User experience services have become increasingly popular in many sectors. However, many companies still aren’t aware that a great UX also requires thorough research to truly bring the results you want.
UX agencies provide a variety of services that include the development of webpages, applications and software. All digital products are the result of a careful planning process: if you can design your site according to previously mapped out user needs and expectations, you can expect a much better conversion rate.
Here’s a rundown of the role of research in UX design, as well as some of the most common methods used by UX agencies!
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About the importance of UX research methods
Before delving deeper into UX research methods you should know what user experience is as well as what a UX agency does.
In a nutshell, UX agencies offer their services to companies from all industries in order to help them improve customer satisfaction. No matter what kind of products and services you provide, you cannot hope to succeed if you don’t have satisfied customers. In turn, satisfied customers lead to an increased conversion rate, as you can expect more and more visitors to “convert” into repeat buyers.
Contrary to popular belief, UX isn’t about unnecessarily elongating the development process. The goal is to make sure that by the time you are ready to update your website or go to market with a new digital product, it is exactly in line with what your target audience needs and expects of you. This will make them much more likely to recommend you to others and not choose your competitors’ services over you.
How does a UX agency achieve all that? User experience itself covers all possible interactions a user may have with your digital product and how it feels to use it. The simpler and more enjoyable the experience, the better. This means that your website or app loads as fast as lightning, is as transparent in its structure as clear water, and navigating through it is easy enough so that anyone can figure it out for themselves without calling your customer service for help (or getting fed up and going to another site).
Of course, this also means you have to know more about what your users are looking for in a mobile banking app, a grocery delivery app, a dating site, and so on. That’s where UX research methods come in. If you want a better return on your investment by providing your users with a frustration-free experience, you cannot afford to skip the research and planning phase. Always remember that you are not your users. Never assume anything that you cannot back up with data, even if it might seem trivial.
Common UX research methods – What kind of services can I expect from a user experience agency?
UX agencies use many different research methods to help you learn more about what your users need and expect from a company like yours. An agency can help you recommend what method suits your services best, but remember that they are not mutually exclusive, as qualitative research methods can greatly supplement previously made conducted surveys and vice-versa.
Here are some notable examples of UX research methods:
1. User interviews
An in-depth, smaller-scale UX research method to get more information from one single participant at a time. They usually don’t last longer than 30 or 60 minutes. As for the number of participants, UX agencies only rarely recommend getting information from more than 12 people, except if you provide your services on a very large scale.
This is an easy and fast way to get a deeper insight into how your users feel towards the design of a product or website. As a qualitative method, it is great for discovering information that would otherwise be much harder to obtain in traditional surveys. The interviews are conducted by the UX agency, but you can help in planning the questions you need to be answered as well as what kind of participants count as relevant members of your target audience.
2. User testing
A UX research method which is usually employed closer to the end of the development cycle when you can already present your users with a usable prototype. This is a great way to test how easily your potential customers can use your website or application, and filter out any bugs in time before going to market. This can help you save time and money on fixing errors post-launch.
3. The Kano model of customer satisfaction
A lesser-known, but extremely useful UX research method that helps you map out the priorities of your users. Great for identifying areas worth investing in, as well as which areas would be just a waste of your resources.
You can learn more about the benefits and output of each UX research method by clicking on the ergomania.eu link.
