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Writing an effective guide for a ux interview.

February 28, 2021 2021-02-28

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In This Article:

Introduction, step 1: write your research questions, step 2: brainstorm interview questions, step 3: broaden your questions, step 4: fill in for unaccounted research questions, step 5: arrange your questions, step 6: prepare additional probing and followup questions, step 7: pilot your guide.

In the discovery phase of product development, user interviews are often used to capture important information about users: their backgrounds, beliefs, motivations, desires, or needs. Typically, the interviews carried out at this stage are semistructured (referred to as “depth interviews” by market researchers) — they generally have a predefined structure, but also allow the interviewer the flexibility to follow up on significant statements made by participants.

In a semistructured interview, the interviewer uses an interview guide (also referred to as a discussion guide). Unlike an interview script — which is used in structured interviews — an interview guide can be used flexibly: interviewers can ask questions in any order they see fit, omit questions, or ask questions that are not in the guide.

A good interview guide paves the way for a deep, free-flowing conversation with participants. (Obviously, the way you conduct the interview will also be important, but that’s another article!) Interview guides should include a few concise, open-ended questions to encourage participants to tell their stories. These will be followed by carefully crafted, probing questions to uncover motivations or beliefs behind certain reported behaviors or utterances.

Constructing a good interview guide can be tricky and time-consuming. It’s not uncommon to spend a full day crafting one. However, it’s important to have one to ensure you get the most out of your interviews. Without an interview guide you run the risk of:

• Asking leading questions as you try to think of questions on the spot
• Not covering topics relevant to your research questions in each interview

Ultimately, without an interview guide, you are in danger of compromising the validity of your data. Here are some steps meant to help you create an interview guide if you’re new to this practice.

Sometimes the research questions are clear and obvious. However, sometimes they’re not. Maybe you’ve realized you need to speak to users because you don’t know anything about them. Good! But what do you want to find out from them? These are your research questions. Write these out first before working on your interview guide, as they will shape your interview questions. Below are some examples of research questions:

• What are users’ expectations in this situation?
• How do users make a decision in this situation?
• How have users managed to solve this problem in the past?
• What aspects of this product do users care most about, and why?

Next, note down all interview questions that come to mind. It doesn’t matter whether they are good or poor — you’ll deal with that later. You can use mind maps , digital whiteboards, or a simple list — whatever works for you! Sometimes, further research questions pop up here. That’s fine; add them to your list of research questions.

It’s typical after step 2 to have a long list of mostly closed questions. Those kinds of questions wouldn’t make for a good interview because they won’t allow for unanticipated stories and statements to emerge and can limit your ability to build rapport with the participant. (Rapport is important if you’re looking to gather accurate, in-depth information from your participants.)

Review your list of questions and ask yourself, for each interview question, is there a broader, more open-ended version of that question that you can ask instead?

For example, consider the following closed questions that could be asked in an interview with an employee.

• Do you work in an office?
• Is the work mostly desk-based or paper-based?
• Do you have to attend meetings during the workday?
• Do you work in a team?

The above questions could be answered by asking the participant to describe a typical day at work. It’s likely that in doing so, the participant may cover all or many of the above. If the participant has not covered everything, then some of these can be asked as follow-up questions.

Example questions, that prompt the user to recall a certain event and are similar to those used in the critical-incident method , are excellent for gathering stories and unanticipated statements. For instance, imagine you’re conducting an interview to learn about people’s experiences cooking at home. The following example questions provide the opportunity for participants to tell many different stories and give you a glimpse into their lives.

• Tell me about the last time you cooked at home.
• Tell me about a time where you cooked something new.
• Tell me about a time when you cooked something that turned out well.
• Tell me about a time when you cooked something that didn’t turn out as you hoped.
• Tell me about a time when you were thinking about cooking something but decided to get takeout instead?

Align each interview question to your research questions. If you have research questions that are not addressed by any of your interview questions, fill in the gap by crafting some more interview questions. Repeat step 3 if needed.

The interview guide can include your research questions. Some researchers like to remind themselves of the aims of the research by displaying these either at the top of the guide or alongside the interview questions.

To make the conversation flow in a logical order and seem natural think about the best order for your questions . For example, if you’re talking about an experience people have had, it makes sense to move in a chronological order. If the experience has set phases (such as discover , choose , purchas e, use , review ) that you might have documented in a user-journey map , service blueprint , or experience map then you may want to align your questions to these phases. That’s not to say you can’t depart from this order in the interview if you need to!

You should also think about preparing some warmup questions that are open-ended and easy to answer to build rapport at the beginning of your interview. For example, “Tell me a little about yourself” is a typical opening question which gets the participant talking. Any questions that require reflection should be featured later in your guide; introducing them too early could be overwhelming and you might get stereotypical responses, as participants haven’t had a chance to recall events, feelings, and form judgments.

Once you’ve ordered your questions, go through each one and prepare followup questions meant to provide you with additional detail and clarification , such as “Where were you when this happened?”, “When did that happen?”, “Tell me why you did that?”, and so on.

You can include probing questions , too, to help you to remember to ask them — for example, “Tell me more about that”, “Tell me why you felt that way”, “Why is that important to you?”

Piloting your guide will give you an idea of:

• Questions you should ask but aren’t yet included in your guide
• Questions that need rewording
• Whether the question order works
• Whether you will have time for all your questions

Recruit a pilot participant and give yourself enough time to make some changes. It’s okay to make updates to your guide throughout your interviews, but the point of piloting your guide is to fix any glaring issues before commencing research.

A guide will provide focus to your interviews and ensure that they are successful. Your interview guide should consist of broad, open-ended questions that allow participants to tell you about their experience in detail. These questions will be accompanied by many probing and followup questions, used to capture further details and gain clarification. You can download an example of an interview guide to refer to as you create your own interview guides.

Example Interview Guide (PDF)

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In this guide

The complete guide to user interviews.

Whether you’re designing a new flow in your product experience or reimagining your website, it’s important to collect  user feedback to ensure you’re building the best possible solution for your users. There are many different methods for gathering and understanding your users’ perspectives. In this guide, we’ll explore one of the most widely-used and effective UX research techniques: user interviews.

This guide will cover: 

• How user interviews improve the product development lifecycle
• The different types of user interviews

When to conduct user interviews 

• How to run a successful user interview
• How UserTesting can help you get the answers you need with user interviews

To get us started, let’s dig into what user interviews are. Even though it might seem obvious, there are subtle differences between user interviews and other forms of UX research that are important to note. 

What are user interviews?

User interviews are a form of  UX research that helps you gather user perspectives on a certain topic, understand how they navigate a digital experience, gain context into their behaviors and habits, and more. It’s a flexible tool that helps teams get to the why behind their product’s performance. 

The most successful user interviews are those that are strategically designed to uncover information about a specific question. While this is certainly not an exhaustive list, here are some great use cases for user interviews: 

• Uncover  customer insight s from target users or prospective users about your website’s messaging and navigation
• Question users during the discovery phase of a product design project to get a deeper understanding of their behaviors, problems, and needs
• Test prototypes that are difficult to understand without context or where users may need extra guidance from the interviewer
• Offer  concept testing to get feedback on designs that have reached the development stage
• Have users compare your digital experience against your competitors to evaluate which they like best and why

The more familiar you get with the insights that come out of user interviews, the more creative ways you’ll be able to apply them to your specific line of work or situation. 

In case you need more persuasion, let’s dig into why user interviews are so important in  user experience (UX) design and the product development lifecycle (PDLC) in general.

User interviews: an important part of the product development lifecycle

User-centric product design is the process of designing (digital or physical) products that are useful, easy to use, and delightful to interact with for users. It’s about enhancing the experience that people have while interacting with your product, and making sure they find value in what you’re providing.

From surveys,  customer reviews , and support calls, to metrics like traffic, conversion, and NPS, there are plenty of different data that can give you a level of human insight. However, in order to maximize the efficiency and impact of your PDLC, it’s best if you can really see and hear how your users interact with the product throughout its development. This ensures the product is tailored specifically to real human needs and is why user interviews are such an effective tool. Otherwise, you risk building something that no one wants or needs.

Insights from user interviews can help your team:

• Fill in knowledge gaps on what users need
• Speak the language of the target user
• Answer UX questions that are blocking progress
• Pave the way to new ideas for features or products
• Improve larger business decision-making and strategy
• Validate hypotheses and align stakeholders around a design vision
• Allocate resources to the right business areas and avoid rework

Challenges of user interviews

Now that we’ve emphasized the value of user interviews, let’s look at a few challenges that come along with this UX research method. 

User interviews take time

User interviews require careful preparation. Once the interviews have been conducted, they need to be transcribed, analyzed and organized for sharing amongst the organization. It’s important to have the right platform to streamline this process so that everything from interviewing to analysis can happen in one place.

Moderators need training

Interviewing is a skill and moderators need to be able to ask the right questions to properly engage with participants. It’s important to make sure your interviewers are trained in how to make participants comfortable, give them space to talk, and ask thoughtful questions.

Participants need to be vetted

Vetting participants is vital for any research project. While UserTesting can do the heavy lifting of participant recruiting, those without a human insight solution must be careful to recruit a group of participants that truly represent the user. It’s important to interview a wide variety of customers so that the data isn’t too narrow.

At the core, user interviews are a method for extracting user insights. But it can be tricky to know the best time to use them. It’s sometimes difficult to pinpoint when a user interview or a different approach—like unmoderated usability testing—is the best course of action.

Let’s clear this up.

It helps to think of user interviews as a form of a moderated usability test or a real-time conversation that you’re having with a user. Unmoderated usability tests aren’t monitored or guided, which allows for faster, larger studies but can sometimes lack depth. Think  surveys ,  tree testing, or card sorting . In essence, the primary difference between the two is the presence of a researcher (or person conducting the interview).

User interviews work best when you need a high level of interaction between you and your user. For example, if you want to study a prototype with limited functionality, or a complicated process or concept, moderated testing provides you with the interaction you’d need to guide a user through the study. 

It's also an excellent way to understand the  customer journey , discover pain points, and react to what interviewees say in real time. Additionally, user interviews allow you to observe body language and facial expressions, and pick up on subtle behaviors and responses that you might not get in an unmoderated test. Throughout the interview, you can give users more context when they seem to get stuck or confused or dig deeper in your questioning to understand why they’re responding a certain way. Interviewing users also develops a rapport with them that helps establish trust. This can lead to candid feedback that might not have been possible with other  qualitative research methods .

User interview styles: Unstructured, semi-structured, and structured

When conducting a user interview, UX teams typically employ varied levels of structure to their approach to get different kinds of responses. We can separate these approaches into three buckets: Unstructured interviews, semi-structured interviews, and structured interviews. While it may be surprising to hear that having less structure in an interview could be a good thing, there are specific use-cases for that call for each.

Unstructured user interviews

Unstructured interviews involve asking very open-ended questions without a strict outline or guide, allowing the user to direct the conversation. Interviews like these are useful for gathering extensive information and are ideal for identifying pain points and problems within a product area. In an unstructured user interview, it’s important to ask neutral, non-leading questions that might influence the user's responses. This type of interview can be challenging for those new to user interviewing as it lacks control over the type of information collected. Unstructured interviews are most useful at the beginning of a project during initial ideation while researchers or designers have limited knowledge.

Semi-structured user interviews

Semi-structured interviews strike a balance between structure and flexibility. Researchers create a discussion guide or test script to steer the conversation toward valuable insights for the design team, often including scenarios or tasks to prompt participant action or thought. While the discussion guide maintains focus, it also allows for unique and creative ideas to emerge. Semi-structured interviews are most effective when researchers are familiar with user personas and have a prototype for participants to interact with.

Structured user interviews

Structured interviews follow a fixed set of questions for every participant, aiming to control the type of insights obtained. These questions are often closed-ended, sometimes requiring multiple-choice or scaled responses. The main advantage of structured interviews is their efficiency and cost-effectiveness, making them suitable for gathering large amounts of comparative, quantitative data from many participants. Of course, their downside is that they offer little room for detailed explanations. Structured interviews are most appropriate towards the end of a project when the product is nearing release or has just been launched.

Types of user interviews: Generative, Contextual, and Continuous

The three most common types of user interviews are: generative, contextual, and continuous interviews. Each type of user interview serves a unique purpose in the design and development process.

• Generative user interviews: Explores new insights and generates ideas early in the design process
• Contextual user interviews: Observes and understands user behavior in natural settings to answer specific ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions
• Continuous user interviews: Maintains ongoing user contact to gather continuous feedback, supporting agile and user-centered development

Generative user interviews

Generative interviews are primarily used to uncover new insights about user behavior, challenges, and expectations. They’re especially useful in the early stages of the design process, when the goal is to explore opportunities and generate ideas.

These conversations are aimed at gathering detailed information to answer broad research questions. Unlike brainstorming sessions, generative interviews focus on gathering actionable insights through clear, specific questions. A researcher might ask a variety of participants about their daily routines and the challenges they face with existing products. This helps to identify unmet needs and areas for innovation.

Contextual user interviews

Contextual interviews provide deep insights into how users interact with products in their natural environment. They combine observation and interviewing to understand the context of user behaviors.

These semi-structured interviews are conducted in the user’s environment, making the setting feel more natural than a lab or virtual interview. Researchers observe users as they complete tasks and ask questions to understand their behavior and reasoning. A researcher might shadow a user in their workplace or at home to see how they interact with a new software tool, asking questions about their actions and decisions throughout the process.

Continuous user interviews

Continuous interviews are conducted regularly to maintain ongoing contact with users and gather continuous feedback.  This approach is valuable for keeping the design and development process aligned with user needs over time.

By setting aside time each week to connect with users, researchers can gather ongoing insights. These interviews are open-ended, allowing for a broad range of feedback that may be more varied than focused research. A product manager might schedule weekly check-ins with users to discuss their experiences and gather feedback on new features, ensuring that the product evolves in line with user needs.

By understanding and applying these different types of user interviews, researchers and designers can gather a comprehensive range of insights to inform and improve the user experience.

13 tips for conducting user interviews

Keep these tips in mind while you’re conducting your interview:

1. Clarify your goals

Before you plan on conducting any user interviews, it’s important to  know what you’re trying to get out of the process . This helps guide your questions and the conversation.

Maybe you’re looking to understand how customers feel about your site’s new design. In that case, you need to ask open-ended questions like, “What do you think of our new site design when compared to our previous version?” If you want to find out if participants find your checkout page to be intuitive, ask questions like, “How did you feel about the navigation experience of our checkout page?”

2. Compose a conversation script and questions

As with any conversation, the discussion should be organic and take its own shape. However, it’s still helpful to have a general script of what you’d like to say outlined and available, including critical questions you must ask. Having your questions and a general idea of what you’d like to say handy will keep you and your user on track. Use your script as the framework for taking notes during each interview.

3. Test your tech

Make sure all the technology you’ll be using for your interview is operational and updated in advance. Check that you and your user have a reliable internet connection and working webcam and microphone at the start of your user interview.

4. Have your materials ready

Prepare any visuals, links, or  other materials that you’d like your user to interact with ready to share, either via video or by sharing your screen. We recommend pulling up ahead of time any files, images, or browser tabs you’d like to share on your desktop. And take caution to hide anything confidential.

5. Test your interview questions

Test your questions on teammates and ask for feedback on whether your questions are straightforward. Are you getting the answers you were hoping for? Do people understand what the questions mean? Your users’ responses should give you a clear idea of what needs to be changed or improved moving forwards. 

6. Keep it casual

Make your interview feel like a casual conversation. Start out by breaking the ice with something simple, such as “Hi, I’m Jane. How are you doing today?,” “Where are you currently based?,” or something similar.

7. Push through the initial awkwardness

Getting to know someone new, especially virtually, almost always comes with an uncomfortable silence, a stutter here and there, or reading questions that sound like they were written by a therapist. Here’s the good news: feeling a little awkward usually means you’re on the right path. Don’t get hung up on the discomfort. Proceed with the general script and trust in your prep work. This part will almost always get easier the more user interviews you have.

8. Let the conversation warm up

Allow a little time for your contributor to warm up before you jump into a single line of questioning or pursue a specific topic. Asking your contributor to share a little bit about themselves and offering up a bit about yourself in return will build a foundation of knowledge from which you can decide where to take the conversation.

9. Parrot your contributors 

A great way to keep your contributors talking, without putting words in their mouths, is to simply parrot back whatever they just said. For example, if they say, “I dunno, this page just looks weird....” you can wait a few seconds and then repeat, “the page looks weird...” and just trail off without actually asking a question. This usually gives them time to gather their thoughts and helps reinforce that you’re listening to them, even if they may not think that they’re saying much or adding much value.

10. Take five

A good rule of thumb is to slowly count to five in your head before responding to anything your contributor says or does. This technique gives you an easy measure to ensure you’re giving a contributor the right amount of time to respond.

11. Avoid leading questions

Leading questions can subtly and inadvertently persuade contributors to provide the answer you hope to receive, but not necessarily the one that will provide fuller, more objective insight. There are many  examples of leading questions you should avoid. “What did you like about the homepage?” implies the contributor must have liked something. Instead, leave questions open-ended. It’d be better to ask, “Was there anything you liked or disliked about the homepage?”

12. Remove bias

It’s easy to accidentally influence customers’ answers without intending to. Take care with how you phrase each of your questions to make sure you’re not accidentally influencing their responses. 

The key is to collect valuable, actionable feedback that isn’t shaped by your organization’s expectations or agenda. So, always ask users open-ended questions and avoid leading questions that influence participants’ answers. 

