Hello, come in, don’t be shy! This is a safe space for people who are beginning in user research and don’t necessarily know how or where to start! Whoever you might be — a fledgeling designer, a junior PM, an entrepreneur, or an executive who’s trying to understand why their team is pestering them about research — in here, there are no dumb questions, so just ask away!
Um, ok, so everyone around me is talking about this user research thing, I’m not sure what it is, and by this point I’m a bit too scared to ask…
Well, simply put, user research is the process of understanding the people who will use your product. It’s about digging into their needs, behaviors, pain points, and motivations so that you can design something that is truly useful to them, something they’ll love using.
Imagine trying to cook a meal for someone without knowing what they like or if they have any allergies. You might make a decent dish, but there’s a good chance it won’t hit the mark - and in the worst case scenario, it might even kill them.
User research helps you avoid those blind spots in design by getting to know your "diners" before you start "cooking."
Oh, I get the idea! Just go around and ask people what they like or dislike, and what they want. Sounds easy enough.
Right, but there's actually a lot more to it.
Think of it like this: a doctor doesn’t simply ask what medicine a patient would like to take and then call it a day. To be able to prescribe the right treatment, they need to diagnose exactly what’s wrong, by asking the patient questions, running tests, and observing the symptoms.
In user research, it’s the same, you observe how users interact with a product, ask them to walk you through their process, and notice where they struggle or feel confused. The goal is to understand the deeper needs and pain points, even the ones they might not be able to articulate themselves. By doing this, you can design solutions that genuinely improve their experience, rather than just addressing the symptoms they’re aware of.
After all, Henry Ford famously said “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses” (although it’s also possible he never said that).
Okay, so with user research I’ll be able to detect problems in my product, so that I can fix them.
Yes, but not only! Understanding problems is a big part of user research, but it's not the only reason to do it. User research should be integrated throughout the entire design and development process, not just when issues arise.
Just as a doctor doesn't only see patients when they're sick but also for check-ups and preventive care, you should use user research at all stages of your product’s life to ensure you're on the right track. For example:
- Before you even start designing: The insights uncovered with research will guide you in creating a product that’s relevant and valuable from the get-go.
- During design and development: Research can validate your design decisions, ensuring that what you're building actually works for your users.
- After launch: Research will help measure how well the product is performing, uncovering areas for improvement or detecting new opportunities for future developments.
So, while user research is crucial for identifying and solving problems, it's also about ensuring that your product is consistently aligned with your users' needs at every stage.
Wait, but that seems like, a lot of work, and slow work at that... Can't I just skip it and go straight to designing / developing?
It’s true that user research can seem like a lot of extra steps, especially when you’re eager to launch. But skipping it can actually lead to more work and delays in the long run.
Skipping research means building on assumptions about what people want and need. If those assumptions are wrong, you might end up with a product that doesn’t resonate with users, which means you’ll need to go back, fix problems, or even redesign major parts of the product. That can be much more time-consuming and expensive than doing the research upfront.
In reality, user research helps you build the right thing from the start. It might feel like it slows you down initially, but it actually speeds up the process by:
- Avoiding wasted time and resources in design and development: By understanding users early on, you minimize the risk of building something that doesn’t work and avoid costly rework later.
- Reducing the amount of customer support needed: When you create a product that meets user needs from the beginning, there’s less confusion and frustration, which means fewer support tickets and complaints. That’s time gained for your CX team to focus on other matters!
- Stronger user loyalty and better reviews: A great user experience from day one leads to happier users, which translates into positive reviews and stronger loyalty—key factors in your product’s long-term success.
So while it might seem like an extra step, user research is an investment that pays off by helping you create a product that truly resonates with your audience.
I don’t know, I’m still not convinced. I feel like the most amazing products are the fruit of visionary thinking first… Are there any examples of great products that were built based on insights uncovered by user research?
I hear you—let me give you some concrete examples of how user research has directly contributed to the success of some great products:
Exhibit A : The 300$ Millions button
This is one of the most famous examples : a big online retailer (some say it’s Amazon, some say it’s Best Buy, the truth is that only the protagonists of this story know) was able to improve their sales by 300$ Millions in one year by changing one button.
The story goes as follow : On the website, after having added items to the cart, a user would be prompted, through a simple Email + Password form, to either log in or register. Unbeknownst to the company, this process was creating a lot of frustration, as people resented having to register, or simply forgot that they didn’t have an account and failed their login attempts over and over.
