UX Research All Wrong ??

A research in which a user is asked what they want is a bad research.

What exactly is user research? and why asking users what they want isn't always right—aren't they the ones we are building for?

In simple words UX research is a process of understanding how customers interact with our brand and product.

UX research can be majorly divided into three broad categories :

• Macro Research : big picture , market , competitors , long term research.
• Middle Range Research : Questioning users.
• Micro Research : Tech savvy , laser focused.

Majority research goes wrong in the second one i.e middle range

It do sounds very intutive and obvious to just ask the users , empathise with them , thats what design thinking has taught us. But what we miss is

• Questions do sounds interesting but they aren't pointed enough .
• Questions not being framed in language of business strategy and OKRs.
• Too overall to drive impact.

Most user researchers try to validate their assumptions with users, but a good researcher aims to challenge their beliefs and be proven wrong.

So is middle range research insignificant ? Not really. We still have to this research but only after going through company's report, understanding market, analysing competitiors , who is eating our lunch ? i.e. macro research. That will make our middle range research more pointed and impactful.

Are you a good researcher ? ??

A good researcher do not validate , he falsify.

A great researcher goes through all three categories of research and relies on mutli tool strategy.

Tools include :

• Generative : offline talking.
• Evaluative : usability test.
• Survey Design : for communities.
• Applied Statistics
• SQL (now prompt engineering) : able to query out desired result.

A good researcher doesnot claim one type of research over the other .

A good researcher understands A/B testing is not UX research.

A good researcher does not solely rely on dog fooding (the practice of using one's own products or services).

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