How do you sort and arrange UX research?

Sometimes the data collected might be extremely complex and choosing just one method to synthesize might not be sufficient. We either have to mix and match different methods or carry out multiple methods. For example, both affinity diagramming and journey mapping might have to be utilized for a better understanding of similarities as well as the user's experience across touchpoints.

Invite team members to contribute to the data organization process. Collaborative efforts bring diverse perspectives and enhance the richness of insights.

Preparing for interviews goes a long way. It can help map out issues before encountering them, smoothen the interview process, and make a comfortable interview experience for the interviewees, that collectively help gather actual practical data you can use.

There are an increasing number of great tools to aid in the data preparation process. Some tools like UserTesting.com will help you recruit participants, run the study, transcribe the audio, clip the videos, and tag sentiment data. This will help you focus on extracting meaning, instead of doing manual work.

I think the word ‘buy in’ makes it feel like the research team are transactional when in fact they are the strategists. They see what their customers are feeling, and also what their competitors are doing. To become that strategic lens you simply need to communicate with others in your business. Don’t be the person who sits on the fence. Be bold with your ideas.

In my experience, one of the tricks of the trade for communicating findings is to make sure no one is surprised by the outcomes when you share them. It might feel good to do a "big reveal" of the results, but it is opening up the risk that folks might not respond the way you expect them to. Instead, I've found its better to include the team throughout the process, and share drafts of the findings privately with key people before sharing broadly. It is a team effort.

When the analysis phase is finished, it is important to put every output in a research repository. It is also important to keep every research asset in the repository from the beginning of the research process. Setting up research repositories is essential for sorting and arranging every asset and output in the UX research process. It enables the classification of assets, data, and findings, allowing everyone to search for and discover relevant information easily. The repositories categorize methods, assets, and map relevant stakeholders, ensuring a comprehensive and accessible collection of UX research.