Read up on other  examples of leading questions so you know what to avoid.

13. Say thank you

Make it a priority to thank your customers for their time, so they feel appreciated. You could also provide incentives as a way of saying thank you to participants. For example, you could automatically enter participants into an Amazon gift card giveaway. 

How UserTesting’s Live Conversation makes user interviews easier

User interviews can be conducted in person or remotely, whichever is most convenient for you and your user. A major challenge with user interviews and in-person focus groups is the high cost—both in terms of time and money. Traditional user interviews and focus groups can take weeks or months to organize, schedule, recruit, and complete. Most teams need feedback much faster to align with agile sprints and product development processes.

With  UserTesting’s Live Conversation test format, the logistical challenges are removed making it possible to conduct fast, remoteuser interviews with real people to inform your product development with confidence. With self-service scheduling using the  UserTesting’s diverse Network , teams only need one business day’s lead time to get the rich insights only aface-to-face user interview can provide—without the logistical hassle and cost associated with traditionalin-person user interview methods. 

A final word on user interviews 

Whether you’re new to user interviews or have been conducting them for decades, it’s a skill that can always be refined. Customer needs change with culture and connecting with your audience will always be an evolving process. 

Following the steps mentioned in this guide will help you tie your digital experiences to a firm foundation of user-centricity so that you can create products that resonate. The next time you set out on designing a new product or experience, consider how user interviews with  UserTesting might help you uncover valuable insights.

Ready to give user interviews a shot?

Run a free test right now or visit our template gallery to get some testing inspiration. 

Frequently asked questions about user interviews

User interviews are a qualitative research method used to gather in-depth insights directly from users about their experiences, needs, and challenges. They're crucial for informing product development and improving user experience.

What types of user interviews exist?

The three primary types of user interviews are: generative (for exploring new ideas), contextual (for understanding user behavior in real environments), and continuous (for ongoing feedback during product design and development).

How should one prepare for a user interview?

Preparation for user interviews involves defining clear objectives, creating an interview guide, selecting diverse participants, and ensuring the interviewer is well-trained in conducting interviews.

What are some best practices for conducting user interviews?

Best practices for user interviews include active listening, asking open-ended questions, avoiding leading questions, creating a comfortable environment for participants, and systematically recording and analyzing responses.

How can the insights from user interviews be utilized?

Human understanding. Human experiences.

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How to conduct effective user interviews for UX research

User interviews are a popular UX research technique, providing valuable insight into how your users think and feel. Learn about the different types of user interviews and how to conduct your own in this guide.

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User interviews are a popular UX research technique, providing valuable insight into how your users think and feel. Learn about the different types of user interviews and how to conduct your own in this guide. 

User research is fundamental for good UX. It helps you get to know your users and design products that meet their needs and solve their pain-points. 

One of the most popular UX research methods is user interviews. With this technique, you get to hear from your users first-hand, learning about their needs, goals, expectations, and frustrations—anything they think and feel in relation to the problem space.

But when should you conduct user interviews and how do you make sure they yield valuable results?

Follow this guide and you’ll be a user interview pro. We explain:

What are user interviews in UX research?

What are the different types of user interviews, when should you conduct user interviews, what data and insights do you get from user interviews, how to conduct effective user interviews for ux research: a step-by-step guide.

• What happens next? How to analyse your user interview data

First things first: What are user interviews?

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Interviews are one of the most popular UX research methods. They provide valuable insight into how your users think, feel, and talk about a particular topic or scenario—allowing you to paint a rich and detailed picture of their needs and goals. 

interviews take place on a one-to-one basis, with a UX designer or UX researcher asking the user questions and recording their answers. They can last anywhere between 30 minutes and an hour, and they can be done at various stages of a UX design project. 

There are several different types of user interviews. They can be:

• Structured, semi-structured, or unstructured
• Generative, contextual, or continuous
• Remote or in-person

Let’s explore these in more detail.

Structured vs. semi-structured vs. unstructured user interviews

Structured interviews follow a set list of questions in a set order. The questions are usually closed—i.e. there’s a limit to how participants can respond (e.g. “Yes” or “No”). Structured interviews ensure that all research participants get exactly the same questions, and are most appropriate when you already have a good understanding of the topic/area you’re researching. 

Structured interviews also make it easier to compare the data gathered from each interview. However, a disadvantage is that they are rather restrictive; they don’t invite much elaboration or nuance. 

Semi-structured interviews are based on an interview guide rather than a full script, providing some pre-written questions. These tend to be open-ended questions, allowing the user to answer freely. The interviewer will then ask follow-up questions to gain a deeper understanding of the user’s answers. Semi-structured interviews are great for eliciting rich user insights—but, without a set script of questions, there’s a high risk of researcher bias (for example, asking questions that unintentionally lead the participant in a certain direction). 

Unstructured user interviews are completely unscripted. It’s up to the interviewer to come up with questions on the spot, based on the user’s previous answers. These are some of the trickiest types of user interviews—you’re under pressure to think fast while avoiding questions that might bias the user’s answer. Still, if done well, unstructured interviews are great if you have very little knowledge or data about the domain and want to explore it openly. 

Generative vs. contextual vs. continuous user interviews

Generative user interviews are ideal for early-stage exploration and discovery. They help you to uncover what you don’t know—in other words, what insights are you missing? What user problem should you be trying to solve? Which areas and topics can you identify for further user research? Generative interviews are usually unstructured or semi-structured. 

Contextual user interviews take place in a specific context—while the user is carrying out a certain task, for example. This allows you to not only observe the user’s actions/behaviour first-hand, but also to ask questions and learn more about why the user takes certain actions and how they feel in the process. Contextual interviews tend to be semi-structured. 

Continuous user interviews are conducted as part of continuous UX research. While traditional user research is done within the scope of a specific project, continuous UX research is ongoing, conducted at regular interviews (e.g. weekly or monthly) with the goal of continuous product improvement. Continuous interviews are like regular check-ins with your users, giving you ongoing insight into their needs, goals, and pain-points. 

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Remote vs. in-person user interviews

A final distinction to make is between remote and in-person interviews. 

In-person user interviews take place with the user and researcher in the same room. A big advantage of in-person interviews is that you’re privy to the user’s body language—an additional insight into how they feel. 

Remote user interviews take place via video call. Like any kind of remote work, they’re more flexible and may be more accessible for research participants as they don’t require any travel. 

User interviews provide value at various stages of a design project. You can use them for:

• Discovery and ideation —when you want to learn more about your target users and the problems they need you to solve.
• UX testing and product improvement —when you want to get user feedback on an existing design concept or solution.
• Continuous UX research —you can run regular interviews as part of a continuous UX research framework. 

Let’s take a closer look. 

User interviews for discovery and ideation

User interviews can be useful right at the beginning of a UX project, when you don’t know much (or anything) about the domain and don’t yet have a design direction. At this stage, everything is pretty open and your user interviews will be exploratory. 

Conducting user interviews early in the process will help you to answer questions such as “Who are our target users?”, “What problems do they need us to solve?” and “What are their goals and expectations in relation to the problem space?”

Here you’ll be focusing on generative user interviews (i.e. finding out what you don’t know), and they’ll likely be unstructured or semi-structured.

User interviews as part of UX testing and product improvement

User interviews also come in handy when you have an idea or concept you want to evaluate, or even a working product you want to test. 

At this stage, you might present the user with a prototype and ask them questions about it. If you’re further along in the design process, you can run user interviews as an add-on to UX testing —having the user interact with a working prototype (or the product itself) and asking them questions at the same time. These are the contextual interviews we described earlier. 

Conducting user interviews at this stage will help you gain insight into how your users feel about a concept/product/experience and to identify pain-points or usability issues within the existing design. 

User interviews as part of continuous UX research

User interviews are also valuable as part of a continuous UX research framework. Here, there is no project-specific goal—rather, you’re interviewing users regularly to gain ongoing user insights. This enables you to maintain a user-centric design process and to evolve your product continuously as you learn more about your users. 

You can learn more about the importance of continuous UX research here .

User interviews allow you to hear from the user, in their own words, how they think and feel about a particular problem space/experience/task. This provides rich insights into their thoughts, beliefs, experiences, problems, goals, desires, motivations, and expectations, as well as the rationale or thought process behind certain actions. 

As such, user interviews generate qualitative data . That is, data which tells you about a person’s thoughts, feelings, and subjective experiences. It’s the opposite of quantitative data which is objective, numerical, and measurable. You can learn more about the difference between quantitative and qualitative user research data here .

Note that user interviews generate self-reported data . Self-reported data is based on what the user chooses to share with you (you’re not observing it; rather, you’re hearing it from the user). It’s how they report to be feeling or thinking. 

If you conduct contextual user interviews, you’ll gather a mixture of observational data (based on what you observe the user doing) and self-reported data. 

After conducting user interviews, you’ll end up with lots of data in the form of interview transcripts, audio or video recordings, and your own notes. We’ll look at how to analyse your user interview data in the final section of this guide. 

First, though, here’s a step-by-step plan you can follow to conduct effective user interviews. 

Ready to conduct your own user interviews? Follow our step-by-step guide to get started.

• Determine what type of user interviews you’ll conduct
• Write your user interview script (or guide)
• Set up the necessary tools
• Recruit your interview participants
• Perfect your interview technique

Let’s walk through our plan step by step. 

1. Determine what type of user interviews you’ll conduct

Earlier in this guide, we outlined the different types of user interviews: Structured, semi-structured, and unstructured; generative, contextual, and continuous; and remote and in-person. 

The first step is to determine what format your user interviews will take. This depends on:

• What stage you’re at in the project/process
• What your research goals are

If you’re at the very early stages of a design project, you’ll likely want to keep your user interviews open and exploratory—opting for unstructured or semi-structured interviews. 

Perhaps you’ve already got a design underway and want to interview your users as they interact with it. In that case, structured or semi-structured contextual interviews may work best. 

Consider what you want to learn from your user interviews and go from there. 

2. Write your user interview script (or guide)

How you approach this step will depend on whether you’re conducting structured, semi-structured, or unstructured user interviews.

For structured interviews, you’ll need to write a full interview script—paying attention to the order of the questions. The script should also incorporate follow-up questions; you won’t have the freedom to improvise or ask additional questions outside of your script, so make sure you’re covering all possible ground. 

For semi-structured interviews, you’ll write an interview guide rather than a rigid script. Come up with a set list of questions you definitely want to ask and use these—and your users’ answers—as a springboard for follow-up questions during the interview itself. 

For unstructured user interviews, you can go in without a script. However, it’s useful to at least brainstorm some questions you might ask to get the interview started. 

Regardless of whether you’re conducting structured, semi-structured, or unstructured interviews, it’s essential that your questions are:

• Open-ended . These are questions that cannot be answered with a simple “yes” or “no”. They require more elaboration from the user, providing you with much more insightful answers. An example of an open question could be “Can you tell me about your experience of using mobile apps to book train tickets?” versus a closed question such as “Have you ever used a mobile app to book train tickets?”
• Unbiased and non-leading . You want to be very careful about how you word your questions. It’s important that you don’t unintentionally lead the user or bias their answer in any way. For example, if you ask “How often do you practise app-based meditation?”, you’re assuming that the user practises meditation at all. A better question would be “What are your thoughts on app-based meditation?” 

It’s worth having someone else check your questions before you use them in a user interview. This will help you to remove any unintentionally biased or leading questions which may compromise the quality of your research data. 

3. Recruit your interview participants

Your user interviews should involve people who represent your target users. This might be existing customers and/or representative users who fit the persona you would be designing for. 

Some common methods for recruiting user research participants include:

• Posting on social media
• Working with a dedicated agency or platform which will connect you with suitable participants
• Recruiting from your own customer or user database

The good thing about user interviews is that you don’t need loads of participants to gather valuable data. Focus on quality over quantity, recruiting between five and ten interviewees who closely match your target group. 

4. Set up the necessary tools

Now for the practical matter of getting your user interviews underway. If you’re conducting in-person user interviews, you’ll need to choose an appropriate setting—ideally somewhere quiet and neutral where the user will feel relaxed. 

For remote user interviews, you’ll need to set up the necessary software, such as Zoom , dscout , or Lookback . Consult this guide for more UX research tools . 

You’ll also need to consider how you’re going to record the user’s answers. Will you use good old fashioned pen and paper, a simple note-taking app, or a recording and transcription software? 

Make a list of all the tools you’ll need for a seamless user interview and get everything set up in advance. 

5. Perfect your interview technique

As the interviewer, you have an important role to play in ensuring the success of your user interviews. So what makes a good interviewer? Here are some tips to help you perfect your interview technique:

• Practise active listening . Show the user that you’re listening to them; maintain eye contact (try not to be too distracted with taking notes), let them speak without rushing, and don’t give any verbal or non-verbal cues that you’re judging their responses.
• Get comfortable with silence . In everyday conversations, it can be tempting to fill silences. But, in an interview situation, it’s important to lean into the power of the pause. Let the user think and speak when they’re ready—this is usually when you elicit the most interesting insights.
• Speak the user’s language . Communication is everything in user interviews. Don’t alienate the user by speaking “UX speak”—they may not be familiar with industry-specific terms, and this can add unnecessary friction to the experience. Keep it simple, conversational, and accessible.

Ultimately, the key is to put your users at ease and create a space where they can talk openly and honestly. Perfect your interview technique and you’ll find it much easier to build a rapport with your research participants and uncover valuable, candid insights. 

What happens next? How to analyse your user interview data 

You’ve conducted your user interviews. Now you’re left with lots of unstructured, unorganised qualitative data—i.e. reams of notes. So how do you turn all those interview answers into useful, actionable insights? 

The most common technique for analysing qualitative data is thematic analysis . This is where you read through all the data you’ve gathered (in this case, your notes and transcripts) and use ‘codes’ to denote different patterns that emerge across the dataset. 

You’ll then ‘code’ different excerpts within your interview notes and transcripts, eventually sorting the coded data into a group of overarching themes. 

At this stage, you can create an affinity diagram —writing all relevant findings and data points onto Post-it notes and ‘mapping’ them into topic clusters on a board. This is a great technique for physically working through your data and creating a visualisation of your themes, allowing you to step back and spot important patterns. 

With your research data organised and categorised, you can review your findings in relation to your original research objectives. What do the themes and patterns tell you? What actions can you take from your findings? What gaps still need to be filled with further UX research?

As a final step, you might write up a UX research report and present your findings to relevant stakeholders. 

Learn more about UX research

We hope you now have a clear understanding of what user interviews are, why they’re such a valuable UX research method, and how to conduct your own user interviews. If you’d like to learn more about user research, continue with these guides:

• A complete introduction to card sorting: What is it and how do you do it?
• What are UX personas and what are they used for?
• What’s the future of UX research? An interview with Mitchell Wakefield, User Researcher at NHS Digital
• user interviews
• ux research

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3 September 2024

The Ultimate Guide to Conducting User Research Interviews

What are user research interviews, 6 types of user interviews for ux research, why conduct user research interviews, when should you conduct user interviews, what data do you get from user interviews, phase 1: how to prepare for user interviews, phase 2: how to recruit participants for user interviews, phase 3: how to create effective user interview questions, phase 3: how to conduct user interviews, phase 4: how to analyze user interview data, augment your ux research methods with fullsession, fullsession pricing plans, install your first website feedback form right now, faqs about user interviews.

Sometimes, the best way to find out if your product is good is to just ask the person using it.

Unfortunately, it's not as easy as it sounds. User interviews can give you detailed, honest, and nuanced insights about what you offer, but only if done right.

So, how can you make sure your interviews uncover data you can actually use to improve your UX?

In this guide, we'll explain:

• What are user research interviews?
• What are the different types of user interviews?
• Why should you conduct user interviews?
• When should you conduct user interviews?
• How to prepare for user interviews
• How to find interview participants
• How to write effective interview questions
• What to do with user interview data

User research interviews are like having a good chat where you really get to know someone—only in this case, you’re getting to know how people feel about a product or service.

These interviews help you dig deep to understand what users like, what frustrates them, and what could make their experience better. They revolve around asking open-ended questions that let the person you’re talking to open up about their experiences.

This method of user research is incredibly useful because it gives you valuable insights straight from the users. You're not just collecting numbers or checking boxes; you're listening to stories and gathering rich details that show you how to make your product hit the mark.

When it comes to user research interviews, there’s a whole menu of types you can choose from, each with its own flavor and purpose. Here’s a rundown of the different types of user interviews you might use, depending on what you need to find out:

1. Structured Interviews

From the name itself, structured interviews require you to stick to a specific set of questions. You ask everyone the exact same questions in the same order. It’s simple, straightforward, and great for when you need to compare answers directly across a group of people.

2. Unstructured Interviews

Unstructured interviews are more laid-back. There’s no strict list of questions you have to follow. You start with a topic, and then let the conversation flow naturally based on what the participant says. This way, you can stumble upon insights you might not have thought to look for.

3. Semi-Structured Interviews

A semi-structured interview is a mix of both. You have some questions planned, but you’re also ready to follow the conversation wherever it goes. It gives you the structure you need to get specific information and the flexibility to explore new topics that come up during the chat.

4. Contextual Interviews

Contextual interviews are all about seeing things in action. You conduct these in the user's own environment, whether that's at home, at work, or any other place they normally use your product or service.

Watching someone interact with your product in their natural setting can give you a real-world perspective that's hard to capture in a lab or office setting. This method of conducting user interviews is excellent for understanding how everyday distractions, habits, and the physical environment influence the way people use your product.

