UX Planet — Medium | Ksenia Sternina

For those who don’t like to read long articles, GIFs will help to understand different UX research methods quickly. And those who already know these methods can just smile.

Field study

A person is in a typical environment for himself. He leads a regular activity for himself. The researcher observes what is happening.

https://giphy.com/gifs/funny-animation-ueL0wCq4tNmus

You can learn :

1. exactly how users do something and why so
2. user needs and discover opportunities for their satisfaction

In-depth interview

The researcher asks the user about the experience of using different products, about their impressions of use, the problems the user has met with and how they have solved and much more.

https://giphy.com/gifs/party-someone-cheezburger-enAYRke9T96qk

You can learn :

1. user scenarios
2. user goals and tasks
3. motivation to use products

Contextual interview

User and researcher are in the real user environment. Researcher listen to the user and watch the context.

https://giphy.com/gifs/adweek-jBFLbKUN7nZTy

You can learn :

1. user tasks, user problems
2. how the user interacts with other people
3. equipment user working with

Focus group

Several people similar in some way are discussing an important topic for them, the product or service under research.

https://giphy.com/gifs/reactiongifs-joke-593ybqW7pAOSk

You can learn:

1. a broad array of data about the audience quickly
2. the studied subject area more profound due to the communication of group members with each other
3. spontaneous reactions and user ideas during the discussion

Dairy study

Record for a long time (week — month) the process of using the product or service. Previously, we used diaries with self-report, when the subjects filled out a “diary” every day, describing their interaction with the product and their feelings about it. Now a more objective method is used: recording to the camera, video recording of the device.

https://giphy.com/gifs/fQZX2aoRC1Tqw

You can learn:

1. patterns and scenarios of interaction with the product
2. how learning ability affects the interaction with the product

Usability testing

The user performs typical tasks for himself in the product under investigation.

You can learn:

1. If the user deviates from the scenario, you have set up
2. does he notice the necessary controls
3. if the user understand how to use various controls

Think aloud

The user, during the execution of the tasks, pronounces aloud his actions.

You can learn:

1. how the user thinks
2. what does he expect to see and whether reality coincides with his expectations
3. the user’s language, when he operates on his terms

Eye tracking

We put a person in front of the monitor with the eye tracker. While he performs tasks on the site, we see and record where and for how long a person looks.

You can learn:

1. where the user’s eye has focused
2. the sequence of passing through the various elements
3. zones in which a person doesn’t look at all
4. a more accurate interpretation of the causes of problems. User doesn’t see target or see but doesn’t understand that he has to push it

Card sorting

A person is given cards with the names of different sections and subsections of the menu, and it is suggested to group them and arrange them in a way that is close to him.

You can learn:

1. the logic of the user
2. how to build a menu site that will meet the user logic

Remote unmoderated user testing

We give the person our product and ask him the user to perform tasks under the natural conditions for him. We record it.

https://giphy.com/gifs/devopsreactions-SRx5tBBrTQOBi

You can learn

1. how the user operates in the natural environment for him
2. patterns of the user behavior, because you can conduct a large number of tests at the same time

Online survey

A questionnaire that the target audience can complete over the Internet.

You can learn:

1. opinions and preferences of people
2. statistically significant results, because you can interview a large number of people

Tests using psychophysiological indicators

We obscure the user with sensors and measure such parameters as a skin-galvanic reaction, myogram, respiration, palpitations.

You can learn:

1. people’s objective reaction to the incentives
2. how do responses differ by different stimuli, for example, their product and competitors

Clap if you liked it. Thanks for reading, I hope you had fun.

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