9 UX research methods you should know | Maze

Summary

In this video, Hilary, the Education Lead at Maze, introduces the top nine UX research methods to help designers and researchers understand user behavior and improve product experiences. The methods discussed include user interviews, field studies, card sorting, tree testing, usability testing, diary research, surveys, focus groups, and five-second testing. Each method serves different purposes depending on the project stage and research goals. The video highlights the importance of selecting the right method to gather actionable insights and enhance user experience, offering further resources for deeper exploration.

Takeaways

• 😀 UX research methods help generate insights about users, their behavior, and needs to improve product experiences.
• 💬 User interviews provide qualitative insights by delving into user pain points, opinions, and feelings, allowing researchers to adapt in real time.
• 🏞️ Field studies take place in the user's natural environment, offering a deeper understanding of how a product is used in real-world settings.
• 🃏 Card sorting helps uncover users' mental models by organizing content and is useful for designing information architecture.
• 🌳 Tree testing assesses usability and findability by navigating text-only versions of information architecture to test content structure.
• 🧪 Usability testing is essential to evaluate a product’s intuitiveness and identify any issues or bugs through task-based user testing.
• 📔 Diary studies provide long-term, real-time insights as participants self-report their thoughts and behaviors over an extended period.
• 📊 Surveys are a versatile method for gathering both quantitative and qualitative data from a wide pool of users remotely.
• 👥 Focus groups involve moderated discussions with a small group to gather feedback on specific features or product concepts.
• ⏳ Five-second testing measures first impressions by showing participants a design briefly to gauge the immediate impact and clarity of messaging.

Q & A

What is the primary goal of UX research according to the video?

The primary goal of UX research is to identify challenges and opportunities for improvement within a product's user experience, by gathering insights about users, their behavior, and their needs.

Why are user interviews considered a go-to technique for UX researchers?

User interviews allow researchers to gather in-depth qualitative data by exploring users' pain points, opinions, and feelings. They are flexible and allow interviewers to adapt questions based on user responses in real-time, leading to richer insights.

When might a field study be more appropriate than other UX research methods?

A field study is ideal when context is crucial, such as when testing a product in its natural environment. For example, if you're developing software for doctors, it's important to see how it operates in a real hospital setting.

What is the key advantage of using card sorting in UX research?

Card sorting helps researchers understand users' mental models and how they group or organize information. This makes it useful for improving information architecture, content categorization, and naming conventions.

How do tree testing and card sorting complement each other in UX research?

Tree testing assesses how users navigate a text-only version of a product's information architecture, while card sorting helps define and structure it. Tree testing helps review usability, and card sorting helps organize content. Both methods can be used at different stages of product development.

What is the main goal of usability testing?

The main goal of usability testing is to determine whether a product is intuitive and easy to use. It helps identify issues, bugs, or areas for improvement in the user experience.

What insights can diary research provide?

Diary research offers real-time, organic insights into how users interact with a product over an extended period. Participants record their thoughts, behaviors, and feelings, providing valuable context around how products fit into their daily lives.

What are the benefits of using surveys in UX research?

Surveys are versatile and can collect both qualitative and quantitative data. They are relatively simple and inexpensive to administer and can be conducted remotely, allowing for a larger participant pool.

In what situations are focus groups typically used in UX research?

Focus groups are often used in market research to gather user opinions, beliefs, and feedback on products or concepts. They are useful when researching how users perceive new features or concepts for existing or new products.

What is the purpose of five-second testing, and when might you use it?

Five-second testing helps gauge users' first impressions of a design or webpage by showing it for five seconds and asking for feedback. It is useful for assessing the clarity and effectiveness of messaging and design, particularly during early development or branding efforts.

Outlines

00:00

📊 Introduction to UX Research Methods

The video introduces the main topic of UX research methods. The goal is to explain various user research methods that are essential for improving user experience in products. Hilary, the Education Lead at Maze, introduces the first method, user interviews, highlighting their flexibility in gathering in-depth qualitative data. She emphasizes the importance of asking the right questions to get valuable insights. Then, field studies are discussed as a method conducted in the user's environment to gather contextual data about product usage. These methods are compared with lab-based approaches, noting the depth of insights possible in real-life settings, despite potential high costs.

05:02

🗂️ Card Sorting and Tree Testing in UX Research

This section focuses on card sorting and tree testing as crucial techniques in UX research for organizing information architecture. Card sorting involves participants grouping cards with different content, revealing users' mental models and their expectations for content placement. Tree testing provides a text-only version of a product’s information architecture, allowing researchers to assess usability based on how easily users navigate the structure. The sequence of these methods depends on whether the product is new or undergoing a redesign. Card sorting is ideal for planning new information architectures, while tree testing is best suited for evaluating existing structures.