5. Generative Interviews

Generative interviews are used primarily in the early stages of product development when you're looking to come up with ideas and possibilities that could shape the development of a new product or feature.

During these interviews, you're encouraging participants to think outside the box and brainstorm with you. It's a collaborative process aimed at sparking creativity and uncovering potential innovations that haven't been considered yet.

6. Group Interviews

Group interviews, often referred to as focus groups, involve bringing together multiple participants to discuss their thoughts and opinions simultaneously. This setup allows for a dynamic exchange of ideas, where participants can agree, disagree, and inspire each other, providing a broad range of insights in a single session.

Group interviews are particularly useful when you want to explore how people perceive and talk about a product or concept in a social context, as it highlights consensus areas and points of contention among users.

There's no better person to ask about your product or service than the one who's using and paying for what you offer. So, how can their feedback help you achieve [insert business goal here]?

Direct User Insights

User research interviews give you direct access to the user's perspective. You hear firsthand about what they appreciate, what frustrates them, and what they believe could be improved.

More often than not, this kind of direct feedback is exactly what you need to gain a deeper understanding of the user experience from a personal perspective.

Identifying Pain Points

Through these conversations, you can discover specific areas where users struggle with your product. Whether it's a confusing interface, lack of essential features, or poor performance on certain tasks, knowing these pain points allows you to prioritize development efforts to address them ASAP.

Overall, identifying these issues allows you to target improvements, improve user satisfaction, and potentially increase loyalty.

Testing Assumptions

It’s natural to make assumptions about user behavior, but these can lead to misguided decisions.

User interviews help validate these assumptions by confronting them with real user data. This validation process ensures that every design decision and feature addition is informed by evidence. As a result, you can better minimize risks and align the product more closely with user needs.

Encouraging Innovation

Users often provide insights into how they use the product in ways you might not have anticipated, or they might express needs that no existing product adequately meets.

These insights offer unique opportunities to innovate by developing new features, refining existing ones, or even creating entirely new products designed for better product-market fit . Such innovations can set your company apart from competitors and even position you as a leader in user-centered design.

The qualitative data you get from user interviews can make or break the launch of a new product or service, or even a re-launch of an existing offering. So, when should you bring user interviews into the mix?

During the Early Concept Stage

Right at the start, when your product ideas are still taking shape, user interviews can be incredibly helpful. They provide clarity and validation on whether your initial concepts resonate with potential users.

This stage revolves around making sure that the path you’re considering is in tune with what users actually need and want. It'll help you avoid costly detours and focus on viable product directions!

Before You Develop Your Product

Just before you dive into the heavy lifting of development, it’s a good time to fine-tune the details of your product based on user feedback. Lock down which features to include and figure out the best ways they could function from the user's point of view.

The insights you gather now can influence major decisions about how your product is built, which helps make sure that it looks good and works well for your target audience.

Once You Have a Prototype

When you have a working prototype, user interviews can test how well it performs in real-world scenarios. This is your chance to see your product in action and get feedback on its usability and appeal.

Users might point out glitches or suggest improvements that could make the product more user-friendly. Addressing these issues and suggestions at this stage can save you a lot of time and trouble down the line.

When Conducting Usability Tests

As you refine your prototype, integrating usability tests becomes crucial. These are more structured sessions where you observe how users interact with your product in specific ways to assess its functionality and ease of use.

The feedback you gain at this stage may pinpoint areas where users struggle and help refine the user interface to be more intuitive and effective.

After Launching

Even after your product hits the market, user interviews should continue. Now, you can learn how your product stands up in the everyday lives of your users.

This feedback can help you understand what’s working, what’s not, and what could make your product even better in future iterations.

User interviews give you a rich mix of qualitative data, including both self-reported and observational insights.

From the self-reported side , you'll gather direct feedback where users explicitly share their likes, dislikes, and frustrations, along with their motivations and needs. This type of data is invaluable for understanding how users perceive your product and what they believe could be improved.

Alongside self-reported data, observational data plays a huge role. During the interviews, especially if they are conducted in a contextual setting where users interact with the product in their usual environment, you can observe how they actually use the product.

Observational data can sometimes reveal discrepancies between what users say they do and what they actually do. For example, a user might claim they find an application easy to use, but struggles observed during the interview can tell a different story.

Combining these two types of data provides a comprehensive understanding of the user experience and can offer clear directions for making meaningful improvements to your product.

Getting ready for user interviews helps you make sure they run smoothly and give you the insights you need. Here are key steps to take during Phase 1:

Identify Your Goals

First up, be clear about what you want to find out. Set specific goals—maybe you want to dig into how users feel about your product, see how they actually use it or get feedback on a new feature.

Knowing exactly what you’re after will help shape your questions and keep the conversation on track.

Build Your Interview Guide

Put together a guide that outlines the key topics and questions you plan to cover. This doesn't mean you can’t go with the flow during the chat, especially if something interesting comes up, but having a guide will help you make sure you don’t miss anything important.

Mix in open-ended questions to encourage detailed answers and some direct ones to zero in on specifics.

Set the Interview Environment

Decide if you’ll do face-to-face interviews, phone calls, or video chats. Make sure the setting is comfy and quiet to help people open up.

If you’re doing remote user interviews, double-check that everyone has the tech they need and that it all works smoothly.

Have all your tools ready—whether it’s recording devices, notes, or video gear. Test everything beforehand to dodge any tech hiccups during the interviews.

Of course, you can't just go about interviewing anyone . You need to get those insights from the people that matter. In this case, it's your ideal user. We've compiled a few effective strategies to help you find the best interview participants.

Identify Your Target Audience

First, clearly define who your ideal users are. Knowing who your target audience is will help you focus your recruitment efforts on the right group. Consider these important factors:

• Usage habits
• Product relevance
• Tech proficiency
• Previous experience with similar products or services
• Other relevant demographic factors (income level, education, family status, etc.)

Use Screening Questionnaires

Create a short questionnaire to help screen potential participants. This should include questions that confirm whether someone fits into your target audience, like their familiarity with your type of product, relevant behaviors, or specific needs that your product aims to meet.

Leverage Existing Channels

Use channels where your potential users are likely to be, such as your company's email list, social media platforms, or your website. Posting on forums or platforms that are popular with your target demographic can also be effective.

Offer Incentives

People are more likely to participate if there’s something in it for them. Offering incentives like gift cards, discounts, or access to exclusive content can encourage more sign-ups.

However, you need to make sure the incentive is appropriate and attractive to your target audience.

Consider Practical Logistics

Think about the logistics of your interviews when recruiting. If you need to conduct interviews at a specific location or online, mention this upfront. Also, consider the best times for interviews that fit into your participants' schedules.

Get the Word Out

Spread the word through as many channels as possible. Apart from digital outreach, consider leveraging partnerships with other companies or communities that align with your target market.

The more visibility your call for participants gets, the better your chances of attracting qualified individuals!

Good questions are what make effective user interviews. Follow these strategies to make sure you get rich, reliable, and nuanced interview data:

Ask Open-Ended Questions

Open-ended questions let participants talk freely about their experiences, giving you a lot more color and detail than simple yes/no answers.

When you ask open-ended questions , you're inviting participants to share their full stories and insights. This approach digs into not just what they do, but why they do it, how it affects them, and what specific elements really stand out.

For instance, instead of just finding out if someone likes a feature (where they might just say "yes" or "no"), asking "What do you think about this feature and why?" opens up the floor for them to talk about what's really working or what bugs them. They might point out something surprisingly useful or a frustrating flaw that could lead to a really valuable tweak in your product.

Plus, these questions can pull out how users see the pros and cons of what you’re offering, how it slots into their daily lives, and what adjustments could make it better. Instead of asking, "Is this tool easy to use?", you could say, "Can you tell me about a time when this tool was either a big help or a bit of a hassle?"

Questions like this not only add context but also shine a light on real user experiences and potential sticking points. You can include a few close-ended questions , but make sure to throw in follow-up questions to understand their reasoning.

Stay Neutral and Avoid Leading Questions

Keeping your questions neutral is an absolute must if you want to get honest, unbiased feedback during your user interviews. Ask questions that don't push participants towards any specific answer. This way, you're more likely to get honest feedback on what they think.

For example, if you ask, "How difficult is it to use our product?", you're kind of hinting that there might be some difficulty involved. This can lead people to focus more on the negatives.

A better way to phrase it would be, "What’s been your experience using our product?" This phrasing opens up the floor for them to talk about the good and the bad without any nudging. They can share what they genuinely like and what might be a bit of a struggle and give you a fuller picture.

By framing your questions without any bias, you encourage participants to share their true thoughts and experiences. Non-leading questions you gather more accurate and valuable insights because you're hearing what users really think, not just what they believe you want to hear.

Keep the Interview Simple

Prioritizing simplicity when writing user interview questions helps make sure everyone can easily grasp what you’re asking without getting tangled up in fancy jargon or technical terms. By sticking to plain language, you help participants feel more comfortable and confident in their responses, which means you’ll get clearer and more useful insights.

For instance, instead of asking, "What are your thoughts on the user interface’s navigational affordances?" you could simplify it to, "How easy is it to find your way around our app?"

A more straightforward approach makes the question more accessible and encourages participants to provide detailed, candid feedback. That’s exactly what you need to really understand user experiences and make smart improvements.

Now that you have your ideal interview participants, your questions, and your setup ready, it's time to conduct your interviews. Everyone will have their own technique based on the type of information they want to get, but in general, here are a few tips that can help everyone:

Listen Actively and Be Comfortable with Silence

Active listening is a must during any user interview. Pay close attention to what is being said, and equally important, to what is not being said. This can help you pick up on non-verbal cues or underlying messages that may need further exploration with follow-up questions.

Don't rush to fill silence—sometimes participants need a moment to think, and these pauses can lead to thoughtful responses.

Take Detailed Notes

Whether you’re recording the session or not, taking detailed notes is essential. Jot down key points, interesting quotes, and your own observations about the participant’s behavior and emotions. These notes will be important when you analyze the data later.

Use Your Interview Guide

While it’s important to let the conversation flow naturally, keep your interview guide handy as a roadmap. Your guide should outline the key topics you want to cover to make sure you don’t miss anything crucial.

However, be flexible—allow the conversation to deviate somewhat if the participant is sharing valuable insights.

Avoid UX Speak

It's easy to slip into using industry-specific terms or acronyms that are second nature to you but might be confusing for others.

To make sure your interviews are as accessible as possible, avoid using technical language related to user experience (UX) or any other specialized field. Instead, focus on using plain language that anyone can understand.

• Instead of saying: "How intuitive do you find the navigational structure?"
• Say: "How easy is it to find what you're looking for?"
• Instead of saying: "Do you feel the onboarding process facilitates user engagement?"
• Say: "What was it like when you first started using the product? Did you feel welcomed?"

If you must use a specific term for clarity or relevance, take a moment to explain what it means in a simple way!

Provide Context

When asking about specific aspects of your product, provide a little context to help frame the question in a way that’s relatable.

For example, instead of asking directly about the "usability" of a feature, describe the feature briefly and ask about their experience using it.

If you've made it this far, you're so close to getting the actionable insights you need! The next step is to turn raw feedback into insights you can use to guide your product development . However, this can be easier said than done, especially if you have massive amounts of data to work with.

Here’s an easy step-by-step approach to process and make sense of the information you gather:

Transcribe the Interviews

Start by turning your recorded interviews into written text. Having everything written down makes it a lot easier to sift through the data. If you’ve taken detailed notes, mix these in with the transcripts to capture everything said.

Organize the Data

Arrange the data either by themes related to your questions or by specific topics you're exploring. Doing so should help you spot patterns and compare responses easily.

Tools like spreadsheets or qualitative data analysis software can be super helpful for sorting and visualizing the data.

Identify Key Themes

Go through your transcripts and notes to pick out recurring themes or patterns. Look for common phrases, ideas, or feelings that pop up across several interviews. These can point out what users really need, what’s bugging them, or what they love about your product.

Categorize the Findings

Group your findings into categories like what’s working, what’s not, potential opportunities, or any risks. This setup helps you focus on different aspects of the feedback and makes it easier to process.

Validate with Quantitative Data

If you can, add in some hard data like survey results or usage stats. This can back up the trends you’ve spotted in the interviews and give you a fuller picture of what’s going on!

Create User Personas

From the insights you’ve gathered, sketch out user personas. These are profiles that represent different types of users for your product, showing their needs, behaviors, and preferences. Personas are great for keeping your user in mind as you make design choices.

Act on the Findings

Now, take what you’ve learned and use it to make decisions—whether that’s tweaking the design, planning your next moves, or setting up more research. Prioritize these actions based on how much they’ll improve user experience and meet your business goals.

Finally, you can draw up a UX research report and present it to relevant stakeholders!

As useful as user interviews are, they're not enough to draw a full picture of what users feel about your product or service. Plus, interviews take a lot of time to do, and the data you want to collect may be time-sensitive.

That's why you need to supplement your interview data with FullSession's UX research tools:

• Behavioral Analytics : Get the lowdown on user interactions to pinpoint any usability issues or interesting trends.
• Heatmaps : See hotspots on your pages where users click, scroll, and linger, helping you tweak your layout and content.
• Session Replays: Watch real-life actions on your site to understand how users move through and interact with your pages.
• A/B Testing Support : Try out different designs and see which ones really click with users, based on actual behavior.
• Accessibility and Usability Enhancements : Use data to make your site more inclusive and easy for everyone to navigate.

The FullSession platform offers a 14-day free trial. It provides two paid plans—Basic and Business. Here are more details on each plan.

• The Basic plan costs $39/month and allows you to monitor up to 5,000 monthly sessions.
• The Business plan costs $149/month and helps you to track and analyze up to 25,000 monthly sessions.
• The Enterprise plan starts from 100,000 monthly sessions and has custom pricing.

If you need more information, you can get a demo.

It takes less than 5 minutes to set up your first website or app feedback form, with FullSession , and it's completely free!

How long should a user interview last?

Around 30 to 60 minutes is usually just right. It's long enough to dig deep but not so long that it tires out your participants. Think of it like a friendly chat over coffee—aim for engaging and productive!

Can user interviews be conducted remotely?

Definitely! Thanks to video call tools like Zoom, Skype, and Google Meet, you can run interviews from anywhere. These tools are great because they let you chat face-to-face, even if you're oceans apart, and they have handy features like screen sharing and recording.

How many user interviews are necessary?

It varies, but you'll likely need between 5 and 10 per user group. Once you start hearing the same comments over and over, you’ve probably got enough to go on. This is your cue that you've collected enough chatter to see the patterns clearly.

What should I do if a user interview goes off track?

It happens! If the conversation starts to wander, gently nudge it back to the topic at hand. You want to stay focused but also be flexible enough to let your participants express themselves. A simple, "That’s super interesting, but let's circle back to [specific topic]" should do the trick.

Complete Guide to User Interviews: Definition, Benefits, and How to Conduct

11 Min Read User interviews are one of the best ways to gain a comprehensive understanding of your best customers. When conducted effectively, they give you the insights you need to accelerate your business growth.

Written by UserInput Team

Quick navigation.

User interviews are a valuable tool for gaining a comprehensive understanding of your users. When conducted effectively, interviews can provide deep insights into your users’ goals, perceptions, and experiences.

Conversely, conducting interviews poorly can lead to inaccurate information that steers the design of your site in the wrong direction.

In this article, we explore the fundamental principles of conducting successful user interviews.

What is a User Interview?

A user interview is a qualitative research method used to gather information and insights from users or potential users of a product, service, or system. It involves conducting one-on-one conversations with individuals who represent the target audience or user group.

The main objective of a user interview is to understand the users’ needs, behaviors, preferences, and challenges related to the product or service being developed. By directly engaging with users, you can gather valuable feedback, uncover user expectations, and gain a deeper understanding of their experiences and perspectives.

During a user interview, the interviewer typically asks open-ended questions to encourage participants to share their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. The questions can cover a wide range of topics, such as the users’ goals, tasks they want to accomplish, their pain points, satisfaction levels, and suggestions for improvement.

User interviews can be conducted in person, over the phone, or through video conferencing tools. They can be structured, semi-structured, or unstructured, depending on the research goals and the level of flexibility needed. The interviews are usually recorded or documented to ensure accurate capturing of the insights and to allow for later analysis.

The findings from user interviews provide valuable input. They help uncover user needs and inform design decisions, leading to the creation of products and services that better meet user requirements and expectations.

Why are User Interviews Important?

User interviews play a pivotal role in the design and development for several reasons.

Deep understanding of your users

User interviews facilitate a deep understanding of your actual users. By engaging in one-on-one conversations, you can gather valuable insights into users’ goals, motivations, behaviors, and challenges. This understanding forms the foundation for creating products and services that align with user needs.

Uncover needs and preferences

By asking open-ended questions and actively listening to users’ responses, user interviews help you identify pain points, unmet needs, and areas where current solutions fall short. This knowledge guides the decision-making process and ensures that the final product addresses the specific requirements of the target audience.

Obtain validation and feedback

By sharing prototypes or design concepts with users, you can obtain firsthand input and validate your original assumptions. This feedback loop enables you to iterate and refine your designs, resulting in more user-centric and effective solutions.

Minimize assumptions and biases

By actively involving users in the design process, you can gain an external perspective and challenge your own preconceptions. This leads to more objective decision-making and reduces the risk of creating products that are based solely on internal assumptions.

