Choosing the Right Method in the Development of a UX Research Plan

Skipping the planning phase is one of the worst decisions you can make in any business project. You know what they say; fail to plan, plan to fail.

If you are working on a UX research plan, there are several different elements you need to address, from identifying your objectives to selecting the right method. In this blog post, we are going to focus on the latter.

Read on to discover everything you need to know about developing a UX research plan and why choosing the right method is critical.

Understanding what a UX research plan is and why it is important

A UX research plan is not a UX research strategy. Instead, it is a plan that will guide all of your research projects. There are many resources such as UX research plan guide, user research plan templates available to get a full understanding.

From a format perspective, a research plan is purely a document that will give you an overview to help you get started with your project.

You should co-create your research plan with stakeholders, sharing it with everyone who is impacted, so they know what to expect.

What are the benefits of a UX research plan?

Putting together a UX research plan can help you to streamline the research process, ensuring that all stakeholders are on the same page. Three of the main benefits associated with this are as follows:

• Make sure your stakeholders are engaged - A written plan is an excellent way of keeping all stakeholders involved. Rather than being passive observers, your stakeholders will become active participants.
• Achieve your UX objectives - A solid research plan can also help you in terms of staying focused and remaining on track. It gives you and the rest of your team the objectives to work toward, as well as understanding and acknowledging the progress you have made so far.
• Bring your entire team together and ensure everyone is working toward the same goal - Finally, a UX research plan makes sure that all of the team is on the same page. They will be clear regarding the expectations, timelines, and objectives of the project. The document can also act as a reference, giving everyone something to look toward when they need advice or clarity.

Your UX research plan helps to make sure that you do research as effectively and successfully as possible. This will mean that you can create a product that is enjoyable and easy to use, as well as being truly relevant to your users. It also helps to ensure you are encountering a great return on your investment (ROI).

Why you need to choose the correct research method for your UX research plan

There are a lot of different elements at play when putting together a UX research plan. However, selecting a research method is critical, as it determines the sort of data you are going to collect and the evidence you have at your disposal to make informed decisions going forward.

The research method you choose depends on several different factors, including the following:

• The project’s timeline
• The resources you have available
• The project’s constraints
• The stage you are at within the development process
• The goals you have set

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Selecting the correct research method for your UX needs

In a perfect world, you would be able to easily combine the insights you get from various types of user research methods. However, the reality is that implementing a new method can be very challenging, and recourses are often limited.

So, how do you figure out what research method is going to be the most suitable? Well, you need to define the problem at hand to choose a research method. Ask yourself what you know right now, and what you wish to know as a result.

You will decipher the UX research method to utilize by the kind of answers you require, and the sort of answer is going to be dictated by the problem.

Are you thinking about adding a new feature? Do you want to solve a problem with usability? Are you testing a new design?

The stage you are within the design process will enable you to figure out what you require so you can narrow down your options effectively.

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At the start of the process, your priority will be finding out about the needs and motivations of your users. Towards the latter stages, you should concentrate on making sure that groups of users can navigate your design easily.

Figuring out what sort of data you require

Once you have tackled the above, it makes it a lot easier to figure out what sort of data will give you the answers you are looking for.

There are two main options here:

1. Attitudinal vs. Behavioral
2. Qualitative vs Quantitative

Attitudinal vs. Behavioral UX research

The second type of research you can use is the attitudinal vs behavioral approach.

Behavioral

A behavioral approach to research is about observing how a user behaves when they are using your website or product.

This is critical because users may act differently than they would in an interview or another setting.

Attitudinal

This research approach is about listening to your users. It fills the emotional element of the user experience by finding out the opinions, feelings, and thoughts your user base has.

Qualitative vs Quantitative UX research

The second type of research you can use is the qualitative vs quantitative approach.

Quantitative

Quantitative studies are unbiased and measurable. They answer those questions beginning with “what.”

For example, what does a user do when they land on your home page?

Some of the different research methods that can be used here include desirability studies, eye tracking, card sorting, tree testing, benchmarking, A/B testing, analytics, and surveys.

While quantitative data is great in terms of locating areas of improvement, you do not get deep insight. This is where qualitative UX research comes in.

Qualitative

Qualitative research is important for getting an in-depth understanding of users. They answer those questions beginning with “why.”

Why doesn’t a user use the “contact us” form on the contact page?

Some of the different research methods that can be used here include open-ended questionnaires or surveys, participatory design sessions, diary studies, contextual inquiries, usability testing, interviews, focus groups, and ethnographic studies. There are several challenges that could be presented when using qualitative research:

• Lying to protect one’s image
• Bias from either party
• Communication misunderstandings
• Poor questioning

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Choosing the right research method based on where you are in the design cycle

As mentioned several times above, the stage of the design cycle is going to play a monumental role when determining what sort of research method you use. To further illustrate this, we are going to take a look at four of the main stages, combined with the research methods that tend to be moved.

The Discovery Phase

Some of the most common research methods used in the discovery phase are as follows:

• Competitive testing
• Support call monitoring
• Support and sales interviews
• Constraints and requirements
• Stakeholder interviews
• Diary studies
• User interviews
• Field studies

The Exploration Phase

Some of the most common research methods used in the exploration phase are as follows:

• Card sorting
• Write user stories
• Prototype feedback and testing
• Pluralistic walkthrough
• Design diversity exploration
• Human-centered design
• Journey mapping
• Task analysis
• Persona building
• Design review
• Competitive analysis

The Testing Phase

Some of the most common research methods used in the testing phase are as follows:

• Test instructions and help
• Accessibility evaluation
• Benchmark testing
• Forum post analysis
• Social media monitoring
• User group outreach
• Training research
• Qualitative usability testing

The Feedback and listening Phase

Some of the most common research methods used in the feedback phase are as follows:

• Q&A at demos and talks
• Conference outreach
• FAQ review
• Feedback review
• Usability bug review
• Search-log analysis
• Analytics review
• Surveys

Selecting the right method is a critical step when developing a UX research plan

As you can see, choosing the correct method is one of the most important steps when putting together a research plan.

After all, your research method is going to dictate the sort of evidence you are going to compile, which will ultimately shape your end decisions. This is why getting the research method right is something you cannot overlook.