How to make your UX research findings credible

So you've conducted insightful user interviews, analyzed mountains of data, and unearthed a treasure trove of user needs and pain points. Now comes the crucial step of translating these findings into actionable recommendations. But before you rush to redesign your app or overhaul your website, there's one crucial step: building credibility.

How do you convince stakeholders and fellow designers that your findings are more than just hunches? The answer lies in a powerful combination: insight and evidence.

Let’s dive in…..

Insights: Unveiling the User's Narrative

Insights are the qualitative gems obtained from user research. They represent the "why" behind user behavior, the emotional responses, and the hidden needs that quantitative data might miss. Think of them as the user's story, a narrative that captures their perspective on how they interact with your product or service.

Examples of UX Research Insights:

• Users feel a sense of isolation when using the social media platform, despite its focus on connection. This insight goes beyond stating that users don't find the platform engaging. It delves into the emotional response of loneliness or lack of community.
• The e-commerce checkout process creates anxiety for users due to unclear security measures. This insight reveals the user's emotional state during a critical interaction and identifies a potential usability hurdle.
• Users who participate in online forums within the learning platform report a higher sense of satisfaction and knowledge retention. This insight goes beyond simple user engagement metrics and reveals a deeper user behavior – the value users find in community interaction.

Evidence: The Objective Voice of Data

Evidence, on the other hand, provides the "what" and "how much." It's the quantitative data that validates your insights and adds weight to your recommendations. Think of it as the objective proof that backs up the user's story.

Examples of UX Research Evidence:

• A/B testing shows a 20% decrease in cart abandonment rates when a progress indicator is added to the checkout process. This data directly supports the insight that users feel anxious during checkout due to a lack of transparency.
• Eye-tracking studies reveal that users spend minimal time on product descriptions due to poor information hierarchy. This data provides concrete evidence to support the hypothesis that the user experience is cluttered and hinders user comprehension.
• User session recordings showcase a high frequency of backtracking and navigation confusion within a specific section of the website. This evidence strengthens the insight that users are struggling with the website's information architecture.

Hold on…..

Struggling to craft a compelling UX case study?

This workshop is for you! Join us for a hands-on online session on How to Put Together a UX Case Study, led by Jonathan Boehr , a UX Researcher at Lowe's. In this interactive workshop, you'll learn how to build a strong UX case study, from gathering data to presenting your findings. Seats are limited (and some have already been filled!), so grab your spot today!

Secure your spot

…..back to where we stopped

The Credibility Equation: Insight + Evidence = Impact

Here's where the magic happens. By skillfully combining these two elements, you can create a compelling narrative that resonates with stakeholders and drives design decisions:

• Weave Evidence into Your Insights: Don't just tell stakeholders "users are frustrated with the checkout process." Quantify it! Show them the data that supports this insight, like a bar chart illustrating a significant increase in abandoned carts at a specific stage of checkout. This visual representation makes the problem immediately clear and grounds your insight in objective data.

• Embrace Data Visualization: Charts, graphs, and heatmaps can be powerful tools. They translate complex data into easily digestible visuals, allowing stakeholders to see the patterns and trends that validate your insights. For instance, a heatmap might reveal that users spend a disproportionate amount of time on a confusing form field during checkout, visually confirming the insight about user frustration.

• Triangulate Your Findings: Don't rely solely on one research method. Use a combination of user interviews, surveys, usability testing, and analytics to gather evidence from different angles. This strengthens the overall credibility of your insights and paints a holistic picture of the user experience.
• Let Users Speak for Themselves: Facts and figures are powerful, but sometimes, the most compelling evidence comes straight from the user's mouth. Include user quotes that illustrate your insights and add a human touch to your findings.

For example, after presenting data on high cart abandonment rates, you could include a quote from a user interview: "I got confused during checkout and wasn't sure if my payment information was secure, so I abandoned my cart." This quote personalizes the data and makes the user's frustration relatable.

Building Trust Through Transparency

Credibility goes beyond just presenting data. Be transparent about your research methods and limitations. Acknowledge any potential biases you might have encountered and explain how you mitigated them. This fosters trust in your research process and demonstrates your commitment to objectivity.

Remember, you're not just presenting findings; you're advocating for the user's needs. By weaving a compelling narrative that combines insight and evidence, you can become a persuasive voice for user-centered design.

Have a great week,

The RB Team