10:04

🧪 Usability Testing and Other Research Methods

The third part of the script dives into usability testing, which is vital for evaluating whether a product is intuitive and user-friendly. This method can be qualitative or quantitative, moderated or unmoderated, and helps identify design flaws or bugs. Diary research is then explained as a self-reporting method that allows users to document their experiences over time, providing authentic, contextual insights into their interactions with the product. Surveys are presented as a versatile method for collecting quantitative and qualitative data, offering ease of setup and broad reach. Lastly, focus groups are discussed as a way to gather user perceptions in a moderated setting, ideal for exploring users' feelings, beliefs, and challenges related to a product. The section closes with five-second testing, a rapid method for evaluating first impressions of a design or webpage.

Keywords

💡UX Research Methods

UX Research Methods refer to various techniques used to gather insights about users, their behaviors, and needs. In the video, this term forms the central theme as the narrator explains different methods like user interviews, card sorting, and usability testing that help in improving a product's user experience by identifying challenges and opportunities.

💡User Interviews

User interviews are a qualitative research method where researchers gather insights by having conversations with users. This method allows for flexible questioning and real-time follow-up, making it ideal for exploring user pain points and opinions. In the video, it is highlighted as one of the go-to techniques for understanding users’ deep-seated feelings and thoughts.

💡Field Study

A field study is a research method where observations are made in the user’s natural environment. In the video, field studies are emphasized as a way to understand how a product is used in a real-world context, such as observing doctors using software in a hospital setting. While costly, it provides valuable authentic insights into how users interact with products.

💡Card Sorting

Card sorting involves presenting users with various topics or concepts on cards and having them group or categorize these based on what makes sense to them. It helps uncover users' mental models and how they think about information architecture. In the video, card sorting is described as useful for structuring content or categorizing ideas, with examples such as naming conventions or content organization.

💡Tree Testing

Tree testing is a technique where users are given a text-only version of a product's information architecture and asked to perform tasks to test the ease of navigation. The video explains that tree testing helps evaluate the usability of content hierarchy and findability, and is often paired with card sorting during the development of a new product or redesigning existing systems.

💡Usability Testing

Usability testing involves asking participants to complete tasks using a product and observing how easily they can do so. The aim is to assess the intuitiveness and user-friendliness of a design. In the video, usability testing is called invaluable for identifying usability issues and ensuring a product is easy to navigate, such as in e-commerce websites when users try to complete a purchase.

💡Diary Research

Diary research is a longitudinal, self-reporting method where participants record their thoughts and behaviors over time while using a product. The video mentions diary studies as a way to gain ongoing, real-time insights into how users engage with products, such as documenting when and why they listen to podcasts, offering rich, contextual data.

💡Surveys

Surveys are a popular research method for gathering both qualitative and quantitative data from users. They are relatively easy to set up and can be conducted remotely, making them useful for collecting feedback from a larger or more diverse group. The video explains that surveys are especially effective after users interact with a product, capturing fresh insights and opinions.

💡Focus Groups

Focus groups involve bringing together a small, moderated group of users to discuss a product or feature. The video emphasizes that focus groups are useful for gathering qualitative data on user preferences, perceptions, and beliefs, making them ideal for concept testing or gathering feedback on new features. They can be conducted both in-person and remotely.

💡Five-second Testing

Five-second testing is a research method where users are shown a design or webpage for just five seconds and then asked to share their first impressions. The video highlights this method for quickly assessing whether a design’s key messages are clear and engaging, such as during a website redesign or evaluating a brand’s new logo.

Highlights

Introduction to top UX research methods, highlighting their importance in gathering user insights and improving product experiences.

User interviews are a go-to method for gathering qualitative data, providing deep insights into user pain points and opinions.

Field studies allow researchers to observe user behavior in a natural environment, offering valuable context and authentic insights.

Card sorting helps understand users' mental models by categorizing information, useful for developing information architecture and content categorization.

Tree testing evaluates the usability and findability of a product's information architecture using a text-only version.

Usability testing assesses whether a product is intuitive and easy to use, crucial for identifying bugs and development issues.

Diary studies provide longitudinal insights by having participants log their experiences over time, offering a deeper understanding of user behaviors.

Surveys are versatile tools for collecting both qualitative and quantitative data, ideal for remote research and large participant pools.

Focus groups allow for in-depth discussions on user perceptions and preferences, typically involving 5-10 participants over a two-hour session.

Five-second testing gauges first impressions of a design or webpage, useful for assessing initial reactions and design effectiveness.

User interviews are flexible, allowing researchers to ask follow-up questions in real-time to gain richer insights.

Field studies are particularly beneficial when developing software for specific environments, such as hospitals or specialized work settings.

