User experience research is a large part of what separates information from design graphic design. So why bother investing your time in something so intangible?
A good designer should already know what the user needs. Right?
“Often the most critical information isn’t quantifiable” writes Adam Raphael in his article UX research methods and when to Use them
Raphael continues:
[…] “If you’re confused about which type of user research you should implement, you can listen to an expert’s voice as Jakob Nielsen of the Nielsen Norman Group feels that in the case of UX research, it is better to focus insights (qualitative research) and that although quant has some benefits, qualitative research imparts complex information, so it’s easy to apprehend, and overall delivers convincing results less costly” […]
Great. So qualitative research is both cost effective and delivers an easily consumable information package. What about proactive research? For those eager beavers.
“Can the users successfully use the thing we are building? Have we designed this thing to meet their expectations?” writes UX veteran Jared Spool in his article What Proactive UX Research Looks Like
Spool continues:
[…] “Proactive research anticipates the information needed for the people making these critical decisions. Proactive research provides a deep understanding of the users’ problems, to guide the decision-makers to the right solutions. To make the right decisions, those decision-makers need to understand these problems in-depth, not at the surface level that reactive UX research typically provides” […]
In depth, complete understanding. It’s hard to argue with that logic. So what does that look like in a real world project?
“it’s understanding how to communicate, how to persuade, how to inform, how to craft a story that’s powerful” according to Corbet Fawcett in a Brainstation blog post titled Inside UX Research With Scotiabank Digital Factory
Fawcett continues:
[…] “Creating investment in research. That’s all about making research a partnership, a collaboration between UX Researchers, Designers, and product teams. Research is a tool to help other teams make decisions, so it’s not something that can happen in a silo. Creating strong partnerships is essential” […]
UX research and decision making. The benefits outweigh the investment. So in review, an investment in user experience research equals profit.
Tags: Adam Raphael, Jared M. Spool, Brainstation Blog, blog, UX, UI, Information design, design thinking, design, designer, research, ux research
Logan Senko 