\n Before venturing into UX prototyping, it is worth explaining what a prototype is and what\n business benefits it brings. A prototype is an elementary design that has the potential to\n turn into the final product. It is a basic version of a product that enables you to conduct\n initial product testing and collect feedback from potential users.\n
\n\n Designing a product is a challenging endeavor. However, user experience research makes it\n easier by providing the necessary data required at each step of product design. It allows\n you to validate your hypothesis and analyze your product against a backdrop of similar\n solutions on the market. It also guides you in understanding the end user's\n expectations, goals, and challenges.{' '}\n
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\n Now that we know the gist of it, let us explore the different types of UX research in the\n next section.{' '}\n
\n\n UX research can be roughly divided into two types – qualitative and quantitative. These\n research types gather data in a contrasting way. While qualitative studies are based on\n direct observations, quantitative studies gather numerical data – for instance, through\n online surveys.\n
\n\n\n Once combined, these two types can provide a great depiction of your customer's wants\n and needs.\n
\n\n This type of research quantifies or gathers measurable data. It offers precise and fixed\n figures and numbers to work with. As an example, it can show you how many users purchased\n your product via the e-commerce app or the percentage of visitors that added an item to\n their wish list. This method lets you put a number or statistic on the usability of your\n product. Also, design comparisons can be made to determine which version outsmarts the\n others.\n
\n\n Qualitative research discovers the reasons behind quantitative actions taken by end-users.\n As an example, scenarios like why a user added a certain item to a wish list instead of\n purchasing it, or why they bounced from your website can be explored via employing this\n method. While quantitative data is fixed in nature, qualitative data is more open-ended and\n descriptive.\n
\n\n It’s important to note that user experience research should be conducted at every stage of\n your product design and development. Fortunately, different research methods can aid in this\n process. Depending on the stage of development – some methods might take precedence over\n others.\n
\n\n According to the Nielsen Norman Group, UX research methods can be divided roughly into four{' '}\n
Let us look at each method in detail.
\nIn the ‘Discover’ stage, methods include:
\n\n When are these methods used? These methods are applied when you wish to\n discover user needs, expectations, and problems. They are used when you are considering\n developing a product and need to validate your idea.\n
\nThe methods employed in the ‘Explore’ stage include:
\n\n Card sorting: This is a UX research method in which participants\n organize topics into categories in a way that makes sense to them.\n
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\n When are these methods used? The above methods are used for exploring and\n validating potential user paths, designs, and product features before you invest your time\n and resources into developing the product.\n
\nIn the ‘Learn’ stage, UX research methods include:
\n\n In the fourth stage, among others, user experience researchers can apply the following\n methods:\n
\n\n When are these methods used? These methods are used for improving UX and\n adjusting the product to users’ and the market’s changing needs over time.\n
\n\n UX research is an indispensable element of any UX process. It is applied across all stages\n of product development – both in the early ideation and design phases, as well as once it’s\n up and running. Conducting effective UX research can be performed across a variety of\n methods, and helps you maximize the profits and returns for your products and services.\n Last, but not least, it allows you to validate your hypothesis and analyze your product\n against similar solutions and guides you in understanding the end user's expectations,\n goals, and challenges. Follow the methods we discussed in this post, and you’ll be sure to\n ace your user experience research.\n
\nGood luck!
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