Where to Use
- Wireframes
- Prototypes
- Final Product
What you learn
Find out usability problems. 85% of usability problems can be found with only 5 tests
How long will it take?
- 3 days to prep the test
- Up to 1 Week to run the test. Generall 1/2 – 1 hour ver participant
- 2-3 days: Analyze sessions and report of findings
3. Synthesize
The process of analyzing and interpreting raw data collected from various research methods to derive meaningful insights. The goal of synthesis is to identify patterns, trends, and user behaviors that can inform design decisions. This is collecting data, organizing data, analyzing themes (like trends and behavior), and creating personas and user journeys just to name a few.
4. Share
Sharing refers to the practice of communicating and disseminating research findings, insights, and learnings with various stakeholders involved in the product development process. This can include and not be limited to: Communication with stakeholders, reports, documentaiton, presentations, workshops, or recorded media.
Research Tools I Use
UserTesting
UserTesting.com is a platform that provides user testing and usability testing services for websites, apps, and other digital products. It allows businesses and individuals to gain insights into how real users interact with their digital products, identify usability issues, and make informed decisions to improve user experiences. Reasons for utilizing UserTesting are: User Insights, Usability Testing, Remote Testing, Rapid Feedback, Unbiased Feedback, and Competitor Analysis.
UserZoom (now also UserTesting.com)
I asked participants to do the following:
“You have just downloaded an app to help you manage customers for your e-commerce business. This app lets you manage contact’s information and automate marketing emails. Which option best represents this type of app visually? Click only once.”
Gainsight PX: Path Analyzing
Using software such as Gainsight PX and Pendo allow us to drill into analytics where it can help us understand how users are interacting with software products and improve user experiences. For more consise reasons it allows us the following : Understand user behavior, data-driven decision Making, and better use of onboarding and adoption. Here is an example tracking the path of a user (macro) journey for a product feature.
Conducting User Interviews
Conducting user interviews is a pivotal step in evaluating the effectiveness of a design. By directly engaging with the end user, we can gain valuable insights into how well the design meets their needs and expectations. In this case, I had the opportunity to interview a Herbalife Nutrition Club owner to gather their feedback on the new POS system I designed for them.
The interview process began with a series of open-ended questions aimed at understanding the owner’s day-to-day operations and the challenges they faced with their previous system. This was followed by a hands-on demonstration of the new POS system, where I observed their interaction with the interface, noting areas of ease and difficulty. I encouraged the owner to provide candid feedback, asking them to discuss their first impressions, any features they found particularly helpful, and any areas where they felt improvements could be made.
Throughout the interview, I paid close attention to verbal and non-verbal cues, probing deeper into any concerns or suggestions the owner raised. This allowed me to identify potential pain points and areas for further refinement. After the session, I summarized the key takeaways, which were then used to inform iterative design changes aimed at enhancing the system’s usability and overall user experience.
Photography
Weekday Evenings
7PM -10PM
Weekends
1 PM - 11 PM
Contact
Phone
+(562) 552 2526
info@michaelserna.design
Address
Riverside, California