Moreover, user interviews foster iterative improvement. By conducting interviews at different stages of the design process, you can gather continuous feedback, test new concepts, and make iterative refinements. This iterative approach ensures that the final product is constantly evolving and improving based on user insights.

Limitations of User Interviews

In contrast to behavioral data, which captures users’ real interactions with a website, interview data is self-reported, reflecting users’ perceptions and emotions. Self-reported data, including interview data, has its limitations due to the following reasons:

• Flawed human memory: People may not fully or accurately recall events, leading to potential gaps or inaccuracies in the information they provide during interviews.
• Selective reporting: Participants may not always know what specific details are relevant to the interviewer, and as a result, they may omit certain information. Minor interactions might be considered insignificant and therefore left out.
• Individual characteristics: Participants differ in their personality traits and tendencies. Some individuals may be proud or private, while others may be shy or easily embarrassed. These factors can influence their willingness to share certain details with a stranger, affecting the completeness and openness of the information provided.

Approach your interview data with a critical mindset and acknowledge its potential limitations. Combining multiple data sources from different research methods can help mitigate these limitations and provide a more comprehensive understanding of user experiences.

When Should You Conduct a User Interview?

Whether you’re developing a site, app, or product, user interviews can offer valuable insights throughout various stages of the development process. However, there are three specific times when they hold particular significance:

• Initial project phase: Before a clear concept has been established, conducting interviews gives you a better understanding of potential users and their wants and needs. Gathering information upfront helps you create potential solutions.
• Early stages of product development: When a product team has a preliminary model or concept, involving users in the process can provide valuable feedback. Sharing the prototype with users allows for user-centered improvements and refinements.
• Post-launch stage:  Interviews conducted after the product has been released can be combined with observation in what is known as a contextual inquiry . These interviews take place within the context of users interacting with the product, offering valuable insights into user behavior and usage patterns.

Each of these interview stages contributes to a holistic understanding of your users and helps you develop user-centric solutions.

How to Conduct User Interviews

We’ve covered the basis of user interviews. Now let’s walk through the steps of conducing one.

1. Find participants who represent your audience

It’s important to find test participants who closely match your actual users, otherwise the feedback you collect won’t be valuable. Conduct a preliminary survey prior to inviting test participants. Make sure their demographics, psychographics, backgrounds, and motivations match your audience.

Here are some great places to find test participants :

2. Put yourself in a positive mood

Before starting the user interview, take a deep breath and put a smile on your face. Psychologically, smiling creates a more positive attitude , and positive attitudes are infectious. If you’re in a good mood, your interviewee will feel better about the experience as well.

3. Set a goal for the interview

Before starting the interview, it’s important to have a goal in mind. Don’t settle on something generic, such as “learn about our users.” That won’t focus your questions on what’s relevant.

Come up with a concise goal that’s related to specific user behavior or attitudes. For instance, you might aim to learn what terms people search for to find products like yours, whether they enjoy using your product customizer, or whether they can successfully follow your return process.

It’s okay to have multiple goals for a user interview, as well, provided you have enough time to address them during the session. Just make sure they are focused and relevant.

4. Choose your interview format

User interviews can be structured, unstructured, or somewhere in between called semi-structured. In a structured interview, all questions are prescription. There is no deviation from the script. In an unstructured interview, there is an open dialogue between the interviewer and interviewee that differs from previous interviews.

Semi-structured interviews are most common. This is where you prepare a set of topics, but have the freedom to change the order of questions and add questions where appropriate. Semi-structured interviews feel more natural and offer the flexibility to dig into topics you didn’t expect to arise.

Focus groups are another possible option, but they usually aren’t suitable for user interviews. One person’s feedback can bias the rest of the group.

Here’s how the different types differ :

5. Build a rapport with interviewee

At the beginning of the interview, it’s important to put the interviewee at ease. You need to earn their confidence and make them feel comfortable so they give you honest information. Here are some tips to quickly build a rapport:

• Greet the interviewee by name and offer a warm welcome. Thank them for their contribution. Engage in some small talk if you think that’s appropriate.
• Use positive body cues, such as maintaining eye contact (but not in a creepy way), smiling, and nodding as they speak. Avoid negative cues, such as crossing your arms, frowning, fidgeting, or seeming distracted.
• Explain the purpose of the interview and how you plan to use the results. Give the interviewee more context about why you need this information and the types of questions you’ll ask. This will make them less confused.
• Stick to the product. You don’t want the interviewee to feel like they are being tested, criticized, or evaluated in some way.

6. Ask permission before recording (video or audio)

While note-taking is the prevailing method of data collection in user interviews, audio or video recording can also be an effective way to gather information. However, it is crucial to obtain the participants’ consent before recording.

Prior to commencing the interview, always ask for permission to record, and be prepared to cease the recording immediately if the interviewee expresses discomfort or refuses. Respecting the participants’ privacy and comfort should remain a top priority throughout the entire interview process.

7. Test your visuals and technology

Before starting the interview, make sure that all of the hardware and applications you plan to use are operational. Ensure that your internet connection is reliable. You may find it helpful to ask a friend to do a quick rehearsal with you.

If you plan to use any visuals, links, or other materials during the user interview, pull them up ahead of time on your computer. Make sure to hide anything confidential.

8. Design your interview questions

Never  start an interview without preparing your questions beforehand! Before the interview, it’s helpful to design a full discussion guide. This document includes all of the questions you might ask.

Your discussion guide should be closely tied to the purpose of your research, and the questions should be selected according to your learning goal. It should also include questions you might ask if you have time, as well as follow-up questions for cases where the test participant gives an unexpected answer.

Discussion guides typically have two types of questions: general and product-specific. A general question might be something like:

• Could you tell me about your habits?
• What does your daily schedule look like?
• How do you typically solve this problem?

Product-specific questions focus on your product, such as your website or app. Here are some examples:

• What did you find hard about [the task]?
• What could we do to make [the task] easier for you?
• How long does it take to use [the feature]?
• How did you feel when using [the feature]?

UX Knowledge Base has a great guide on asking good questions :

Your discussion guide is a living document. Iterate on it over time as you get better at conducting user interviews. For instance, if a test participant provides an especially useful piece of information, you might ask future participants questions on the same topic. It’s also okay to abandon questions that continually fail to work.

9. Focus on problems, no solutions

Generally speaking, users don’t know what they want. They aren’t the right people to ask for suggested features or solutions because they aren’t designers and developers. Think of the possibly apocryphal quote from Henry Ford: “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.”

Instead, focus your questions on their problems. What do they want to achieve? What do they consider a “win?” How do they envision their life after making their problem vanish?

10. Ask follow up questions

As your participants answer questions, don’t be afraid to ask follow up questions based on their responses. (This is the major benefit of the semi-structured format.) Try using the Five Whys  technique. Ask “Why?” multiple times (up to five) until you get to the real meat of their answer.

If you aren’t sure what the participant means, don’t be afraid to ask for clarification. An answer you don’t understand is useless to you. Ask for elaboration, context, or even an anecdote to help you understand what they  mean.

If a user mentions something particularly interesting, ask them to show you on their device. For instance, if they report being unable to find your discounted products in your navigation, have them show you what their screen likes and where they looked.

11. Offer some closing remarks

Towards the end of the interview, it is crucial to spend a few minutes wrapping up and allowing for any unexpected information to surface. Invite the user to share anything they haven’t had the chance to mention yet.

Try concluding the interview with a question like, “Is there anything else you’d like to share with us?” This creates an opportunity to uncover new insights that may be valuable for your research. If the user responds with enthusiasm and says, “Yes, I’d love to tell you about this product I use all the time…” it opens up a new source of inspiration for ideation. Providing space for users to share unprompted information allows for unexpected discoveries.

Some effective questions to ask at the end of an interview include:

• “Is there anything else you’d like to share with us?”
• “Is there anything we didn’t discuss today that you think is important?”
• “What’s one thing that I haven’t mentioned yet but you believe I should know about?”

Then, express gratitude to the users for their time. Take a moment to review your notes or jot down any notable observations that stood out during the interview. Ideally, having another person present to assist with note-taking or recording the session for later review is beneficial.

What to Avoid During an User Interview

Now that you know how to conduct a user interview, here’s what not to do.

Don’t judge or educate the interviewee

The purpose of the user interview is to learn from them, not teach them. If they feel judged, they may withhold information. Besides, you have a limited amount of time to conduct the interview. Don’t waste it on activities that don’t help you learn.

Don’t ask leading questions

Leading questions  can influence the interviewee’s response by guiding them towards a specific answer. It is important to avoid the use of leading questions during interviews to prevent bias and ensure more objective results. When questions are framed in a leading manner, there is a risk of only hearing what you want to hear, distorting the outcomes of the interview sessions.

For instance, consider the question, “How often do you watch Hulu?” This question assumes that the interviewee is an active Hulu user, potentially influencing their response. To maintain neutrality and obtain unbiased insights, ask questions in a more neutral manner.

A better approach would be to start with an open and neutral question such as, “Do you have any experience with any video streaming services?” This allows the interviewee to provide their own experiences and opinions without any preconceived assumptions, leading to more genuine and valuable responses.

Don’t be afraid of silence

It’s not uncommon to experience moments of silence during a user interview. Don’t feel like you have to fill this space with unnecessary words. Instead, use these moments as an opportunity to allow the interviewee to provide additional information willingly. By giving them space to gather their thoughts or share more insights, you create a conducive environment for richer and more meaningful responses.

Don’t make assumptions – ask the stupid questions

Asking basic questions is crucial in avoiding the oversight of important information that might be assumed or overlooked. Basic questions also serve as a helpful technique to ease interviewees into the conversation, fostering comfort and engagement.

For example, you might initiate user interviews with a question like, “What does your organization do, and how does your role contribute to it?” Although you may already possess some knowledge of the answers, you’ll often discover additional details and nuances that prove valuable for follow-up inquiries or when constructing user scenarios.

Avoid asking closed questions

Closed questions are questions that elicit a “yes” or “no” response. They don’t naturally solicit any valuable information. For instance, if you ask, “Do you use our product every morning?” the interviewee might respond “yes” without elaboration. A better question would be, “Could you tell me how often you use our product?”

Avoid vague questions

Vague questions are ambiguous and difficult to understand. They tend to confuse your test participants. In some cases, they make interviewees feel guilty for not understanding. To determine if any of your questions are vague, test them on random people to see if they understand the question’s meaning and the kind of answer you’re looking for.

Never mention other users

A quick way to prejudice answers is to compare the interviewee to other users. Here’s an example of a bad question : “A lot of people say our navigation is simple. Do you agree?”

In this case, you just told them that people find the navigation easy. If they find the navigation confusing, they may hold back for fear that you’ll think they’re stupid. People want to fit in,  so they’ll often agree with the crowd, even if they really don’t.

Instead, focus on open-ended questions that don’t assume anything. Here’s a good alternative: “Please describe your experience with the website’s navigation.”

User Interviews Made Easy

User interviews play a vital role in gaining valuable insights into user behavior, preferences, and needs. By conducting thorough interviews and understanding the purpose behind them, we can gather the necessary information to improve our products and designs. Ultimately, user interviews empower us to create better user experiences and drive the success of our projects.

Like most businesses, you don’t have time to conduct your own user interviews. Recruiting people in your target market to provide feedback on your shopping experience is hard.

Let UserInput handle it for you. We let you set up a new research project in just a few clicks, so you can get the input you need while still making progress on your other goals. Our managed customer research service  pairs you with real people in your target market to collect unfiltered feedback about your shopping experience.

The company that understands its customer the best always wins. Our done-with-you research services make sure that company is yours. Start a research project today .

Learn more about Customer Research

Unlocking the Power of Qualitative Insights for Your Ecommerce Brand

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6 Min Read While quantitative data can offer you a wealth of important information, qualitative insights help you fully understand your customers. When you combine both research methods, it can significantly enrich your overall data so that you can inform your decisions more effectively.

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10 Min Read Mobile devices power a larger percentage of online shopping every single year. If you’re not doing usability testing to ensure that your store looks and functions properly on mobile devices, you’re leaving money on the table.

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User Interviews: Guide To An Insightful UX Interview

Mária Ilona Horváth

How to do a good user interview? Do you REALLY know your users' pain points or are you just seeing the top of the iceberg? Let's face it: all products and research processes have new challenges. We, at our   UX company , give you our process and essentials to good user interviews.

In this post we cover:

• Planning an interview
• Conducting the interview
• Interview analysis
• + 7 Essentials to a good user interview

What are user interviews and when to use them?

A user interview differs from an everyday conversation.

Mainly in its aim and the roles each person plays. An interview has a well-defined and previously agreed upon topic or question the interviewer wants to understand, explore or better specify by talking to people and listening to them.

Accordingly, the UX researcher talks with people who in some way belong to the target group connected to their topic, researched product, service or broader problem during a UX interview.

When deciding on the method of interviewing, you don’t only need a clearly defined topic and a good idea for your target group. You also want a convincing reason for choosing this technique, perhaps real curiosity, a lack of data from other sources or the impossibility of using other methods .

A good interview results from deep and well-researched interest and openness. To simply validate existing beliefs, concepts or already collected – perhaps quantitative – data, consider other options. You can share surveys or do desktop research instead of taking the time to conduct interviews. Find our summary on different UX research methods here.

Do user interviews when you need exploration

Do user interviews if your question or problem needs further exploration or you need insight into how others relate to your topic. Also, if you want the option to ask back and react to what your respondents have to share.

Interviewing works great in the early phase of developing a concept or product. Also, it can really provide insight when researching existing solutions by asking people’s opinions on and experience with it.

User interviews provide an understanding of how your target audience talks about an issue in a more intimate setting. What do they mention as their main problems, needs, wishes and joys regarding a process, service or solution? Also, it can reveal how they express themselves when talking about such factors.

When preparing products and thinking about users, you can also create personas. To learn more, read our post on personas here

User interviews collect what people say about a topic and how they say it during the interview session. Do not confuse that with how they think or feel about the question in general. It takes time and practice to differentiate these realms easily.

Planning can start once interviews have clearly proven themselves the best method for researching a topic.

User interviews: planning and preparation

1. consider the time and the resources.

No golden rule says how to plan these elements, as the difficulty of the topic and that of recruitment can influence this.

Once you have everybody on the same page about interviewing, start developing a research plan and specifying the main questions to answer in connection with the topic.

Calculate sufficient time for interviews, especially if you work in a bigger or remote team. Poorly prepared questions or dissimilar interviews can ruin your efforts.

2. Choose a structure: semi-structured or unstructured

Once you have an idea about the most important questions, choose a structure. We won’t discuss structured interviews here as they resemble surveys more than explorative interviews based on the approach introduced this far. So go for semi-structured or unstructured interviews.

We recommend semi-structured user interviews, as leading and analyzing unstructured ones really take a lot of time and practice. Also, if you want to share the workload within a team, semi-structured interviews and such guides leave less room for misunderstanding.

Wonderful, but what is a semi-structured interview? A semi-structured interview operates with a set of questions and a proposed order for them as defined in the user interview guide.

The interviewer has to prepare and have the willingness to change these questions and add new ones if the interview situation requires. The interview guide serves as an invaluable asset in finding the golden path between an overly strict structure and an overly vague organization for the interview.

A semi-structured interview guide leaves room to improvise and helps with tips on how to handle unexpected situations or directions of the talk. Remember what we’ve said about the nature and worth of interviews: You would not have expected some of the most important and interesting findings.

Writing a UX research plan and interview guide also proves helpful in collecting and evaluating assumptions and any possible bias. Pay attention to them, as unreflected-upon assumptions and researchers’ bias can interfere a lot with results.

You can write a UX interview guide and recruit participants simultaneously. However, we write interview guides before talking to participants, not simply because of the problematics of bias but also in order to take the right approach to this easily. Instead of writing a guide to the first respondents, we want to find respondents to our questions and guide.

3. User recruitment: You can do it!

Recruitment might be difficult. Luckily, tips and ideas abound on how to find respondents for your interviews. Here, we will only stress (relieved by CBD isolate powder )one very important detail that can separate a really insightful interview from average ones.

Let’s say you have already tried all the databases you might have. Keep GDPR in mind, though! You posted calls on social media, wrote ads, offered incentives and subscribed to platforms, asked friends and family and still have difficulty finding (enough) respondents.

Again, some extremely difficult topics can make recruitment tough. We’ve gone through that. Still, at this stage, you might want to go back quickly and check your UX research plan, topics and an interview guide. Even if you can’t make systematic changes at this point, sooner make small adjustments to the plan than compromise requirements by recruiting somebody who does not really fit but seems “almost OK”.

4. Schedule your user interviews

If you’ve successfully found your respondents, keep in mind that success does not only depend on the actual interview. The way you first contact interviewees will affect them. Your tone and style will impact their relaxation levels once you actually start talking about your questions.

Depending on the organization of a user experience research project, different people may contact and schedule the interviews from those conducting them. In such a case, make sure within the team that the respondents join the interview well informed.

Also, when asking them to participate, you will inevitably tell them something about the topic and the goals of the interview. For one, it stands as an ethical requirement.

Always state the aims of the project and summarize participants’ rights so they can give informed consent to participate. It makes it easier for you, too. If respondents have an idea of what will happen during the interview, it reduces the risk of scheduling an unsuccessful or cancelled interview.

Still, the possibility remains for cancelled or less insightful interviews. Therefore, we at UX Studio always calculate with more interviews than absolutely necessary for our UX research goal.

5. Remote user interviews?

Some situations prevent personal interviews, otherwise the ideal choice of user research method. Life just doesn’t work that way. When conducting remote (e.g. phone) interviews, keep in mind that some factors and response effects might have a stronger influence on respondent answers in such a setting.

