UX Research Essentials

Here are 3 ‘tricks of the trade’ UXRs can learn from therapists. Doing user research is a LOT like being a therapist. Think about it. Instead of trying to understand why someone is deathly terrified of babies, you try to understand why they’re confused by the nav bar.  Here are 3 things great therapists do that work during user interviews too. 🛋️USE RESTATEMENTS Users might talk in long, rambling sentences. Use restatements to clarify and align. A restatement repeats what you’ve heard in a shorter, more concrete way. If they say - “I feel like, doing this thing where, I don’t know how to get to the homepage after….” Follow up with - It sounds like you find it difficult to navigate to page X This does two things. It proves that you’re paying attention, creating user trust. It also ensures that you’re on the same page and allows the user to clarify if you misunderstood something.  🛋️DON’T INTERRUPT As long as your user is making sense, let them speak. Don’t interrupt. Therapists sometimes stay silent for a few seconds after the client’s statements. This opens up the space to share follow-up thoughts.  You’ll be surprised by the golden nuggets that come up when you let people ramble. 🛋️DON’T ASK ‘WHY’ It’s tough getting people to open up. But that’s also what therapists do best. They do this by asking questions in the right way. A “Why” question (“Why did you do this?”) has the potential of coming across as judgemental, and confrontational. This can put your user on the defensive and they won’t open up. Instead, ask “what” or “how” questions. Replace “Why didn’t you use the tag view?” with “What kept you from using the tag view?” and watch the magic happen. There’s a lot more to learn from therapists. You could do that by watching your own therapist in action, or just read this article for the best tips in the biz: https://bit.ly/44Up3ZE I’d love to hear your thoughts—what are your tricks to get users to open up? #userresearch #therapy #uxpsychology #userinterviews #uxresource

Here are the 12 business terms I use most frequently to ensure my user research findings resonate with key stakeholders. Using terms that directly align with core business objectives is paramount to achieve greater impact AND inspire action. It bridges the gap between what we learn and the strategic decisions that drive growth, efficiency, and innovation. 1. Return on Investment (ROI): Demonstrate how UX improvements can lead to higher customer satisfaction, leading to increased "retention rates" and "lifetime value" (LTV) 2. Cost-Benefit Analysis: Highlight how investment in UCD can reduce long-term development costs by identifying potential issues early on. 3. Product Lifecycle: Use research to inform where a product stands in its lifecycle and how it can be evolved to meet changing market demands. 4. OKRs (Objectives and Key Results): Framework for setting, supporting, and tracking goals and outcomes. 5. KPIs (Key Performance Indicators): Metrics used to evaluate success at meeting and supporting key business objectives. 6. LTV (Lifetime Value): The total revenue a business can expect from a single customer account throughout the business relationship. 7. CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost): The cost associated with converting a customer to buy a product/service, including research, marketing, and other expenses. 8. MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue): Regular income a business can expect each month from customers. 9. Churn Rate: The percentage of customers or subscribers who cancel or do not renew their subscriptions during a given timeframe. 10. Gross Margin: The difference between revenue and cost of goods sold, divided by revenue, expressed as a percentage. (aka "mark-up") 11. ROI (Return on Investment): A measure to evaluate the "efficiency" or "profitability" of an investment. 12. SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats): A strategic planning technique used to identify and analyze the internal and external factors that will impact an org's competitiveness. I strongly encourage researchers to translate their learning into business terms. It's not just about making our findings accessible; it's about making them actionable. Applying the terms our stakeholders use ensures that our research plays a pivotal role in shaping business strategy and driving meaningful change. It also demonstrates you understand the role our studies plan in bigger business. Integrating user research into the business narrative can elevate the role of your #UXR in driving business success. #UserResearch #BusinessStrategy #UX #ProductDevelopment #CuriosityTank #uxresearch 

Strong User Researchers are catalysts for meaningful change I have had the privilege of working with some amazing User Researchers. Some of the best user researchers have a profound approach to sharing insights. They are not limited to presenting data but rather drive tangible, transformative change. Here is what I see them do well. ➡️ They always apply a "So what?" lens and connect insights to action. ➡️ Continue engagement beyond the initial presentation. ➡️ Tell engaging stories of real user experiences in their findings. ➡️ Prove the impact of insights by quantifying results with data and metrics. ➡️ Relate insights to goals by showing how user insights impact ROI and satisfaction. ➡️ Collaborate with their team of product, design, and engineering to translate insights into action by designing potential solutions #voiceofcustomer #userresearch #customerinsights #productmanagement #productleaders #customerfirst