Once user research uncovered this fact, the decision was made to change the Register button to a Continue button, which successfully removed much of the cause for frustration, as people were not forced to create an account anymore (they could choose to do so later in the process). Shopping cart abandonment rates plummeted, the company’s sales increased by 300$ Millions in one year, and the rest is history.
You can read more about this case directly from its author.
Exhibit B : AirBnb’s early investment in user research
We all know AirBnb, but did you know that without user research, the company probably wouldn’t have become the juggernaut it is today?
In 2009, one year after their launch, the founders faced an issue: the platform wasn’t getting as much traction as hoped. To understand why, they flew to New York City and visited 24 hosts, hoping to find out the problem. Early AirBnb hosts had been poached from Craiglist, and so the pictures uploaded with the listings were of Craigslist quality — blurry, poorly lit, and unappealing.
Noticing this, the founders rented a camera and went door-to-door, taking professional-level photos of their listings. The result? The number of bookings tripled in New York. The experiment was so successful that in 2010, Airbnb launched its Photography Program, allowing hosts to book professional photographers to make their listings stand out.
Today, this user-centered mindset, where every decision is backed with data and research, is still a big part of the company’s DNA.
(Also, fun fact I can’t resist sharing, did you know that, strapped for cash, the founders of AirBnb lived on cereals for a while?)
Wait a minute, isn’t that market research? Are user research and market research the same?
While market research and user research can overlap—both often rely on similar methods to gather customer data—they have very different goals.
- Market Research focuses on the big picture of the business. It’s about understanding the size of the market, identifying the right customer segments, and figuring out how to position and price your product. It’s strategic and high-level, with the goal of making your business profitable and competitive in the market.
- User Research, on the other hand, dives into the specifics of the product / service. It’s about gaining a deep understanding of how users interact with your product, what their needs and pain points are, and how you can design solutions that help them achieve their goals. The focus here is on building a product that truly resonates with users.
You could do fantastic market research and find a way to successfully launch and sell a product that everyone hates (if you manage to create a monopole for instance, or by overselling and not delivering on the promise). Conversely, you could conduct excellent user research and design a product that solves a specific problem perfectly, but if only five people in the world need it, it won’t be a sustainable business.
This is why both approaches are necessary and complementary—market research ensures you’re building a product with a viable business opportunity, while user research ensures the product will meet the needs of the people who use it.
All right, I think I get it now. But let’s say I want to do some user research. Where do I even start?
There are plenty of resources out there that will help you improve your research practice! The user research world is full of inspiring people who love sharing their experiences and giving advice. Here’s just a small sample, to get you started
Books to read
- Just Enough Research : A practical guide by Erika Hall that demystifies user research, offering efficient and approachable methods for teams of any size.
- Interviewing Users – How to Uncover Compelling Insights : Steve Portigal breaks down the art of interviewing, showing how to conduct effective user interviews that lead to actionable insights.
- Surveys That Work : Caroline Jarrett provides a comprehensive framework for designing surveys that deliver meaningful, accurate data while avoiding common pitfalls.
- Validating Product Ideas : Tomer Sharon outlines a user-centered approach to testing and validating ideas, helping teams make informed decisions before committing resources.
- The User Experience Team of One : Leah Buley’s book is perfect for solo UX practitioners, offering strategies and techniques for running research and design processes single-handedly.
- Continuous Discovery Discipline : Teresa Torres explains how to continuously engage with customers to discover insights that shape your product's ongoing development.
Communities to join
- ResearchOps and MixedMethods are active and friendly communities focused on User Research. Great places to share, to learn, and to stay atop of industry trends!
- Designer Hangout A popular community for UX professionals to connect, share insights, and get feedback on all types of design challenges.
Blogs / Newsletters
- Nikki Anderson : a very prolific (seriously, she must write an article per day or something) user researcher - I never miss an article she writes!
- NNGroup : they are a world-renowned authority on UX and usability, and their blog is full of articles, guides and videos, ranging from shorter introductory content to the longer formats, intended for the seasoned experts.
- MeasuringU : Do you like math? People at MeasuringU sure do. Their blog is my first reference when it comes to understanding the numbers behind the research.
Thanks! Although… Do you maybe have a summary of the research process so I can get started fast? Just asking for a friend who has no patience for books or for combing through ressources…
Yes of course, I’m currently working on a small guide to the key user research steps, so… stay tuned 😉