For example, people tend to finish remote interviews sooner than in person. People on the phone agree easier and answer in shorter sentences. They lose patience. Also, you can’t observe non-verbal reactions and body language in as much detail as when in the same room. It makes sense to adjust your interview guide and planning accordingly, like to formulate questions very clearly.

Conducting the user interview

1. before the user interview, prepare.

Calculate sufficient time for the interview. You will have to concentrate, as it makes for a tiring process. Also, spend time preparing before every single interview even if you’ve already conducted interviews focusing on the same topic.

Why? Because you need some time before the actual interview to go through your interview guide to get calm and confident enough when starting the interview. Also, check the respondent data quickly so you can make minor changes in the guide to make it more relevant. This way, you can greet your respondents naturally and kindly, which proves not just nice but it boots up your interview process!

2. Make interviewees feel comfortable

When the users arrive – and after offering a coffee or glass of water – we at UX Studio usually guide them to the interview room while making a few warm-up remarks or asking some casual questions. Meeting the respondents at their location of choice really makes them more comfortable!

Here, you can also see why remote interviews can get more complicated. You lose all these options to create a relaxing atmosphere.

Once you have everything set and your respondent has relaxed enough, quickly introduce the research you’re working on, thank them for the interview, and summarize participants’ rights and the terms of participation. After this point, signing an informed consent form (and if necessary, a confidentiality disclosure) and discussing the details of a possible recording follows.

3. Do the interview like a smooth conversation

Start the interview with a warm-up session. Discussing rights, signing forms and switching on a voice or video recorder interfere with your interviewee’s state of mind. Find our tips on recording a UX interview here.

Depending on the difficulty and sensitivity of the topic and the scheduled length of the interview, this warm-up phase can go shorter or longer. But we’ve found that it usually takes five to seven minutes.

Try to make the transition from this part to your central topic smooth. Again, consider the interview guide your friend and build a logical bridge between your warm-up questions and your main topic.

This is key to conducting insightful user interviews. Not only the questions follow in a meaningful order but the interviewer’s tone of voice, body language and gestures signal interest in all the answers, not only in those marked as important in the interview guide.

This way, the respondent can participate in a normal conversation where they do not feel tested on or experimented with. Aim to really understand users. Let them talk, not just answer.

Don’t just focus on open-ended research interview questions about their central problems, frustrations and pain points regarding the topic. It involves more than simply embracing silence, trusting your respondents and efforts thus far. You recruited these people because they have something interesting to tell you; give them time and room to do so.

4. Listen and ask clever questions

If they start telling you something that seems irrelevant at first, bear with them a bit. The detour they make might lead you to the diamond you are mining for with interviewing. We can’t stress enough: Discovery interviews explore stuff you would have not thought of otherwise.

Don’t misunderstand, take the lead during the interview and keep track of time but remain flexible and truly curious about what the respondents have to share.

Especially so, as some interviews prove to be tricky. Don’t worry,  we’ve met less talkative respondents, too. You can always use little tricks to make them more engaged in the conversation. You can find out more by guiding the respondents to share more. How? If you feel that your respondent did not tell you everything you needed to know, use probing or summarizing questions.

If you simply repeat what they just said, people tend to add more details to it. Also, you can check if you really understand the point they are making.  Silence is a great tool, too. If you are patient enough and don’t rush to ask another question to fill the silence, people usually make an extra effort to answer your initial question. Additionally, you can always point out nicely that they are experts and you need more details or further explanation of the topic.

When you have asked all your UX research questions and got all the answers you needed, move on to the last part of the interview.

Closing the conversation in a skilled way is not simply polite but can add valuable insight to your results, too. For that reason, we always ask respondents about the interview experience. It helps them (and us!) come out of interview mode and improves the user experience research process.

Also, ask them if they have any thoughts connected to the topic which you hadn’t raised. You may collect ideas to develop for the next interview. Lastly, express gratitude!

5. After the interview: not quite finished

Your respondent’s interview process has finished there, but another difficult part begins for you now. First, right after saying goodbye to your interviewee, write down your notes, remarks and impressions. What makes it so important and beneficial to sit down and collect your reflections? Because the experience is fresh, you remember things you might not when listening to your recording.

Also, it adds to your notes taken during the session. When you take notes while listening to your respondent and thinking about your next user research question, you have to concentrate on the here and now. Collecting the ideas, reflections and analytical problems that occurred to you during the user interview should go into your after-session notes.

These notes also open the door to the analytical process following the interview. Even though we believe analysis starts when you start thinking about the UX interview questions to ask, your collected data requires another form of systematic analysis.

Analysis of the user interview

Just like with the topic of recruitment, we will mostly focus on sharing some tips. Still, you can find lots of material available online and off on analyzing interviews. A well-prepared and conducted semi-structured interview will offer many insights and possible directions of analysis. Just choose one (or a few) to pursue.

Embrace the specifics of qualitative data and do not try to understand it with a quantitative mindset. It doesn’t only involve numbers, figures or even facts. Among other things, it deals with experience, memory, expression, expectation and wishes.

However, working with qualitative data requires a systematic approach. We would also add that analyzing and sharing qualitative data convincingly takes a certain kind of discipline.

As the analysis and the resulting suggestions build on interpretations of what you heard during the interviews, have confidence in your findings. Do not only share some quotes but detail your reasoning on why you understand this or that quote this or that way. As we see it, the interview process really ends here for the interviewer.

Summary: 7 essentials to insightful user interviews

1. Plan: go deep, do a research plan and an interview guide, take into account the time and the resources as well

2. Provide a calm atmosphere for the interview: even offering tea and coffee can do the trick. A relaxed user is an open user

3. Prepare and be confident as a researcher: know the interview guide, but know the subject to be able to be flexible and go around it

4. Prepare and inform the respondent: do the UX for your own interview, pave the path to an open conversation

5. Take notes and collect impressions: actions sometimes speak louder than words

6. Embrace the specifics of qualitative data

7. Practice and be patient: be willing to improve your interview skills, even if it takes time

Read more here about  usability tests

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Comprehensive guide to conducting user interviews in 2024

Last updated

26 January 2023

Reviewed by

Is your product or service truly meeting the expectations of its users?

While there are many possible ways to get an answer to this question, the most effective and accurate method is conducting user interviews.

User interviews tell you how consumers perceive your product or service. Depending on the questions you ask, these interviews can also define your product's usability and tell you which features or aspects to improve.

This guide explains all you need to know about user interviews, including how, why, and when to conduct effective user interviews and how to analyze the results.

• What is a user interview?

For instance, you can create a user interview to:

Determine whether your website is effective at achieving its goal

Understand how customers perceive or use a particular product

Discover the effectiveness of a particular service you provide

As the name suggests, user interviews involve a researcher interviewing someone who interacts with the product or service. Unlike focus groups , user interviews rely on the responses of one person at a time.

User interviews mainly happen one-on-one, in person, over video, or on the phone. The researcher asks questions that the interviewee (user) answers. Their responses are recorded, and the researcher analyzes them later to understand the user's experiences, thought processes, and perspective.

Quantitative and qualitative data

User interviews can be either quantitative or qualitative :

Quantitative : collecting data over time from numerical sources and converting it into closed-ended questions or datasets to be used during a demographic survey. The insights from quantitative user interviews provide operational or economic data, such as demographic metrics.

Qualitative : non-numerical data via face-to-face interactions and open questions. This type of interview provides experience data and shows consumers' emotional decisions.

Quantitative user interviews provide more context on users' past activities, while qualitative interviews tell you why users behave a certain way. Both types are valuable for understanding your target audience’s views on your products or services.

How to choose the right research methods for your discovery process

• Why should you conduct user interviews?

Companies rely on user interviews because they are fast, easy, and effective in understanding the consumer’s or user’s experience. User interviews are also contextual, and help companies understand their users' everyday interactions with a product or service.

Through user interviews, researchers can learn things such as:

Habits and interactions of users

The user experience

Likes and dislikes of a product or service

Beliefs influencing how and why people use a product or service

User interviews are critical for designing the best user experience for your target audience . After all, user interviews tell you what consumers think about your services and products.

More reasons why user interviews are essential for any brand include:

They reveal what's working and meeting customer expectations , and what aspect of your business needs a slight improvement or complete overhaul

Insights from user interviews can help you make business decisions in a bid to align the company's decisions with user needs and expectations

Development teams can glean useful insights into how a user will react to a new product or feature

User interviews also help in the creation of important design tools such as user personas and journey maps

By understanding designated users' perspectives, designers can build usable and practical products that are on point with customers' expectations and needs.

• When to conduct user interviews

You can conduct user interviews at various points during the lifecycle of a product or service. Two ideal times to carry out a user interview are:

Before you start the design process

In most cases, user interviews come in handy at the start of the design process . Designers can get valuable insights from users about their needs.

For instance, user interviews at the start of the design process can inform designers what features users need. These insights will inform the journey map and workflows, and help designers build more functional products and services.

21 ingenious UX design examples for inspiration in 2023

When you’re conducting usability tests.

Another good time to conduct user interviews is during usability tests . As the name suggests, usability tests tell designers whether an app, website, or software is functional and meets the target audience's needs.

Researchers typically rely on self-reported data and observed behaviors to understand customers' perspectives toward your products.

• How to conduct user interviews

How you conduct user interviews can determine whether or not you get valuable insights to inform your design process or improve your product or service. Fortunately, conducting user interviews isn’t complicated. Just follow our four simple steps.

1. Set a goal

Every effective research process starts with a goal and objective. Simply put, what are you trying to achieve with the interview? For example, your goal might be to find out:

Why 64% of your existing customers refuse to upgrade their plan to a paid version

Whether your target audience prefers to learn through a mobile app or a web application

Which features do users want to see with your next product update

The main reason for having a clearly defined goal is to ensure the interview stays on track. The goal also informs your interview questions. This goal or objective guarantees that you'll cover all critical bases.

When defining the research goal, involve key product stakeholders for a more comprehensive, holistic objective.

2. Find and recruit participants

Once you’ve decided on your goal, it's time to find the interview participants. This step will be relatively easy if you've already defined your target audience. If not, you might need to go through a few more steps to work out your target audience so that you can select a few representatives from that group.

You can also advertise on social media if you need a larger pool of users to choose from. Most researchers will recruit five to ten interviewees.

To weed out incompatible interviewees, conduct a quick survey to select participants. This way, you'll have a clear picture of the users' demographics, needs, and backgrounds.

Participant recruitment 101 with User Interviews’ VP of Product

3. writing user interview questions.

Most researchers find this step challenging. Interview research questions must uncover the main themes a researcher wants to learn about. However, when writing these questions, don't make it seem like you're looking for a specific answer. Instead, user interview research questions should be:

Dialogue-provoking

Not leaning toward suiting the researcher's narrative

For example, don't ask: "Why do you like the XYZ app?" Phrasing the question in this manner is leading as it assumes the interviewee likes the app. Instead, ask: "Why do you use the XYZ app?” Such a question is open and presents more opportunities for a researcher to learn about a user's interaction with an app.

Leading questions will not get you the unfiltered truth. They coax the interviewee to inadvertently give a false or biased answer that could harm your business decisions.

It's best to include many open-ended questions as they leave more room for elaboration. You can throw in a few closed yes and no questions if necessary, but be sure to have follow-up questions to understand the user's perspective in its entirety.

The rule of thumb for interview questions is to make them clear, brief, and aligned with your research objectives.

It's also a good idea to include a brief introduction when writing user interview questions. Ideally, this section introduces the researcher and explains the interview's purpose.

For example, "Hello, I'm Erica, a UX designer at MM company. I'm conducting research in preparation for building an eCommerce shop for eco-friendly wear. I would like to ask you some questions about your experience with eco-friendly clothing. You do not have to answer questions you're uncomfortable with. There's also no right or wrong response, as every answer you give will be incredibly helpful for my research."

Before you begin, leave room for the interviewee to ask questions.

4. Choose the location of the user interview

It may not seem like much, but the location where you conduct user interviews significantly impacts your research.

For best results, conduct the interview in a neutral environment where your subject is most comfortable. If you carry out the user interview within your company environment, the interviewee may be compelled to give biased answers in favor of your brand.

Conducting online video interviews is another way of ensuring an interviewee is comfortable and the environment is unbranded.

• User interview best practices

User interviews are more likely to be successful when the interviewee feels comfortable and heard. Prior preparation is another critical aspect that makes for a successful user interview.

Here are more best practices for effective user interviews:

1. Make the user feel comfortable

Making the user comfortable starts with the location of the user interview. For authentic results, choose a neutral environment where the interviewee is not nudged to provide only positive sentiments. You can even let the interviewee choose the interview location.

Before you start the user interview, make it clear that there's no right or wrong answer. This clarification helps the interviewee answer all questions without fearing being wrong or judged. More importantly, truly listen to what the interviewee says. Acknowledge their answers by nodding and making frequent eye contact.

2. Leave room for the interviewee to lead

Of course, user interviews need some form of structure to stay on course. However, the researcher should also leave room for the interviewee to lead. This gives the interviewee enough time to elaborate on their thoughts, concerns, confusion, frustration, or praise.

The researcher should take on the role of a guide. This will help them glean more insights when the interviewee leads.

3. Prepare questions before the interview

Having relevant questions ready beforehand guarantees the interview aligns with the research objectives. It also helps the researcher manage time better since they know how many questions there are and the time needed to answer each.

4. Anticipate different responses, and construct follow-up questions based on your research goals

While the interview should have some structure, researchers should be ready with follow-up questions. Sometimes, the interviewee might not answer how you anticipated. Follow-up questions can help clarify things.

5. Write dialogue-provoking interview questions

Open questions are better than closed ones for interview questions since they allow clarification and exploration. Remember, most of the data from user interviews should be qualitative, which is only achievable through dialogue-provoking questions .

Don't ask users directly what they want. Many times, users are not aware of the kind of experience they would rather have. There are three ways to get the information you need:

Gather context about your goal for a particular design, product, or service

Ask questions that provide data you can use to analyze how you’re doing regarding what you're trying to achieve

Ask questions to discover how else you can improve what you're already doing.

These three categories of questions will provide you with contextual data and paint a picture of the actual experience consumers want. 

Below are examples of questions to include in user interviews:

What is this product/service helping you achieve?

What would you change about this product or service?

What is your favorite part about this product or service?

What has been your experience using this product or service?

What's the most challenging part about using this product or service?

What would stop you from using this product or service?

6. Avoid leading, closed, or vague questions

Every question needs to hit the mark the first time. For user interviews to be successful, the researcher must ensure the questions are open and stimulate dialogue. Moreover, the question should not be leading since this would only generate biased responses or false sentiments.

Use varying question formats to keep the interviewee interested. If all your questions and follow-ups are monotonous, you might lose the interviewee's full attention.

7. Prepare more questions than you think you’ll have time to ask

It's better to be over-prepared rather than underprepared during interview preparation. Make sure you have more than enough questions. Of course, give more space to the main questions, but also have a backup list of questions in case you have extra time.

8. Make notes about how the user responds as well as what they say

During the interview, be sure to record the interviewee's responses, ensuring first you have their permission to record. Usually, researchers will take a few notes in addition to recording the interview. You could seek the help of an additional team member, so your focus is wholly on the interview.

Don't just record the responses. It's also essential to make a note of what the interviewee is doing while answering a question, to understand the full context of their perspective.

9. Debrief the interviewee

When the interview is over, hold a short debriefing session. Thank the interviewee, and give them a chance to ask questions or voice any concerns that cropped up during the interview. Most importantly, tell them how you plan to use their responses.

• Pros of user interviews

User interviews give you a good glimpse into your target audience's perception of your products and services

They are also highly customizable and can help you access specific insights into a particular business aspect

User interviews give researchers immediate or real-time insights

• Limitations of user interviews

Because user interviews rely on self-reported data, participants may not recall events fully or accurately

Participants may not know what is relevant or important to a researcher and can leave out pertinent details

User interviews may involve a smaller sample group than other methods, as they are time intensive

• Analyzing user interview results

Once you're done with an interview, the next step is analysis. This stage is also time-consuming, but customer analysis software can help ease the workload of sorting, summarizing, and analyzing user interview data.

Here are some quick steps you can take to analyze user interview data:

Collect all (evaluative, inferential, and descriptive) data in a central location

Fill the gaps in your data by grouping the data by themes or questions

Pick up the common themes from the results and try to understand how these themes relate to your target audience and product

Have a few quotes that concisely describe the current user experience

Use keywords to outline key themes that crop up after user interviews

Analyze how your findings relate to your current products or services and note areas needing improvement

While user interview data is essential, it makes the most sense when used with other data sources . Combining different data sources can validate current user experience and pinpoint gaps that need filling.

• Collaborative user-research software

Manual analysis of user interview data is not only frustrating but also time-consuming. Fortunately, researchers can access handy user research software for speedy, accurate, and collaborative analysis.

Should you be using a customer insights hub?

Do you want to discover previous user research faster?

Do you share your user research findings with others?

Do you analyze user research data?

Start for free today, add your research, and get to key insights faster

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How to Conduct User Experience Research Like a Professional

Whether you’re looking to develop a broad UX design skillset, or you’re exploring UX research as a design specialization , here’s your complete introduction to conducting user research like a pro. 

Hello, I’m Raven, a mentor for aspiring UX designers enrolled in the CareerFoundry UX Design Course . I also work as a UX Research Assistant at IBM and studied behavioral science at the University of Texas. I have 10 years of experience studying and analyzing human behavior—user research is definitely my thing.