Of all the people living in crippling fear of AI, you should be the last one. This post is for UX designers. 👇🏻 Here’s a truth pill: AI could take over the production and design part of the job. We can already sense the shift with new AI tools (Adobe Firefly, GPT-4, Midjourney, etc.) entering the market. But the catch is, it’s only going to get better for UX designers. Yep, you read that right. Why? Because now: 1/ UX will go beyond aesthetics — giving designers a chance to play with deep thought, emotions, user behavior, impact, and perspective-taking. 2/ Users will prefer personalized experiences more than ever because AI cannot match the deep empathy humans have for their users. 3/ The demand for insightful designers who can study user behavior, decode human context and motivations, and then, craft experiences to make users stay will increase. 4/ AI could nail execution, but it will need human supervision to ensure things are in alignment — which means more need for deep thinking. 5/ You will get a seat at the table for strategic thinking and decision-making. No more producing design assets alone from the sidelines. All of these reasons translate into one thing: It is time for designers to shine. Roles are changing. UX designing will be less about designing, and more about strategizing, integration of AI into the mundane parts of the job. Less day-to-day tasks, and more big-picture decisions. So, how do you gear up for it? ✅ Broaden your skill set, including AI integration, business acumen, storytelling, data analysis, and ethics, to stay valuable to design teams. ✅ Proactively seek opportunities to influence product and business strategies. ✅ Learn how to work alongside AI to turn your good work into great work. AI will transform UX design, but it won't replace designers. Instead of crippling with fear, get jittery from excitement. That’s how you win against the odds! 🚀 #UXdesign #UI #UX #futureofwork #AI

We've all been there - that amazing product idea that seems like a can't-miss hit. But far too often, those game-changing inventions end up failing spectacularly because of one critical oversight: not actually understanding user needs. Let's learn from some cautionary tales of failed products: 1. Google Glass: Google Glass failed to resonate with consumers due to privacy concerns and a lack of clear use cases. The product's intrusive nature and potential for surreptitious recording made people uncomfortable, while the high price point and limited functionality failed to address any specific consumer problem, leading to its downfall. Now we’ll be able to see if Apple can get it right with their headset. 2. Juicero: Juicero's expensive Wi-Fi-connected juicing machine was ridiculed for solving a non-existent problem. The device required proprietary, pre-packaged fruit pouches, but consumers quickly realized they could squeeze the pouches by hand, rendering the over-engineered and costly machine unnecessary. 3. Microsoft Zune: Microsoft's Zune struggled to compete with Apple's iPod, largely because it didn't offer a distinct advantage or address any particular customer issue. It entered a market dominated by an established competitor without a clear understanding of consumer desires, leading to its eventual discontinuation. These products missed the mark because the teams failed to deeply understand the human problems they were trying to solve. It's a trap that's easily avoided by embracing user research. User research builds empathy, mitigates risks, prevents costly misses, and ensures you're designing solutions to real problems your audience actually has. It's the critical step that separates products that flop from ones that flourish. What has been your experience with user research? I'd love to hear about other success stories, challenges faced, or lessons learned! #UserResearch #ProductDevelopment #ProductManagement #ProductInstitute

