In order to create a great user experience, it’s important to do UX research. But what if your findings contradict what the users say they want? How can you be sure that you’re meeting their needs? Here are three tips to make sure your research is on target.

1. Talk to your target market

When you’re doing UX research, it’s important to talk to your target market. They can give you insights into what they want and need from your product or service. Find out where they hang out online and offline, and start a conversation. Ask them questions about their experiences with similar products or services. What do they like? What do they dislike? What would they change? These insights will help you understand what they’re really looking for. For example, they may say they want a certain feature, but when you ask them how they would use it, you realize that it’s not actually what they need.

Observe their behavior

In addition to talking to your target market, it’s important to observe their behavior. This can be done through user testing or analytics. User testing allows you to see how users interact with your product or service. Analytics show you what users do on your site or app. Both of these methods can give you insights into what users are really trying to do and how they react to different features. This type of research is especially important when your findings from interviews contradict what users say they want. For example, if users say they want a certain feature, but you observe that they never use it, you know that it’s not actually what they need.

Look for patterns

When you’re doing UX research, look for patterns. This can be done by looking at data from multiple sources. For example, if you’re observing user behavior, look at data from multiple user tests or analytics platforms. If you’re talking to users, ask follow-up questions to different users. This will help you see if there are any common themes. For example, if multiple users say they want a certain feature, but you’re not seeing it in their behavior, it may be an important need that you need to address.

Another way to look for patterns is to use clustering. This is a method of grouping data points that are similar. For example, if you’re looking at user behavior, you can group users by how they use your product or service. This can help you see if there are any common patterns. For example, you may find that there are two groups of users: those who use your product in one way and those who use it in another way. This can help you understand how to better meet the needs of each group.

On the other hand, if you’re talking to users, you can group them by their responses to your questions. This can help you see if there are any common themes. For example, you may find that there are two groups of users: those who want a certain feature and those who don’t. This can help you understand the needs of each group and how to better meet them.

This task can be done by your UI/UX designer, so it’s also important to think about your UI/UX designer hourly rate.

Overall, it’s important to do UX research in order to understand the needs of your users.

2. Use multiple methods

Don’t rely on just one method of research. Use multiple methods to get a well-rounded view of your users’ needs. Try conducting surveys, interviews, focus groups, and usability tests. Each method will give you different insights that you can use to improve your product or service.

Observe users and their behavior

In addition to talking to users, it’s important to observe them. Watch how they use your product or service and look for areas of improvement. You can also ask them to use a prototype of your product and give you feedback.

Throughout the research process, keep your users in mind. They should be your North Star. When you make decisions about your product or service, ask yourself if it’s something that will benefit the user. If not, it’s probably not worth doing.

Take user feedback into account

When you’re making changes to your product or service, take user feedback into account. If you’re getting a lot of negative feedback about a particular change, it’s probably not a good idea to go ahead with it. On the other hand, if users are asking for a certain feature, it’s worth considering adding it.

Listening to your users is the best way to ensure that you’re meeting their needs. By following these tips, you can be sure that your research is on target and that you’re making changes that will improve the user experience.

3. Test your assumptions

It’s important to test your assumptions about what users want. Don’t make assumptions about what they need or how they want to use your product. Create prototypes and test them with real users. See how they react and what they say. Use their feedback to make changes to your product before you launch it.

Don’t forget about testing

Testing is also a good way to find out if your assumptions are correct. If you think that a certain feature will be popular with users, test it out. See how they react and what they say. Use their feedback to make changes to your product before you launch it. Usually, after testing you will have a good idea of what works and what doesn’t. Be prepared to make changes to your product based on the feedback you receive. Don’t be afraid to try something new. The goal is to create a great user experience, so keep that in mind as you make changes.

Be prepared to pivot

Even if you’ve done all the research, there’s always a chance that your product won’t meet users’ needs. Be prepared to pivot and make changes to your product or service. Don’t be afraid to try something new. The goal is to create a great user experience, so keep that in mind as you make changes.

Everything has its time

Another important thing to keep in mind is that user needs can change over time. What users want today may not be what they want tomorrow. Be prepared to adapt and change your product or service as user needs evolve. For example, if you’re launching a new feature, test it out with a small group of users first. See how they react and what they say. Use their feedback to make changes to your product before you launch it. Or, if you’re thinking about removing a feature, test it out with a small group of users first.

The bottom line

Creating a great user experience starts with UX research. By following these tips, you can make sure that your research is on target and that you’re making changes that will improve the user experience. Remember, the goal is to create a great experience for your users, so keep that in mind as you make decisions about your product or service.