During the past few years, I’ve worked with major companies, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations to develop and improve impactful products and applications. I’ve moderated focus groups, designed and administered surveys, carried out usability testing, and conducted user interviews. I also know a thing or two about creating a good persona!

In this guide, we’re going to cover the basics of UX research. We’ll start with exactly what it is, and then move on to discuss the various steps and associated terminology of UX research , as well as its role and value within the broader design process . We’ll then review the most common UX research methods, diving into how they’re conducted and a few best practices.

If you’re particularly interested in one of these topics, simply select it from the list below to jump straight to it. I’ve also added videos throughout the guide for those of you who prefer to learn with both eyes and ears—and I recommend you save this set of free UX research tutorials for later, too. Sound good? Let’s get started!

Introduction To User Experience (UX) Research

• What is UX research?
• What’s the difference between good and bad UX research?
• What are the five steps of UX research?
• What’s the role of research in the UX design process?
• Whats the value of UX research?

Introduction To User Experience Research Methods

• User Groups
• Usability Testing
• User Interviews
• Online Surveys
• User Personas
• What Next? User Research Analysis

1. What is UX research?

You read my bio in the introduction. Using only this information, could you explain why I recently switched from one time management app to another? Probably not. In order to answer this question, you need more context. UX research provides that context.  So, what is UX research and what is its purpose ?

“User research is how you will know your product or service will work in the real world, with real people. It’s where you will uncover or validate the user needs which should form the basis of what you are designing.”

— Chris Mears, UXr

According to Design Modo , UX research is; “The process of understanding user behaviors, needs, and attitudes using different observation and feedback collection methods.” One of the other benefits of user experience research is that it helps us understand how people live their lives so that we can respond to their needs with informed design solutions. Good UX research involves using the right method at the right time during the development of a product.

Maria Arvidsson, Head of Product and UX at Usabilla , describes UX research as:

“The means through which you try to understand your users’ needs, behaviors and motivations and validate your assumptions and solutions.”

2. What’s the difference between good and bad UX research?

The biggest sign of an amateur UX designer is excluding end users from the design process. At the very start of my career I held the attitude that I could test any app, website, or product on myself, replacing the act of speaking with users. Never a good idea. It took time for me to learn a more professional approach, which is to start the design process by listening to the end user. Overall, UX research helps us avoid our biases since we are required to design solutions for people who are not like us.

“Insights that are received directly from user experience research are like muscle memory; the more you do research, the more insights you build up. But just like muscle memory, YOU have to be a part of the hard work in order to enjoy the lasting benefits of it that are specific to you. While it may be tempting to outsource research to a specialized team (and sometimes you can’t avoid it), you should try your utmost best to engage in at least a little bit of the research so that the insights grow under your skin instead of being handed to you from someone else who has sweated it.” 

—UX designer Ali Rushdan Tariq from ARTariq

A quick plug before we continue: If you’re looking to become a professional in this subdomain of UX, be sure to take a look at our guide to becoming a UX researcher

3. What are the five steps of UX research?

Created by Erin Sanders , the Research Learning Spiral provides five main steps for conducting UX research. The first two steps are about forming questions and hypotheses, and the last three steps are about gathering knowledge through selected UX research methods.

• Objectives: What are the knowledge gaps we need to fill?
• Hypotheses: What do we think we understand about our users?
• Methods: Based on time and manpower, what methods should we select?
• Conduct: Gather data through the selected methods.
• Synthesize: Fill in the knowledge gaps, prove or disprove our hypotheses, and discover opportunities for our design efforts.

4. What’s the role of research in the UX design process?

UX research is the starting point for a project . Research helps us learn about the users and their behavior, goals, motivations, and needs. It also shows us how they currently navigate a system, where they have problems and, most importantly, how they feel when interacting with our product.

UX research comes first in the UX design process because without it, our work can only be based on our own experiences and assumptions, which is not objective. As Neil Turner, founder of UX for the Masses told us, a good foundation is key to successful design:

“Good user research is key to designing a great user experience. Designing without good user research is like building a house without solid foundations—your design will soon start to crumble and eventually fall apart.”

5. What’s the value of UX research?

In the current digital product landscape, the real value of UX research is its ability to reduce uncertainty in terms of what users want and need , which yields benefits for the product, the business, and, of course, the users themselves.

1. Product Benefits

UX research provides data about the end user of the product, how and when the user will use the product, and the main problems the product will solve. UX research is also helpful when UX designers and the rest of the team (and stakeholders) have to decide between multiple design solutions.

2. Business Benefits

UX research brings a lot of a value to businesses. By knowing the end users and incorporating design requirements upfront, businesses can speed up the product development process, eliminate redesign costs, and increase user satisfaction.

3. User Benefits

One of the greatest values of user experience research is that it’s unbiased user feedback. Simply put, UX research speaks the user’s thoughts—without any influence from outside authority. It also serves as a bridge between users and the company.

“User experience research provides powerful insights that allow companies to humanize their customers and insert their needs, intentions, and behaviors into the design and development process. In turn, these insights enable companies to create experiences that meet—and sometimes exceed—customer needs and expectations. User experience research should be conducted well before the first sketch is drawn and integrated throughout the concept, iterative design, and launch phases of a product.”

—Janelle Estes, Director of Research Strategy at UserTesting

UX research is based on observation, understanding,  and analysis.  With the help of various UX research techniques, you will:

• O bserve your users , keeping an eye out for non-verbal clues as to how they are feeling;
• Develop an understanding of the user’s mental model : what does the user anticipate when using a certain product? Based on their previous experience, how do they expect this particular product to work?
• A nalyze  the insights you’ve gathered and try to identify patterns and trends. Eventually, these insights will inform the decisions you make about the product and how it is designed.

With that in mind, let’s consider some of the most valuable user research techniques.

1. User Groups

User groups—also called “focus group discussions” or “focus groups”—are structured interviews that quickly and inexpensively reveal the desires, experiences, and attitudes of a target audience. User groups are a helpful user experience research method when a company needs a lot of insight in a short amount of time. If you are unsure when to use a user experience research method, user groups can be a good one to start with.

Why Do We Conduct User Groups?

User groups can help your company better understand:

1) How users perceive a product

2) What users believe are a product’s most important features

3) What problems users experience with the product

4) Where users feel the product fails to meet expectations

User groups can also be used to generate ideas of what users want to see in the future.

What people say and what people do are often very different, therefore user groups do not provide an accurate measurement of behavior . And because user groups are conducted with more than one user at a time, participants may influence each other’s opinions and preferences (aka “groupthink”), thus introducing bias and producing inaccurate data.

Best Practices For User Groups

Getting the most out of your user group is straightforward if you consider the following best practices when conducting this particular user research technique.

• Ask good questions: Make sure your questions are clear, open-ended, and focused on the topics you’re investigating.
• Choose a few topics: On average, plan to discuss 3-5 topics during a 90-minute focus group.
• Include the right amount of people: A good focus group should include 3-6 users—large enough to include a variety of perspectives, but small enough so everyone has a chance to speak.

“Conducting user research allows you to dive deep beneath the surface of what your users say they want, to instead uncover what they actually need. It’s the key to ensuring that your products and features will actually solve the problems that your clients face on a day to day basis. User research is imperative if you want to create a successful, habit forming product.”

— Jennifer Aldrich, UX and Content Strategist at InVisionApp

How To Conduct User Experience Research With User Groups

Conducting user groups can be broken down into a few major steps:

• Create a schedule that provides enough time for recruiting, testing, analyzing, and integrating results.
• Assemble your team, and establish roles: choose a moderator, note-taker, and discussion leader.
• Define the scope of your research: what questions will you ask? And how in-depth do you want to explore the answers? This will determine the number of people and the number of groups that need to be tested.
• Create a discussion guide that includes 3-5 topics for discussion.
• Recruit potential or existing users who are likely to provide good feedback.
• Conduct user group testing, and record data.
• Analyze and report findings.

“It’s really hard to design products by user groups. A lot of times, people don’t know what they want until you show it to them.”

—Steve Jobs

2. Usability Testing

According to the usability.gov website, usability testing refers to “evaluating a product or service by testing it with representative users.” During a test, participants will be asked to complete specific tasks while one or more observers watch, listen, and record notes. The main goal of this user experience testing method is to identify usability problems, collect qualitative data, and determine participants’ overall satisfaction with the product.

Why Do We Perform Usability Testing?

Usability testing helps identify problems before they are coded. When development issues are identified early on, it is typically less expensive to fix them. Usability testing also reveals how satisfied users are with the product , as well as what changes are required to improve user satisfaction and performance .

Unfortunately, usability testing is not 100% representative of the real life scenario in which a user will engage with your product. Also, because the data is qualitative, this kind of UX testing method doesn’t provide the large samples of feedback a questionnaire might. The good news it that the qualitative feedback you receive can be far more accurate and insightful.

Best Practices For Usability Testing

• Test with five users: Testing five users is typically enough to identify a design’s most important usability problems.
• Invite your team to the testing sessions: Anyone who is involved with how fast and how well problems are addressed should be invited to the usability testing sessions. These stakeholders may include the executive team, and lead developers or designers.
• Keep the findings brief and to-the-point: When you report the findings of a usability test, limit the comments to the ones that are really important. One good rule of thumb is to include the top three positive comments and the top three problems. The overall report should be no more than approximately 50 comments and 30 pages.

How to Conduct UX Research with Usability Testing

Usability testing can be broken down into a few major steps:

• Identify what needs to be tested and why (e.g. a new product, feature, etc.)
• Identify the target audience (or your desired customers).
• Create a list of tasks for the participants to work through.
• Recruit the right participants for the test.
• Involve the right stakeholders.
• Apply what you learn.

“One of usability’s most hard-earned lessons is that ‘you are not the user.’ If you work on a development project, you’re atypical by definition. Design to optimize the user experience for outsiders, not insiders.”

– Jakob Nielsen

3. User Interviews

A well-known user experience methodology is an interview. An interview is a user experience research method used to discover the attitudes, beliefs, and experiences of users (and potential users) of a product. Interviews are typically conducted by one interviewer speaking to one user at a time for 30 minutes to an hour. Interviews can take place face-to-face, over the phone, or via video streaming.

Why Do We Conduct Interviews?

Of all the user experience design methods, interviews are typically conducted at the beginning of the product development cycle when reviewing product goals. Because of the one-to-one nature of the interview, individual concerns and misunderstandings can be directly addressed and cleared up.

Face-to-face interviews also allow you to capture verbal and nonverbal cues, such as emotions and body language, which may identify enthusiasm for the product or discomfort with the questions.

When thinking about what research methodology to use, bear in mind that interviews are also a good supplement to online surveys: conducting an interview beforehand helps you refine questions for the survey, while conducting an interview afterwards allows you to gain explanations for survey answers.

There are a few drawbacks, however. First, because interviews require a team of people to conduct them, personnel costs are usually difficult to keep low. Sample size is also limited to the size of the interviewing staff.

Best Practices For User Interviews

• Hire a skilled interviewer: A skilled interviewer asks questions in a neutral manner, listens well, makes users feel comfortable, and knows when and how to probe for more details.
• Create a discussion guide: Write up a discussion guide (or an interview protocol) for all interviewers to follow. This guide should include questions and follow-up questions.
• Get informed consent: Before conducting the interview, make sure to get permission or consent to record the session. It’s also good to have one or two note takers on hand.

How To Conduct User Experience Research With User Interviews

Conducting an interview can be broken down into a few major steps:

• Prepare a discussion guide, or a list of questions to ask participants.
• Select a recording method (e.g. written notes, tape recorder, video).
• Conduct at least one trial run of the interview.
• Recruit the right participants for the interview.
• Conduct the interview.
• Analyze and report the results.

“Curiosity is a natural outcome of caring, and it is the single greatest contributor to effective user research … Caring and curiosity engender personal investment, and investment motivates a researcher to develop a deep understanding of users.”

– Demetrius Madrigal

4. Online Surveys

A survey is a research tool that typically includes a set of questions used to find out the preferences, attitudes, and opinions of your users on a given topic. Today, surveys are generally conducted online and in various lengths and formats. Data collected from surveys is received automatically, and the survey tool selected generally provides some level of analysis, the data from which can then be used for user experience studies further down the line to inform your product.

“It is so important to avoid using leading questions when it comes to surveys. It’s a common mistake that many people make. For example phrasing a question like “What do you dislike about Uber?” assumes the user has a negative preference for the service off the bat. A more neutral phrase would be “Tell us about your experience getting around town.” – this elicits more natural user feedback and behavior instead of forcing them down a funnel.”

– Top tip from UXBeginner

Why Do We Conduct Online Surveys?

Unlike traditional surveys, online surveys enable companies to quickly collect data from a broad (and sometimes remote) audience for free—or a low price. Surveys also help you discover who your users are , what your users want to accomplish, and what information your users are looking for.

Unfortunately, what users say versus what they do are two different things and can often yield inaccurate results. Furthermore, poorly worded questions can negatively influence how users respond. Length can also be an issue—many people hate taking long surveys. This is why it’s important to create short surveys so users are more likely to complete them and participate in future research efforts.

Best Practices For Online Surveys

• Keep it short: Keep your surveys brief, especially if participants will be compensated little or not at all. Only focus on what is truly important.
• Keep it simple: Make sure questions can be easily understood: ambiguous or complex wording can make questions more difficult to understand, which can bring the data into question.
• Keep it engaging: Include a mix of both multiple choice questions and open-ended questions (or questions in which users complete the answer).

How To Conduct User Experience Research With Online Surveys

Conducting an online survey can be broken down into a few major steps:

• Identify goals and objectives of the survey.
• Create survey questions.

Note: Consider collecting information about how satisfied users are with your product, what users like/dislike, and if they have suggestions for improvement.

• Select an online survey tool (e.g. SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics).
• Recruit participants.
• Conduct the survey.

“We have to arm ourselves with data, research … and a clear understanding of our users so our decisions are not made out of fear but out of real, actionable information. Although our clients may not have articulated reasons for why they want what they want, it is our responsibility to have an ironclad rationale to support our design decisions.”

– Debra Levin Gelman

5. User Personas

A user persona is a fictional representation of your ideal customer. A persona is generally based on user research and includes the needs, goals, and observed behavior patterns of your target audience. You can find out how to create a user persona in this detailed guide .

Why Do We Create User Personas?

Whether you’re developing a smartphone app or a mobile-responsive website, any user experience research job will require you to understand who will be using the product. Knowing your audience will help influence the features and design elements you choose, thus making your product more useful. A persona clarifies who is in your target audience by answering the following questions:

• Who is my ideal customer?
• What are the current behavior patterns of my users?
• What are the needs and goals of my users?

Understanding the needs of your users is vital to developing a successful product. Well-defined personas will enable you to efficiently identify and communicate user needs. Personas will also help you describe the individuals who use your product, which is essential to your overall value proposition.

Unfortunately, creating personas can be expensive — it all depends on how deep into user research your organization is willing to go. There is also no real “scientific logic” behind persona building, which makes some people a little more hesitant to accept them.

Best Practices For User Personas

• Create a well-defined user persona: A great persona contains four key pieces of information: header, demographic profile, end goal(s), scenario.
• Keep personas brief: As a rule of thumb, avoid adding extra details that cannot be used to influence the design. If it does not affect the final design or help make any decisions easier: omit it.
• Make personas specific and realistic: Avoid exaggerated caricatures, and include enough detail to help you find real-life representation.

How To Conduct User Experience Research By Creating Personas

Creating user personas can be broken down into these main steps:

• Discuss and identify who your target users are with stakeholders (e.g. UX team, marketing team, product manager).
• Survey and/or interview real users to get their demographic information, pain points, and preferences.
• Condense the research, and look for themes to define your groups.
• Organize your groups into personas.
• Test your personas.

“Be someone else. It takes great empathy to create a good experience. To create relevant experiences, you have to forget everything you know and design for others. Align with the expected patience, level of interest, and depth of knowledge of your users. Talk in the user’s language.”

– Niko Nyman

Which User Experience Research Method Should You Use?

Now that you know more about the various user experience research methods, which one do you choose? Well, it all depends on your overall research goals.

You’ll also need to consider what stage you’re at in the design process. If you’re just starting out, you’ll want to focus on understanding your users and the underlying problem . What are you trying to solve? Who are you trying to solve it for? At this early stage in the design process, you’ll typically use a mixture of both qualitative and quantitative methods such as field studies, diary studies, surveys, and data mining.

Once you’ve established a direction for your design, you’ll start to think about actually building your product. Your UX research will now focus on evaluating your designs and making sure that they adequately address your users’ needs . So, you’ll choose research methods that can help you to optimize your designs and improve usability—such as card sorting and usability testing.

Eventually, you’ll have finalized your design and developed a working product—but this doesn’t mean your research is done! This is the ideal time to investigate how well the product performs in the real world. At this point, you’ll focus mainly on quantitative research methods , such as usability benchmarking, surveys, and A/B testing.

To help you with the task of choosing your research methods, let’s explore some important distinctions between the various techniques.

Behavioral vs. Attitudinal Research

As mentioned before, there is a big difference between “what people do” versus “what people say.” Attitudinal research is used to understand or measure attitudes and beliefs, whereas behavioral research is used to measure behaviors. For example, usability testing is a behavioral user research method that focuses on action and performance. By contrast, user research methods like user groups, interviews, and persona creation focus on how people think about a product.