You ran the sessions. You found the themes. The insights feel right. But before you present, a quiet question lingers, did I go deep enough? Did I check the right things? This is the part of qualitative UX research we don’t always emphasize. Not just doing the work with care, but supporting it with structure. Adding rigor isn’t about questioning your effort - it’s about strengthening your insights. It brings clarity, consistency, and confidence - for you, your team, and anyone who’ll act on what you’ve found. Here are eight practical ways to add that kind of rigor without slowing your work down. Start with triangulation. Don’t rely on just one type of data. Pair interviews with usability testing, behavior logs, or survey responses. Ask another researcher to take notes independently and compare interpretations. This builds confidence that your insights reflect more than one lens. Maintain an audit trail. Keep a record of key decisions, theme changes, or shifts in scope. Use a shared doc, spreadsheet, or even versioned codebooks. Others should be able to see how your findings evolved- not just the end product. Practice reflexivity. Before analysis, write down what you expect to find. During synthesis, notice when your background might be influencing what feels important. If you’re working in a team, make this a shared habit. You’re part of the instrument, and that’s worth tracking. Use member checking. Once your findings are drafted, send a summary to a few participants and ask if it reflects their experience. Their feedback will tell you where you’ve nailed it- and where you need to dig deeper. Use structured frameworks. Lincoln and Guba’s trustworthiness criteria are great for longer studies. The PARRQA checklist helps keep fast-paced projects grounded. Either way, frameworks give your work consistency and make your choices visible. Look for negative cases. Instead of just confirming patterns, search for outliers. Find the participant who doesn’t fit the theme. Revising your analysis to include their story makes your findings more durable. Make your insights transferable. Don’t stop at “users want X.” Add who those users were, what tools they used, and what constraints they faced. When findings are rich in context, teams can apply them more confidently. Document key decisions as they happen. Use a shared log or notes thread. Track sampling shifts, analysis changes, design pivots. Later, include this in your final report. It shows how you got from raw data to real insight- and helps others trust it. Rigor isn’t about adding more work - it’s about adding more strength. Even a few thoughtful checks, built into your workflow, can make your qualitative UX research clearer, more credible, and easier to stand behind when the pressure’s on.

💥 Harsh truth about UX ↴ Most UXers can't guarantee you the success they've achieved for other products. UXers often have portfolios full of successful case studies. These serve as proof that they ↴ - Understand user behavior - Can create balanced experiences - Can impact user retention and engagement I’ve been a part of projects that saw 200%+ increase in user engagement. Can I guarantee the same for you? Honestly? Probably not. Because your product, target audience, and market dynamics are unique. You might not have the resources, time, or tolerance for constant iterations and testing. But what a UXer can (and should) do is ↴ - Save you months of making common design mistakes - Offer a strategy to deeply understand your users - Minimize the risk of launching a flawed product With a skilled UXer, you'll have a user-centric design from the start. Without compromise. And if you do prioritize user feedback and are open to continuous iteration ↴ Your product’s UX will improve. Far more rapidly than without expert guidance. Many underestimate the biggest advantage of user-centric design ↴ 👉 You create trust and loyalty with your users. Which is ESSENTIALLY what good UX is all about. Not trendy animations. Not feature overload. Purposeful design that makes your users feel understood and valued 💥 #ux #design #productdesign #uximpact --- ✍️ Do you agree? ♻ Repost if it could help others

🚀 The Future of Experience Research 🚀 The world of User Experience Research (UXR) is at a crossroads, facing both exciting opportunities and daunting challenges. As we step into the future, let's explore what lies ahead for this dynamic field. 💡 🔍 The Current Landscape: - UXR has made incredible strides in the past decade, becoming a cornerstone of product development. - Researchers have championed user-centric design, fostering a culture of empathy and usability. - The demand for UX researchers has surged, reflecting the recognition of their pivotal role. 🛠️ Challenges We Face: - Middle-Range Research Overload: A predominant focus on middle-range research has led to questions about its real impact on business outcomes. - Profit vs. User: The tension between business profitability and user-centricity remains a challenge. - Misalignment with Leadership: In some cases, research insights get sidelined by high-level decision-makers, impacting the potential for meaningful change. 💡 Our Path Forward: - Evolution, Not Extinction: UXR is not dying; it's evolving. It's time for us to embrace a broader role beyond traditional user studies by contributing to brainstorming sessions, design thinking workshops, and innovation labs to help generate new product ideas and concepts. - Strategic Research: Elevate UXR to inform high-level strategies, helping companies define long-term goals and priorities. - Micro-Research: Invest more in technical usability testing, eye-tracking, and detailed interaction studies that directly impact product usability. - User-Centric Business Models: Advocate for a balance between profitability and user satisfaction. Happy users drive sustainable growth. - Impact Measurement: Researchers should play a role in measuring the impact of UX improvements on key business metrics. This could involve tracking or monitoring user satisfaction, conversion rates, and other KPIs to demonstrate the tangible benefits of UX initiatives. - Communication Mastery: Sharpen our skills to communicate research findings in the language of executives, tying insights to business success. 🚀 The Future Outlook: - As UXR professionals, we must adapt to a changing landscape. The next era of UXR will require a versatile skill set. - Researchers who can seamlessly bridge the gap between micro and macro-research will be invaluable. - UXR will play a pivotal role in shaping business strategies and product development. - Collaboration and integration of UXR into all aspects of an organization will be key to success. So, the future of Experience Research is not a bleak one; it's a journey filled with exciting opportunities. By evolving, embracing new roles, and fostering deeper collaboration, we can continue to drive innovation, enhance user satisfaction, and shape businesses for the better. Let's embark on this journey together! 🌟 #UserExperience #Research #FutureOfUXR #Innovation #BusinessStrategy