Tree testing and card sorting are complementary methods that provide a holistic view of information architecture usability and design.

Usability testing should be conducted early and often in the development process to catch issues as the product evolves.

Diary studies reveal how products fit into users' daily routines, capturing context-specific insights that are hard to obtain otherwise.

Transcripts

(bright cheerful music)

- Hey, everyone.

For today's video, we're talking

about the top UX research methods.

So by the end of the video,

you'll know all about the most important

user research methods and be ready to get started

on your next research project.

I'm Hilary, Education Lead at Maze.

Okay, let's get started.

UX research methods are ways of generating

and gathering insights about your users,

their behavior and needs.

The ultimate goal of research is to identify

challenges and opportunities for improvement

within your product's user experience.

That might be through gathering user feedback,

testing usability, generating ideas,

or evaluating a product.

There's a lot of different UX research methods,

and the method you'll wanna go with depends on your project,

what stage of development you're in,

and what goals and resources you have on hand.

So what UX research methods are there?

In this video, we'll go over nine key methods

you should know about when developing a new product

or improving an existing one.

In no particular order, let's take a look.

First off, let's talk about user interviews.

User interviews allow you to gather insights

through conversation,

and it's one of the go-to techniques for UX researchers.

They're ideal for gathering qualitative data,

as they get into the depths of pain points,

opinions, and feelings.

But you can also gather quantitative data,

depending on what questions you ask

and how you format your interview.

One of the perks of user interviews is their flexibility,

and the fact that you can react in the moment,

according to what your interviewees say.

Unlike some other methods,

where follow-up questions happen later,

you can adjust your interview and dig deeper

into topics right then and there,

giving you a chance to get richer insights

within an answer's original context.

As with all research, the value of your data

really depends on the value of your questions.

So it's worth spending time ahead of your interviews

and getting confident with what you want to ask

and how you want to ask it.

The next research method is field study.

The standout point here is that this method takes place

in the test participants' own environment.

While other methods may happen

in a lab or office-based setting,

the field studies take place, unsurprisingly, in the field.

This makes them a great way to uncover insights

around how your product is used,

and learn about the user experience

in an authentic environment.

By observing your user and product on site,

you can get a broader picture of your user,

and see the context within which your product operates.

This allows you to to gather more useful,

actionable insights to take away.

You might opt for a field study when context is crucial.

Like, if you're building software

that doctors use in a hospital.

In that case, you need to see how that software works

when it's being used in a realistic environment

with real users.

So a field study is ideal.

The downside of field studies is that they can be pricey,

as you may need to cover costs for travel or accommodations.

However, they're well worth the investment

if you're looking to garner a deeper glimpse

into your user's lives,

and see the context around how your product operates.

Next, we have one of the most versatile research techniques

on this list, card sorting.

In a card sort, participants are given cards

with different information, topics or ideas on them,

and they have to group them together

into different categories based on what makes sense to them.

You can use physical index cards, pieces of paper,

or an online card sorting tool.

Ultimately, by studying how users organize

and group the cards presented to them,

you can uncover things like users' mental models,

how people approach your product,

how they feel about different concepts or ideas,

and where they'd expect to find certain content.

This makes card sorting a great UX research method

for gathering ideas on how to structure

information architecture or simply to get inspiration

for things like content categorization

or naming conventions.

If you're looking to learn more about card sorting,

check out our guide, which has more in-depth info,

like, the types of card sorting, how to conduct your study

and how to analyze the results.

We'll link it in the description below.

Number four on our list is tree testing,

a UX research method where users are given

a text-only version of a product's information architecture,

and are asked to complete tasks

which require them to navigate this.

Seeing how easily and efficiently users can do this

allows you to assess things like findability,

labeling, content grouping and hierarchy,

and the overall usability of the information architecture.

While both tree testing and card sorting

are methods that help categorize content

and assess information architecture,

they do offer different angles of insight,

and can both be used at different stages

in product development.

The two methods work best in tandem.

But what you want to do first

depends on your project and goals.

For example, if you're looking to redesign

existing information architecture,

then you should tree test first

to assess what currently works

and how usable the existing navigation is.

Then you can use card sorting

to structure the new navigation

and learn what information your users

want kept together or reorganized.

However, if you're building a new product from scratch,

you might want to use a card sort first

to define and plan the information architecture,

followed by tree testing to review the usability

of your navigation design.

So while they might seem

like similar methods at first glance,

it's a good idea to factor in time to do both

to maximize your evaluation.

Coming in at number five, we have usability testing.

It's safe to say that usability testing

is invaluable when it comes to UX research.

During the test, participants are asked

to complete a set of tasks using the product in question,

allowing you to then review if they were able to navigate

and use the product easily.

AKA, its usability.