UX designers often conduct task analysis to see not how users say they complete tasks in a user flow, but how they actually do.

Quantitative vs. Qualitative Research

When conducting UX research and choosing a suitable method, it’s important to understand the difference between quantitative and qualitative research.

Quantitative research   gathers data that is measurable. It gives you clear-cut figures to work with, such as how many users purchased an item via your e-commerce app, or what percentage of visitors added an item to their wishlist. “Quant methods”, as they’re sometimes called in the industry, help you to put a number on the usability of your product. They also allow you to compare different designs and determine if one version performs significantly better than another.

Qualitative research   explores the reasons or motivations behind these actions. Why did the user bounce from your website? What made them “wishlist” an item instead of purchasing it? While quantitative data is fixed, qualitative data is more descriptive and open-ended. You can learn all about qualitative research in the video guide below, in which CareerFoundry graduate and professional UX designer Maureen Herben takes you through the most common qualitative user research processes and tools.

A further distinction to make is between how qualitative and quantitative studies go about collecting data. Studies that are qualitative in nature are based on direct observation. For example, you’ll gather data about the user’s behaviours or attitudes by observing them directly in action. Quantitative studies gather this data indirectly—through an online survey, for example.

Qualitative research methods (e.g. usability testing, user groups, interviews) are better for answering questions about why or how to fix a problem, whereas quantitative methods (e.g. online surveys) are great for answering questions about how many and how much.

Ideally, you’ll use a mixture of both qualitative and quantitative methods throughout your user research, and work hard to ensure that the UX research you conduct is inclusive !

6. What Next? Conducting User Research Analysis

Once you’ve conducted extensive user research, you’ll move on to the analysis phase. This is where you’ll turn the raw data you’ve gathered into valuable insights. The purpose of UX research analysis is to interpret what the data means; what does it tell you about the product you’re designing, and the people you’re designing it for? How can you use the data you’ve gathered to inform the design process?

Watch this video to learn how to conduct user research analysis in five simple steps:

Final thoughts

“User experience research is the work that uncovers and articulates the needs of individuals and/or groups in order to inform the design of products and services in a structured manner.”

—Nick Remis, Adaptive Path

Overall, the purpose of user experience research is simple: to discover patterns and reveal unknown insights and preferences from the people who use your product. It basically provides the context for our design. Research also helps us fight the tendency to design for ourselves (or our stakeholders)—and returns the focus on designing for the user.

If you’d like to learn more about UX research, check out these articles:

• What Does a UX Researcher Actually Do? The Ultimate Career Guide
• The Ultimate Guide to UX Research Bootcamps
• Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid in Your UX Research Portfolio
• Interview Toolkit: Top 5 UX Research Questions to Prepare For

And to get inspired, check out these 15 quotes from influential designers in the industry.

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How to Conduct User Interviews

You may have noticed in life that few (if any!) people think like you do. So there’s absolutely no reason for you to think your users think like you either! You need to go out and meet your users if you want to properly understand and design for them, and user interviews are a great way to achieve this. They enable you to extract information about the user experience and usability of your product or service, and will also help you ideate for further solutions. All in all, user interviews are a great way to get to know your users... but is your company actually conducting them and, if so, in an effective way? Read on and learn not only how to prepare for and conduct user interviews but how to report on them too.

“Stories are where the richest insights lie, and your objective is to get to this point in every interview.” —Steve Portigal

Designers experience a constant internal battle between the temptation to design for themselves and the knowledge they should design for their users instead. Experienced designers will tell you a good mantra to follow throughout your design work is to understand your audience and design with them in mind. Whatever you do, don’t make assumptions about your users—that will lead you down a dangerous path!

You need to understand what your users’ goals are, what their needs are, and how they think and feel —as well as how all that differs from your perception of the context at hand. This will enable you to make objective decisions about how to take the design process further so it is truly centered around your users, and what delights and engages them. What’s good to know is there are many research techniques you can employ to achieve a deep understanding of your users, and a key one of those is user interviews.

What is a User Interview?

User interviews are guided interviews where a researcher asks existing or potential users questions to gain an understanding of their preferences, thoughts and feelings. User interviews can be used to examine the user experience and usability of a product or service, as well as flesh out demographic or ethnographic data for input into user personas .

The ideal user interview involves two UX researchers and one user. The first UX researcher asks questions and guides the interviewee through the interview, and the second researcher takes notes. If you’ve ever tried to ask questions, listen to responses and take notes all at the same time, you’ll know how hard it is to do all three! There’s a good chance the interview will be derailed and become hard to manage. If a second researcher is, however, unavailable and you have to go it alone, make sure to video or audio record the interview to ensure you don’t lose any information.

It’s important to have a second researcher when you conduct user interviews as they can then be the one to take notes. There are three types of notes you can take, however it is descriptive notes that are most important and relevant to user interviews.

© Danzico, Fair-Use.

Typical topics covered within user interviews include:

The background of the user (ethnographic data, for example)

The use of related technology

How the user uses the product

The user’s main objectives and motivations to use the product

The user’s pain points with the product

However, please don’t feel limited to these topics alone! If there’s something you need to know, and can find the answers by asking your users, make sure to include a few questions about it (as long as it’s not offensive or threatening of course !).

There is also a special type of user interview known as the contextual interview. This is an interview that is conducted after (or during) a user observation —it’s an interview “in context” with usage. You’ll find these are very common in usability testing , the assessment of products and even in information visualization .

It’s important to have two interviewers when you conduct user interviews—one to focus on the questions and responses, and one to take notes. Regardless, you should also record the interview so you can look back over the footage to analyze it even further.

© gdsteam, CC BY 2.0.

When Should You Conduct User Interviews?

User interviews can be utilized at several points in the design process and, each time, they will provide key insights to ensure your project stays on track and remains user-centered. You should conduct user interviews:

At the beginning of a project , even before you’ve defined a clear concept. The information you collect during these initial user interviews will help you get a better understanding of your potential users, their wants and needs and what kind of solution you should aim for. The insights you gather will also help you develop your user personas and journey maps , as well as aspects of the product, such as features and workflows.

During the early stages of product development. Once you have an early prototype , you can conduct usability tests with your users to gain valuable feedback before the product gets properly implemented and mass produced. You should round up the observation part of the usability tests with user interviews. This will help you better understand users’ behaviors, how they perceive the product and any frustrations they face.

After the product has been put to market. Just because your product has been shipped, it doesn’t mean the user interviews have to stop! You should continue to conduct user observations and interviews (otherwise known as contextual inquiries ) to give users even more of an opportunity to show you how they interact with your product.

3 Key Steps to Prepare for User Interviews

“Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” —John Wooden

Preparation is vital if you want your user interviews to generate useful and meaningful insights. There are three key steps you can follow to adequately prepare yourself, and they are as follows.

1. Set a Goal for Your Interviews

You need to form a concise, concrete goal for your user interviews —one that’s related to a specific aspect of your users’ behaviors or motivations is ideal. You should ask product stakeholders what they want to learn and base your goal on one of their realistic aspirations. Remember, don’t go too broad otherwise your interviews will generate too much irrelevant material. Keep your design needs in mind at all times!

2. Recruit the Right Participants

Once you’ve set a goal, you can move on to recruit participants for the interview. You’ll want to ensure you recruit a representative sample of users for your interviews, so you should start with your user personas and try to find interview participants that match them. If you have multiple user personas, now is the time to decide whether you want to focus on one particular group of users or several.

You can use various methods to source participants, including:

Personal connections

Former or current customers

Guerrilla or street interviews

Paid interviewees

You don’t need to go overboard when it comes to the number of people you recruit. There are no rules set in stone, but we recommend you start off with 5-7 participants and if by that point you’re not getting any new insights, you can leave it there.

When you schedule your interviews, pick a location that’s convenient and comfortable for both your participants and your team. Will a certain context help, for example? If the participants have certain items around them, would that help the interview? Also note that it’s a good idea to leave 30 minutes or so between each one. This will give you time to make additional notes and compile your thoughts before you move onto the next participant (you don’t want to get everything jumbled up in your mind!).

Your user personas are a great place to start when you want to decide which participants to recruit for your user interviews. If you have identified multiple personas, you’ll need to decide whether to stick to one or try to cover them all.

© Travis Isaacs, CC BY 2.0.

3. Write a Set of Interview Questions

Now you’ve got your interviews in the diary, it’s time to create a set of questions to ask your participants. Some tips to help you do so include:

Before you even start with your questions, script an explanation of the purpose behind the interview —what are you trying to achieve? In this introduction, also explain how the participants’ data and insights will be used.

Prepare more questions than you think you’ll need. Make sure you include questions that allow you to approach the same issue from different angles yet also bear in mind the interviewee should be the person who talks for the majority of the interview (not you). It’s also good practice to start with the easy, less intrusive questions and build up to the more complex and thought-provoking ones—ease your participant into it in other words!

Anticipate different responses and create follow-up based questions based on your research goals.

Don’t forget your questions are a guide, not a script. If you find your interviewee says something particularly interesting in an interview and there are no relevant questions to explore that idea… explore it anyway. Amend your set of questions based on this in case something similar gets brought up in future interviews.

You can learn more about how best to create your interview questions in our Interview Guide templates:

How to Conduct a User Interview

If you want to conduct an effective user interview, you’ll need to build a rapport with your interviewee and keep an eye on your body language, among other things! This video runs through key tips and tricks to ensure you’ve got your user interview technique on point.

If you want to add even more empathy into your user interviews, check out the following template:

How to Report on a Series of User Interviews

Now your user interview is complete, it’s time to report on all the qualitative data you have collected. It can be a challenge to compile the results of several interviews, and techniques such as word clouds and mind maps are two good ways to present qualitative data in an interesting but easy-to-understand format.

To dig into your interview findings a little further, we recommend you follow the steps of a ‘thematic analysis’. This fancy sounding term means identifying, analyzing and interpreting patterns in data. What you heard in your user interviews is data, even though it may not seem like it!

Familiarize yourself with your data. Listen to your recordings and either transcribe or take lots of notes.

Generate initial codes. When you encounter a particularly interesting comment or section of the recording, create a descriptor code for it – e.g., “comparing products”. Apply the same code to other comments which you think belong in the same category, and create new codes for aspects that haven’t been discussed before. When you’ve coded all the key sections of your interviews, collate all the interview extracts so they fit into groups under each descriptor code.

Search for patterns or themes in your codes across the different interviews. This is an iterative process where you can move codes around multiple times to form different themes. A good tip is to write your codes on sticky notes to make it easier to move them around and get a better overview.

Review and refine the themes. Read through all the interview extracts in each theme and consider if there is clear coherence inside each one, and also a clear difference between themes. Combine themes you find too similar and split up themes that don’t cohere meaningfully. When you think all your themes work, take a step back and consider if your themes cover what’s most interesting in your data, or if anything is missing. Add and remove themes in an iterative fashion until you’re satisfied your themes suitably represent the insights from your interviews.

Define and name themes. Look at each of your themes. Define what the theme is about and give it an appropriate name.

You can download more detailed advice about how to conduct thematic analysis in our template:

Once you’ve identified the themes in your data, you can translate the findings into a more formal written or visual report—something you’d be happy to show your manager or client.

The Drawbacks of User Interviews

Hopefully you now feel fully prepared to go and conduct some effective user interviews! Before you dive in however, you need to take a look at some of the drawbacks of user interviews to ensure you have a well-rounded mindset and approach to the process.

There’s a difference between what humans say and what they actually do . Even if they are contextual, interviews tend to give insights into what people say they will do and this is sometimes (often, even) not the same as what they actually do. This is why the 5 whys method is so crucial and can help you get more accurate insights.

Human memory is flawed and we can often struggle to recall details as clearly as we would like. Unfortunately, it’s a human tendency to try and create these details (this is not even a conscious process) to tell a story the way we think something happened, rather than how it happened. Ask the same questions in multiple ways to try and overcome this and help you spot discrepancies in the data.

Participants often leave out small details because they deem them insignificant. Make sure you repeat how important such details are for the purpose of your project and keep asking them “Why” to uncover more details about what they did and why.

It’s important to keep these drawbacks in mind when you design your interview questions and execute the user interview. You should also take them into account when you evaluate a set of user interviews—interview data gives you a starting point to examine problems but rarely provides a finishing point which delivers 100% certainty as to what to do next. As the designer, that decision will be up to you!

The Take Away

User interviews are guided interviews where a researcher asks existing or potential users questions to gain an understanding of their preferences, thoughts and feelings. They are a great opportunity to meet your users, understand and start to design for them.

As with most things in life, preparation is key! You need to set a goal for your interviews, recruit the right participants and write a set of interview questions if you want to have any chance of getting valuable insights from your participants.

When it comes to conducting the interview itself, it's important to build a rapport with your participants, explain the purpose of the interview, ask open-ended questions and make sure your body language keeps interviewees at ease throughout.

Thematic analysis is the best way to analyze your interview data and will help you discover the key insights that your manager and client will be interested in.

References & Where to Learn More

Course: User Research – Methods and Best Practices

Malte Windwehr, Know Thy User: The Seven Research Commandments , 2018

Kara Pernice, User Interviews: How, When, and Why to Conduct Them , 2018

AltexSoft, How to Conduct User Interviews for UX Research and Product Development , 2019

Chuck Liu, Never Ask What They Want — 3 Better Questions to Ask in User Interviews , 2014

Steve Portigal, Interviewing Users: How to Uncover Compelling Insights , 2013

Hero Image: © David Davies, CC BY-SA 2.0.

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User experience (ux) research: definition and methodology.

17 min read To build outstanding products and services for your customers, you need a thorough understanding of who they are, what they need and where their pain points and priorities lie. UX research helps you fully step into your customers’ shoes.

What do we mean by user experience?

User experience (UX) is a customer’s-eye view of your business as it relates to completing tasks and using interactive platforms and services.

It’s closely tied to the idea of customer experience (CX) , but rather than being a holistic view of your brand, it’s more focused on utility and usability testing – the hands-on side of things. You can think of UX as a sub-discipline of CX .

For example, CX research might consider how customers perceive a company’s customer service levels and how confident they feel in having their issues resolved. Meanwhile, UX research would focus on how successfully those customers navigate a self-service website, whether the language on that site is clear and how easy it is to use.

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What is user experience (UX) research?

User experience (UX) research is about diving deep into how customers interact with your brand on a practical, functional level, and observing how easily they can complete their tasks and meet their goals.

User research is the process of discovering the behaviors , motivations, and needs of your customers through observation, task analysis, and other types of user feedback . It can involve working directly with members of your target audience through UX testing sessions, remote session observation using digital tools, surveys to collect user feedback, and many more UX research methods and techniques.

Why is UX research important?

So what exactly is the value of user experience research? After all, you understand your business and its workings better than anyone. How can uninformed external users help you learn more?

The fresh perspective of your end-users is exactly why UX research is so valuable. Because they’re not already immersed in your language, processes, and systems, user testing participants are in the best position to help you see where things might be confusing to a newcomer who isn’t involved with your business.

Better yet, they can show you where confusion or frustration might lead a new or potential customer to miss out on product benefits, fail to convert, or even give up and look toward your competitors instead.

In areas like new product design and development , user research allows you to head off potential issues with products and services before they even hit the shelves. You can design the product correctly the first time, instead of having to fix it later when customers are unhappy.

Simply put, UX research is critical because it keeps you from wasting time, money, and effort designing the wrong product or solution. It’s valuable for all areas of your business and yields clear benefits for your product, your users, and your bottom line.

• Product benefits By asking your customers for direct feedback about a potential product, you can discover how and when customers prefer to use a product, what pain points your product will solve, and how to improve your product design .
• User benefits UX research is unbiased feedback, straight from the most valuable source: your customers. Because this type of research is not biased by investors, company leaders, or outside influences, it is the best resource for getting actionable product feedback.
• Business benefits Knowing what your users value helps you spend less time and money fixing flawed designs, speeds up the product development process , and increases customer satisfaction.

UX research helps brands and organizations to:

• Understand how users experience products, websites, mobile apps, and prototypes
• Evaluate and optimize prototypes and ideas based on UX research discoveries – and nail the design and experience early in a product’s life cycle
• Unearth new customer needs and business opportunities
• Find and fix hidden problems with products and services that arise in real-world use cases
• Make informed decisions through the product development process by testing various aspects of product designs
• Provide user experiences that outperform other businesses in your sector ( UX competitor research )
• Understand each user interaction across complete customer journeys
• Build a richer, more useful picture of your target audiences for better marketing and advertising

What’s the ROI of performing UX research?

The ROI of UX research is tricky to pin down because there often isn’t a direct, easy-to-spot correlation between time spent on it and resulting revenue. UX research can and does drive revenue, but it more directly influences metrics that show customer satisfaction, customer retention, and behavioral goals like user signups.

A simple way to draw a straight (if basic) line between UX research and its associated ROI is to calculate your conversion rate, where ‘conversion’ simply means completing the action you had in mind:

Number of people who took your desired action

—————————————————————       x 100

Total visitors/users

That percentage can be calculated and revisited over time to see how UX changes resulting from your research are having an effect.

Generally, when we talk about ROI, we’re talking about the highest possible rates of return you can attribute to an investment. But – while PWC research suggests that ROI on UX research can rise to as high as 301% – it’s better not to get caught up in absolutes with operational data like revenue.

Instead, it’s worth thinking more about the benefits that come out of tracking human behavior associated with improving your UX in general.

For example, IBM research states that 3 out of 5 users think that a positive user experience is more influential than strong advertising, while Forrester Research estimates that as many as 50% of potential sales fall through because users can’t find the information they need.