As a UX designer generalist, you have to wear many hats: 🎓 User researcher 🎩 Business analyst 🪖 Content strategist ⛑️ Information architect 🧢 Interaction designer 👒 Visual designer 🎓 As a user researcher, you’re the voice for the user. You’ll conduct: - Surveys - User interviews - Usability studies - Heuristic evaluations You’ll also build: - Research reports - User archetypes - Empathy maps - User journeys - Affinity maps - Etc. 🎩 As a business analyst, you need to understand the business strategy.   You’ll help ensure business objectives are being considered throughout the design process. You'll conduct: - SWOT analyses (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) - Industry analyses (what is happening generally in the industry) - Competitive analyses The two most important things to understand and track: - The business's objectives and how they translate to design - KPIs (retention, revenue, conversions, etc.) and how your designs improve those metrics 🪖 As a content strategist, you’re a big part of creating the content. You’ll help: - Write clear copy - Create, organize, and map content As a content strategist, you need to help guide the user and make them successful. Typically, that start with clear, concise copy. ⛑️ As an information architect, you build the foundation and framework of the design. You’ll... - Organize information logically - Design the navigation - Build the taxonomy - Create sitemaps 🧢 As an interaction designer, you bring the design to life. You’ll create: - Storyboards - Sketches - Wireframes - Prototypes - Animations All of which 👆 need to map to users’ mental models 👒 And finally, as a visual designer, you make the designs beautiful. You’ll: - Build icons - Apply color theory - Create style guides - Choose typography - Create or choose graphics/imagery - And design the final user interface 🎓 🎩 🪖 ⛑️ 🧢 👒 👈 is why it's a high-paying skillset. UX designers are a force to be reckoned with. P.S. As always, there's never a project where you'll use everything I mentioned above. You pick the right method that makes the most sense for the constraints of the project you're working on. If it doesn't help you move forward (i.e., answer a research question or get clarity on design direction), don't do it. #ux #userexperience #productdesign

Testing with users isn’t just for the end. Or is it? I love Artiom Dashinsky’s take that vibe coding lets him validate ideas with real users much faster. Instead of running upfront research, he watches what people do, fixes issues on the fly, and ships new ideas directly into production.(https://lnkd.in/gc_U2w9Z) That kind of fast energy is exciting. It’s harder to do with big teams or strict systems that have a lot of compliance, but it points to a future where building and testing happen at the same time. I can see this leading to better products. But if the value of your product is hidden behind too many steps, users end up doing the hard work just to get through it. That might be okay for simple tools, but in more complex ones, you're turning users into lab mice. There's a middle ground where gut instinct and research work together. In our work with UX metrics in Helio, we see how helpful it is to get quick structured feedback from users while building. As ideas become more complex, it's even more important to know when to test and when to watch. My take is that user testing is useful at every stage of the design process, not just at the end. At each step in ideation, different types of user feedback help guide the work. In the early stage, attitudinal UX metrics help frame the challenge. As the concept develops, behavioral UX metrics help assess potential. Once the product is live, performance metrics help finalize choices. Even if you're moving fast with vibe coding, quick testing with users can help you make stronger design decisions along the way. I’m excited for what’s next. What’s your take- when is user research really needed? #productdesign #uxmetrics #productdiscovery #uxresearch