The overall goal of usability testing is to understand

whether you're building an intuitive product

that's easily understood.

But it can also be a crucial technique

in uncovering issues, flaws, and development bugs.

For example, if you're designing an online retail site

and want to assess how easily users

can add something to their cart and navigate to checkout,

usability testing would be the method to go with.

Usability testing can be moderated or unmoderated,

qualitative or quantitative,

and there's multiple techniques you can choose from,

depending on what data you hope to gather,

or if there's a specific part

of the product you're focusing on.

Understanding whether your product is usable and intuitive

is a crucial part of any product development.

So it's important to conduct usability testing

early and often, as so much can change

between different iterations and design stages.

Our next method is diary research.

Diary studies are a self-reporting longitudinal method,

which take place over an extended period of time

and work by tasking participants with keeping a diary

to record their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors

while using a product.

Normally used to collect qualitative data,

users will log specific information about activities

and their experience using the product being studied.

Diary types include physical journals, video logs,

or a variety of online tools.

You also have to choose between an open, freeform diary

where participants can record what and when they like,

or a closed, structured diary

with specific questions and timings.

Similar to field studies,

the biggest value of diary research

is its ability to give organic insights in real time.

An example of when you might use a diary study

would be if you want to know when users listen to podcasts

and what circumstances surround that activity.

Diary studies help tell the story of how products fit

into a user's daily life,

and offer a window into the reality of how, why,

and when users interact with products.

So it's a great method if you want to gather

those authentic contextual insights.

Surveys are one of the most frequently used

research methods, and it's easy to see why.

They're a great way to collect

both quantitative and qualitative data,

or do generative or evaluative research.

Plus, they're relatively simple

and inexpensive to put together.

And because of their lack of moderator,

you can set up the survey and leave it to collect data

while your focus is elsewhere.

Being a remote research method is a big perk

if you're looking to tap into a wider participant pool,

or want to connect with users who may otherwise

be left out of traditional in-person research.

An ideal time to use surveys

is after someone uses your product,

as their experience will be fresh in their mind.

So whether you're looking to gather quantitative

or qualitative data on opinions or preferences

or specific feedback on new features,

surveys are a great method to opt for.

Much like other unmoderated methods,

the thing that has the most impact is the questions you ask.

It's imperative that you're being intentional

in both what you ask and how you ask it,

so as to not impact the answers.

To maximize the insights you collect

and minimize any mistakes,

it can be worth reading up on how to construct and conduct

the ultimate user survey.

We'll link our guide to this below.

At number eight, we've got focus groups.

This is a broadly qualitative method,

but can be used for evaluative or generative research,

depending on your topics.

Focus groups consist of gathering a small group of users

who are of similar demographics,

and asking them questions in a moderated setting.

Then reviewing what they say and do.

This might include studying things like user responses,

beliefs, opinions, and feedback.

Focus groups are typically carried

out as face-to-face meetings,

but they can also be conducted remotely

through specific research tools,

or just a simple video conferencing platform.

As a UX research method,

focus groups are often used in market research,

and are a great way to understand

how users perceive or feel about your product or concept,

what they think about certain features

or preferences they have,

and any challenges they might experience.

So you might wanna use a focus group

if you're gathering user comments

on a potential new feature for an existing product,

or to get immediate feedback

on a concept for a brand new product.

The length of a session and number of participants

can vary between research projects.

But the sweet spot sits around two hours,

with a moderator speaking to about five to 10 users.

As with all qualitative research,

the data you collect is only as good as the preparation.

So it's worth thinking closely

about what you want to discuss.

Ensure you have things like clear set goals in mind

and open-ended, unbiased questions.

Last but not least, we've got five-second testing.

This method is pretty much what it sounds like.

Participants are given five seconds

to view an image of a design or webpage.

Then they're asked questions

to gauge their first impressions

and see what stuck out to them.

The five-second test was devised based on research that says

over half of visitors only spend

less than 15 seconds on a website.

So grabbing attention early on is essential.

This method is a great way to quickly determine

what information users perceive from your product or design,

and what impressions they have based on a brief look.

It's ideal for assessing things

like whether your messaging is effective,

if the design is clear,

and how users feel about that design.

One ideal way to use five-second testing

would be if you're considering a rebrand

and want to test the reactions of users

seeing your newly designed homepage or logo.

But ultimately, five-second tests are a perfect method

to sprinkle throughout your development process,

as they can be a good benchmark

as you iterate through designs,

work on different prototypes or trial new messaging.

Right. That is the end of our top nine UX research methods.

We hope you found the video helpful

and have been inspired to try out a new method

for your next research project.

If you're interested in learning more

about any of the methods mentioned,

take a look at the description below for further reading

and links to all the resources mentioned in the video.

See you again soon.

(bright cheerful music)