User-centered (UX) design relies on the results of research that looks at users’ behavior and attitudes when they engage with the product. UX researchers use different types of tests during the design process to determine if the website or mobile app is easy and enjoyable to use, as well as whether it accomplishes what it was designed to do.
Qualities of a Good UX Researcher
Good UX researchers need to be effective communicators, enjoy interacting with people, and have good attention to detail. One of the important qualities of a researcher is empathy, the ability to imagine what a user is experiencing. This helps when formulating interview and survey questions. Pragmatism is another important quality, which means that the researcher can keep in mind the cost and effort of getting the information and weigh it against the time and budget constraints of the project. Collaboration is also important because researchers are part of the design team and need to work together with the other members. Finally, research is only as good as the data collected, so the ability to perform tests consistently and record results accurately is crucial to good research.
What Does a UX Researcher Do?
UX Researchers conduct different types of tests to find out about users’ attitudes and behaviors toward the website or app under development. They conduct quantitative and qualitative research to test the product and then report on their findings. UX researchers conduct interviews, run surveys, and perform usability studies of various types. Then they analyze the data and report their findings to the design team.
Timing of Research
UX design is a team effort that repeats as needed, and research comes in at different times in the product development cycle. There are four basic stages of research:
- Foundational - Also known as strategic research, foundational research happens before the project gets the official go-ahead. This is the phase where data are gathered to assess the general situation.
- Definition - This phase of research defines the problem and identifies the pain points users are experiencing as they try to accomplish their goals.
- Design - This phase builds on the others and looks at how the product should be built.
- Post-launch - Post-launch research tests the success of the product and points to improvements for the future.
Research Methods
UX Researchers use various tools to get the information they need to drive user-centered design. Some of these tools are listed below.
Research Tools
UX Researchers have various types of tools available to get the information they need to drive user-centered design. Interviews, surveys, analytics, journey maps, and usability studies all reveal different information about the user’s experience with a product.
Interviews
Interviewing users or potential users of a product lets you collect the opinions, thoughts, and attitudes towards a process and your product’s place in it. It is important to ask detailed, open-ended questions to gather the kinds of responses that are the most useful. This kind of interview is expensive and time-consuming, so the sample size tends to be small, but interviews help the UX Researcher understand what users think and why. You can also ask follow-up questions later. Interviews and observations conducted in the user’s own environment are the most useful.
Diary Studies
Diary studies ask users to make note of what they do every day and to keep a log of how they attempt to accomplish a goal or use the product.
Surveys
Surveys involve asking participants to choose from a list or make a numerical ranking. They include a mix of quantitative and qualitative questions and can provide a larger sample size. Surveys can be done quickly and are relatively inexpensive, but they don’t give the kind of in-depth feedback you get from interviews.
Analytics
User analytics can provide insight into how users interact with the product. You can collect quantifiable data and identify trends, chart website traffic, and build reports. There are many different tools for collecting analytics like Google, Domo, and Grow.
Card Sorting
In card sorting tests, the UX researcher writes words and phrases on cards, then asks participants to organize them in the way that makes the most sense. The categories can be labeled to make sure the design is put together in the most logical way.
Usability Studies
In usability studies, UX Researchers observe users interacting with the actual product. They can identify problems or pain points along the way. Usability studies can be used to challenge the assumptions of the design team and make sure the process is on track. The drawbacks of usability studies are that they only measure how easy a product is to use and they are expensive. They must be done on-site in a lab, the users are usually paid for their participation, and it is difficult to tell if users behave the same way in a lab as they would in real life.
A/B Testing
A/B testing is a common form of usability test that has users compare two versions of a website to see which one works better. This type of test is useful further along in the design process.
Accessibility Testing
Accessibility evaluations are an important type of UX research because a product that isn’t useable by everyone is a failed product.
How to Become a UX Researcher
The usual career path for a UX Researcher is first to become a UX Designer. If you would like to learn more about UX design and research in order to switch to a new career, one of the best ways to do that is to sign up for classes. You can choose classes that meet in-person or online to learn design software and other applications. Some people prefer to attend brick-and-mortar sessions when learning new information, but that isn’t always available. Live online classes have a similar set-up with a real-time, remote instructor who can answer questions and take control of your monitor—with permission—to show you how to do things. Training is part or full-time and available weekdays, weeknights, or weekends.
Conclusion
It’s easy to learn UX design and start a new career. Check out Noble Desktop’s UX design classes. Choose between in-person sessions in NYC at Noble’s location or sign up for live online UX design courses and attend from anywhere. Use Noble Desktop’s Classes Near Me to find other UX design bootcamps in your area.