Mattakushi432 UX Research
Research Method Selection
| Method | Question Type | Sample Size | Time | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| User interviews | Why/how | 5-8 | 1-2 weeks | Discovery, problem validation |
| Usability tests | Can users do X? | 5-8 | 1-2 weeks | Design validation |
| Surveys | How many? How often? | 100+ | 1-2 weeks | Quantitative validation |
| Diary studies | What do they do over time? | 10-20 | 2-4 weeks | Longitudinal behavior |
| Card sorting | How do users categorize? | 20-30 | 1 week | IA, navigation |
| Tree testing | Can users find X in nav? | 50+ | 1 week | Navigation validation |
| A/B test | Which performs better? | 1000+ | 2-4 weeks | Optimization |
| Session recordings | What do users actually do? | 50-200 | Ongoing | Behavior observation |
Research Plan Template
# Research Plan: [Study Name]
**Researcher**: [Name]
**Date**: [Start – End]
**Product Area**: [Feature/Flow]
## Research Questions
1. [Primary question — the most important thing to learn]
2. [Secondary question]
3. [Secondary question]
## Hypotheses
- H1: We believe [users] struggle with [X] because [reason]
- H2: We believe [Y feature] will help because [assumption]
## Method
[Selected method + rationale]
## Participants
- Target: [Persona/segment description]
- Criteria: [Screener criteria]
- Recruitment: [Source — panel, CRM, Craigslist, etc.]
- Incentive: [$X gift card / product credit]
- N: [Number of participants]
## Schedule
- Recruitment: [Dates]
- Sessions: [Dates, duration each]
- Analysis: [Dates]
- Readout: [Date]
## Materials
- [ ] Discussion guide / test script
- [ ] Prototype / test environment
- [ ] Screener survey
- [ ] Consent form
- [ ] Recording setup (Maze/Lookback/Zoom)
User Interview Guide
Structure (60-minute interview)
0:00-0:05 Introduction & consent
0:05-0:15 Warm-up: background, context, workflow
0:15-0:45 Core questions (problem space)
0:45-0:55 Concept/prototype reaction (if applicable)
0:55-1:00 Wrap-up: anything else? recruiting referrals
Interview Question Bank
Warm-up
- Tell me about your role and what a typical [relevant task] looks like for you.
- How long have you been doing [X]?
- Walk me through the last time you [relevant activity].
Problem Discovery
- What's the hardest part of [task]?
- What does your current workflow look like? Take me through it step by step.
- What tools do you use? What do you wish they did differently?
- If you could wave a magic wand and fix one thing, what would it be?
- Tell me about a time when [problem area] didn't go as expected.
Behavior & Motivation
- Why do you do it that way?
- What would have to be true for you to change how you do this?
- Who else is involved in this decision/process?
- How do you know when you've done [task] successfully?
Reaction to Concept (show prototype)
- What's your first impression?
- What would you expect to happen if you clicked [X]?
- Is anything confusing or unclear?
- What would make you trust/use this?
Interview Anti-Patterns
- Don't ask leading questions: "Don't you find X frustrating?" → "How do you feel about X?"
- Don't ask hypotheticals: "Would you use this?" → "Tell me about the last time you..."
- Don't ask binary yes/no → follow up with "tell me more"
- Don't jump to solutions → stay in problem space longer
Usability Testing Protocol
Moderated Test Script
"Thank you for joining. Today I'm going to ask you to complete
some tasks using [product/prototype]. I want to be clear: we're
testing the design, not you. There are no wrong answers.
Please think aloud — say what you're thinking and looking at.
I won't be able to answer questions about how to use it, but
I want to hear what you'd expect."
[Task 1]
"Please [task instruction]. Think aloud as you go."
Observe: where do they start? where do they pause? where do they go wrong?
[After each task]
"How was that? What was easy/hard?"
"What did you expect to happen when you clicked X?"
Metrics to Track
| Metric | Definition | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Task success rate | % completing without assistance | >80% |
| Time on task | Seconds to complete | <baseline |
| Error rate | # of errors per task | <2 |
| SUS score | System Usability Scale (0-100) | >68 |
| NPS | Would recommend (0-10) | >30 |
Research Synthesis Frameworks
Affinity Mapping
- Capture every observation on individual sticky notes (digital: FigJam, Miro)
- Sort silently — group related notes without discussing
- Label clusters with insight statements (not categories)
- Identify patterns across clusters
- Prioritize by frequency and severity
Jobs-to-Be-Done Analysis
Functional Job: [What they're trying to accomplish]
Emotional Job: [How they want to feel]
Social Job: [How they want to be perceived]
Outcome Statements:
"Minimize the time it takes to [functional outcome]"
"Increase the likelihood of [desired result]"
"Reduce the number of [pain point occurrences]"
Problem Statement Format
[User persona] needs a way to [accomplish goal]
because [insight about their motivation/context].
Currently they [current behavior] which leads to [pain/inefficiency].
We know this because [evidence — N participants, quote, data].
Insight Documentation Template
## Insight: [Short title]
**Confidence**: High | Medium | Low
**Evidence**: [N/X participants mentioned this] [quote]
**Impact**: [What this means for the product]
**Recommendation**: [What we should do about it]
### Supporting Quotes
> "[Direct quote from participant]" — P3, SMB Customer
### Related Insights
- [Link to related insight]
Research Repository Structure
research/
├── studies/
│ └── 2024-Q1-onboarding/
│ ├── plan.md
│ ├── guide.md
│ ├── raw-notes/
│ ├── synthesis.md
│ └── readout.pdf
├── insights/
│ ├── onboarding-insights.md
│ ├── retention-insights.md
│ └── enterprise-insights.md
└── participants/
└── (PII-protected, consent on file)
Participant Recruitment Checklist
- Screener survey written and tested
- Recruitment source identified (own users, panel, LinkedIn)
- Incentive approved (typically $75-150/hr for professionals)
- Scheduling tool set up (Calendly)
- Consent form prepared (recording consent)
- Over-recruit by 20% (no-shows)
- Confirm 24h before each session