# UX Research > When to activate: user research, UX research, user interviews, usability testing, surveys, diary studies, research plan, synthesis, insight - Skill: `mattakushi432/ux-research` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add mattakushi432/ux-research` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/mattakushi432/ux-research/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Research & Search - Author: Mattakushi432 (https://skillmd.com/u/mattakushi432) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/mattakushi432/ux-research --- # 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 ```markdown # 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 | 68 | | NPS | Would recommend (0-10) | >30 | ## Research Synthesis Frameworks ### Affinity Mapping 1. Capture every observation on individual sticky notes (digital: FigJam, Miro) 2. Sort silently — group related notes without discussing 3. Label clusters with insight statements (not categories) 4. Identify patterns across clusters 5. 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 ```markdown ## 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