Thorough UX research can also cut a project’s development time by up to 50% .

Ultimately, when trying to track the ROI of your time spent doing quantitative and qualitative research on UX, you want to look at behavior and sentiment. If your main goal is website use, you should notice a decline in bounce rate as a sign of positive ROI. If you sell services, run regular CSAT surveys to determine how satisfied customers are with everything.

You might also find that data in unusual places. For example, if you spot a decline in chatbot requests around how to do or perform certain actions, or for information, then you know your new UX implementations are working as desired.

Those kinds of behavioral data points will shine a light on how worthwhile your UX research has been more readily than changes in revenue.

User experience research methods

The type of UX research techniques you choose will depend on the type of research question you’re tackling, your deadline, the size of your UX research team, and your environment.

There are three research dimensions to consider as you decide which methods are best for your project:

Attitudinal and behavioral

“Attitudinal” refers to what people say, while “ behavioral ” refers to what people actually do – and these are often very different. Attitudinal research is often used in marketing because it measures people’s stated beliefs and needs. However, in product design and user experience research, what people do tends to be more relevant.

For example, A/B testing shows visitors different versions of a site at random to track the effect of site design on conversion and behavior.

Another behavioral method is eye tracking, which helps researchers understand how users interact and visually engage with the design of an interface by following their gaze.

Qualitative and quantitative methods

Quantitative UX research studies collect and analyze results, then generalize findings from a sample to a population. They typically require large numbers of representative cases to work with and are structured in their approach.

Quantitative research uses measurement tools like surveys or analytics to gather data about how subjects use a product and are generally more mathematical in nature. This type of inquiry aims to answer questions like ‘what,’ ‘where’ and ‘when’.

Qualitative research methods, on the other hand, gather information about users by observing them directly, as in focus groups or field studies.

Qualitative research aims to understand the human side of data by gaining a sense of the underlying reasons and motivations surrounding consumer behavior. It tends to use small numbers of diverse (rather than representative) cases, and the data collection approach is less structured. Qualitative methods are best suited to address the ‘how’ or ‘why’ of consumer behavior.

Qualitative UX research methods

Several UX research methodologies can help UX researchers answer those big ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions, and influence the design process of any product or service you’ve got cooking. Here are just a few …

1. Participatory design

In participatory design, people are asked to draw or design their own best-case version of the tool, product, or service in question. This gives UX researchers the ability to ask qualitative questions about why specific choices have been made. If multiple participants make similar choices, it’s easy to spot patterns that should be adopted.

You might ask participants how they would redesign your website. While their responses will naturally vary, you might spot that several of them have moved your site’s navigation to a more prominent spot, or have moved the checkout from the left of the screen to the right.

2. Card sorting

Card sorting involves giving participants a range of cards that represent business-specific topics and asking them how they would sort them into groups. UX researchers are then able to probe into why their audience might group certain things, and make changes to existing offerings as a result.

If you have a wide range of products and solutions, card sorting would be a useful way to gauge how your target audience would naturally bucket them on your website. A furniture seller, for example, might use this technique to find that people are naturally inclined to group items by room, rather than by furniture type.

3. Diary studies

If you’d like to know how the UX of your product or service varies over time or throughout the length of its use, a diary study can help. Here, participants are given a way to record their thoughts as they set about using the product or service in question, noting things that occur to them as they go. This is useful as it provides real-world insight over a longer period than a one-off focus group.

Giving people access to an early build of an app and asking them to keep usability testing notes can highlight pain points in the user interface. In a one-off focus group, having to tap three times to get to an oft-used screen might seem fine – whereas participants are more likely to find it annoying in the day-to-day. This kind of longer-term usability test can provide really valuable insights.

Both quantitative and qualitative UX research methodologies can be useful when planning the design and development of your brand presence, as well as for usability testing when it comes to product and service design.

Context-of-use

By collecting and analyzing information about users, the intended use of the application, the tasks they perform with the application, and the technical constraints presented by the application, context-of-use analysis allow UX researchers to better understand the overall experience.

Typically, context-of-use analysis data is collected through research surveys, focus groups, interviews, site visits, and observational studies.

Context-of use-analysis is one method for identifying the most important elements of an application or product in the context of using that application or product. This type of UX research is typically done early in the product lifecycle and continued as data identifies which components of the product and UX are most critical.

Types of user research tools

There are many types of user research methods for discovering data useful for product design and development. Below are some common examples of tools user experience researchers may use to gather information and draw insights into mental models, or users’ thought processes.

UX research surveys or questionnaires can discover data at scale through in-person or remote polling, with specific questions designed to collate useful information about user experience.

User groups or focus groups are a form of a structured interview that consults members of a target audience on their experience, views, and attitudes towards the product or solution. They usually involve neutral parties, such as a moderator and note-taker, and are led by a researcher who asks open-ended questions focused on specific aspects of an investigation.

User interviews are one-on-one structured interviews with a target audience member, led by a UX researcher to understand more about personal experiences with the product. These user interviews can be directed to compare and contrast answers between users, or non-directed, where users lead the conversation.

Ethnographic interviews take place within the target users’ typical environment to get a better context-of-use view. Field studies and site visits are similarly observational in nature, and take place in situ where the product or service is used, but may involve larger groups.

This is not a comprehensive list of research techniques but represents some of the main ways UX researchers might perform usability testing or trial UX design.

When to conduct user experience research

Before launching a new product or service, understanding user preferences that could impact your design or development is key to success. The earlier user experience research is performed, the more effective the end product or service will be, as it should encompass the insights learned about your target audience.

As a product and service’s use and value evolve over its lifecycle, the user experience will change over time. User research should be undertaken on an ongoing basis to determine how to adapt to users’ new needs and preferences.

Five basic steps to conducting UX research

If you’re new to UX research, here’s a step-by-step list of what to consider before you begin your UX testing program:

• Objectives What do you need to find out about your users and their needs?
• Hypothesis What do you think you already know about your users?
• Methods Based on your deadline, project type, and the size of your research team, what UX research methods should you use?
• Process Using your selected UX research method(s), begin collecting data about your users, their preferences, and their needs.
• Synthesis Analyze the data you collected to fill in your knowledge gaps, address your hypothesis and create a plan to improve your product based on user feedback.

Qualtrics makes UX research simple and easy

User experience research and user testing are multifaceted and can involve a lot of both quantitative and qualitative data. To ease the process and make sure it is efficient and scalable, it’s best conducted using a highly responsive platform that allows you to collect data, analyze trends and draw conclusions all in one place.

Whether you need attitudinal or behavioral insights, Qualtrics is your go-to solution for collecting all kinds of UX data and making use of it in the context of your wider CX program .

Conduct in-person studies or send beautifully designed surveys easily and quickly, and view your results via custom dashboards and reports using the most sophisticated research platform on the planet.

Related resources

User experience 20 min read, user experience surveys 9 min read, ux research tools 8 min read, user analytics 11 min read, rage clicks 11 min read, user experience analytics 10 min read, website user experience 14 min read, request demo.

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What is UX Research: The Ultimate Guide for UX Researchers

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The UX researcher’s toolkit: 11 UX research methods and when to use them

After defining your objectives and planning your research framework, it’s time to choose the research technique that will best serve your project's goals and yield the right insights. While user research is often treated as an afterthought, it should inform every design decision. In this chapter, we walk you through the most common research methods and help you choose the right one for you.

What are UX research methods?

A UX research method is a way of generating insights about your users, their behavior, motivations, and needs.

These methods help:

• Learn about user behavior and attitudes
• Identify key pain points and challenges in the user interface
• Develop user personas to identify user needs and drive solutions
• Test user interface designs to see what works and what doesn’t

You can use research methodologies like user interviews, surveys, focus groups, card sorting, usability testing to identify user challenges and turn them into opportunities to improve the user experience.

More of a visual learner? Check out this video for a speedy rundown. If you’re ready to get stuck in, jump straight to our full breakdown .

The most common types of user research

First, let’s talk about the types of UX research. Every individual research method falls under these types, which reflect different goals and objectives for conducting research.

Here’s a quick overview:

Qualitative vs. quantitative

All research methods are either quantitative or qualitative . Qualitative research focuses on capturing subjective insights into users' experiences. It aims to understand the underlying reasons, motivations, and behaviors of individuals.

Quantitative research, on the other hand, involves collecting and analyzing numerical data to identify patterns, trends, and significance. It aims to quantify user behaviors, preferences, and attitudes, allowing for generalizations and statistical insights.

Qualitative research also typically involves a smaller sample size than quantitative research. Nielsen Norman Group recommends 40 participants—see our full rundown of how many user testers you need for different research methods .

Attitudinal vs. behavioral

Attitudinal research is about understanding users' attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs. It delves into the 'why' behind user decisions and actions. It often involves surveys or interviews where users are asked about their feelings, preferences, or perceptions towards a product or service. It's subjective in nature, aiming to capture people's emotions and opinions.

Behavioral research is about what users do rather than what they say they do or would do. This kind of research is often based on observation methods like usability testing, eye-tracking, or heat maps to understand user behavior.

Generative vs. evaluative

Generative research is all about generating new ideas, concepts, and insights to fuel the design process. You might run brainstorming sessions with groups of users, card sorting, and co-design sessions to inspire creativity and guide the development of user-centered solutions.

On the other hand, evaluative research focuses on assessing the usability, effectiveness, and overall quality of existing designs or prototypes. Once you’ve developed a prototype of your product, it's time to evaluate its strengths and weaknesses. You can compare different versions of a product design or feature through A/B testing—ensuring your UX design meets user needs and expectations.

Remove the guesswork from product decisions

Collect both quantitative and qualitative insights from your customers and build truly user-centric products with Maze.

11 Best UX research methods and when to use them

There are various UX research techniques—each method serves a specific purpose and can provide unique insights into user behaviors and preferences. In this section, we’ll highlight the most common research techniques you need to know.

Read on for an at-a-glance table, and full breakdown of each method.

1. User interviews

Tl;dr: user interviews.

Directly ask users about their experiences with a product to understand their thoughts, feelings, and problems

✅ Provides detailed insights that survey may miss ❌ May not represent the wider user base; depends on user’s memory and honesty

User interviews are a qualitative research method that involves having open-ended and guided discussions with users to gather in-depth insights about their experiences, needs, motivations, and behaviors.

Typically, you would ask a few questions on a specific topic during a user interview and analyze participants' answers. The results you get will depend on how well you form and ask questions, as well as follow up on participants’ answers.

“As a researcher, it's our responsibility to drive the user to their actual problems,” says Yuliya Martinavichene , User Experience Researcher at Zinio. She adds, “The narration of incidents can help you analyze a lot of hidden details with regard to user behavior.”

That’s why you should:

• Start with a wide context : Make sure that your questions don’t start with your product
• Ask questions: Always ask questions that focus on the tasks that users are trying to complete
• Invest in analysis : Get transcripts done and share the findings with your team

Tanya Nativ , Design Researcher at Sketch recommends defining the goals and assumptions internally. “Our beliefs about our users’ behavior really help to structure good questions and get to the root of the problem and its solution,” she explains.

It's easy to be misunderstood if you don't have experience writing interview questions. You can get someone to review them for you or use our Question Bank of 350+ research questions .

When to conduct user interviews

This method is typically used at the start and end of your project. At the start of a project, you can establish a strong understanding of your target users, their perspectives, and the context in which they’ll interact with your product. By the end of your project, new user interviews—often with a different set of individuals—offer a litmus test for your product's usability and appeal, providing firsthand accounts of experiences, perceived strengths, and potential areas for refinement.

2. Field studies

Tl;dr: field studies.

Observe users in their natural environment to inform design decisions with real-world context

✅ Provides contextual insights into user behavior in real-world situations ✅ Helps identify external factors and conditions that influence user experience ❌ Can be time-consuming and resource-intensive to conduct ❌ Participants may behave differently when they know they are being observed (Hawthorne effect)

Field studies—also known as ethnographic research—are research activities that take place in the user’s environment rather than in your lab or office. They’re a great method for uncovering context, unknown motivations, or constraints that affect the user experience.

An advantage of field studies is observing people in their natural environment, giving you a glimpse at the context in which your product is used. It’s useful to understand the context in which users complete tasks, learn about their needs, and collect in-depth user stories.

When to conduct field studies

This method can be used at all stages of your project—two key times you may want to conduct field studies are:

• As part of the discovery and exploration stage to define direction and understand the context around when and how users interact with the product
• During usability testing, once you have a prototype, to evaluate the effectiveness of the solution or validate design assumptions in real-world contexts

3. Focus groups

Tl;dr: focus groups.

Gather qualitative data from a group of users discussing their experiences and opinions about a product

✅ Allows for diverse perspectives to be shared and discussed ❌ Group dynamics may influence individual opinions

A focus group is a qualitative research method that includes the study of a group of people, their beliefs, and opinions. It’s typically used for market research or gathering feedback on products and messaging.

Focus groups can help you better grasp:

• How users perceive your product
• What users believe are a product’s most important features
• What problems do users experience with the product

As with any qualitative research method, the quality of the data collected through focus groups is only as robust as the preparation. So, it’s important to prepare a UX research plan you can refer to during the discussion.

Here’s some things to consider:

• Write a script to guide the conversation
• Ask clear, open-ended questions focused on the topics you’re trying to learn about
• Include around five to ten participants to keep the sessions focused and organized

When to conduct focus groups

It’s easier to use this research technique when you're still formulating your concept, product, or service—to explore user preferences, gather initial reactions, and generate ideas. This is because, in the early stages, you have flexibility and can make significant changes without incurring high costs.

Another way some researchers employ focus groups is post-launch to gather feedback and identify potential improvements. However, you can also use other methods here which may be more effective for identifying usability issues. For example, a platform like Maze can provide detailed, actionable data about how users interact with your product. These quantitative results are a great accompaniment to the qualitative data gathered from your focus group.

4. Diary studies

Tl;dr: diary studies.

Get deep insights into user thoughts and feelings by having them keep a product-related diary over a set period of time, typically a couple of weeks

✅ Gives you a peak into how users interact with your product in their day-to-day ❌ Depends on how motivated and dedicated the users are

Diary studies involve asking users to track their usage and thoughts on your product by keeping logs or diaries, taking photos, explaining their activities, and highlighting things that stood out to them.

“Diary studies are one of the few ways you can get a peek into how users interact with our product in a real-world scenario,” says Tanya.

A diary study helps you tell the story of how products and services fit into people’s daily lives, and the touch-points and channels they choose to complete their tasks.

There’s several key questions to consider before conducting diary research, from what kind of diary you want—freeform or structured, and digital or paper—to how often you want participants to log their thoughts.

• Open, ‘freeform’ diary: Users have more freedom to record what and when they like, but can also lead to missed opportunities to capture data users might overlook
• Closed, ‘structured; diary: Users follow a stricter entry-logging process and answer pre-set questions

Remember to determine the trigger: a signal that lets the participants know when they should log their feedback. Tanya breaks these triggers down into the following:

• Interval-contingent trigger : Participants fill out the diary at specific intervals such as one entry per day, or one entry per week
• Signal-contingent trigger : You tell the participant when to make an entry and how you would prefer them to communicate it to you as well as your preferred type of communication
• Event-contingent trigger : The participant makes an entry whenever a defined event occurs

When to conduct diary studies

Diary studies are often valuable when you need to deeply understand users' behaviors, routines, and pain points in real-life contexts. This could be when you're:

• Conceptualizing a new product or feature: Gain insights into user habits, needs, and frustrations to inspire your design
• Trying to enhance an existing product: Identify areas where users are having difficulties or where there are opportunities for better user engagement

TL;DR: Surveys

Collect quantitative data from a large sample of users about their experiences, preferences, and satisfaction with a product

✅ Provides a broad overview of user opinions and trends ❌ May lack in-depth insights and context behind user responses

Although surveys are primarily used for quantitative research, they can also provided qualitative data, depending on whether you use closed or open-ended questions:

• Closed-ended questions come with a predefined set of answers to choose from using formats like rating scales, rankings, or multiple choice. This results in quantitative data.
• Open-ended question s are typically open-text questions where test participants give their responses in a free-form style. This results in qualitative data.

Matthieu Dixte , Product Researcher at Maze, explains the benefit of surveys: “With open-ended questions, researchers get insight into respondents' opinions, experiences, and explanations in their own words. This helps explore nuances that quantitative data alone may not capture.”

So, how do you make sure you’re asking the right survey questions? Gregg Bernstein , UX Researcher at Signal, says that when planning online surveys, it’s best to avoid questions that begin with “How likely are you to…?” Instead, Gregg says asking questions that start with “Have you ever… ?” will prompt users to give more specific and measurable answers.

Make sure your questions:

• Are easy to understand
• Don't guide participants towards a particular answer
• Include both closed-ended and open-ended questions
• Respect users and their privacy
• Are consistent in terms of format

To learn more about survey design, check out this guide .

When to conduct surveys

While surveys can be used at all stages of project development, and are ideal for continuous product discovery , the specific timing and purpose may vary depending on the research goals. For example, you can run surveys at:

• Conceptualization phase to gather preliminary data, and identify patterns, trends, or potential user segments
• Post-launch or during iterative design cycles to gather feedback on user satisfaction, feature usage, or suggestions for improvements

6. Card sorting

Tl;dr: card sorting.

Understand how users categorize and prioritize information within a product or service to structure your information in line with user expectations

✅ Helps create intuitive information architecture and navigation ❌ May not accurately reflect real-world user behavior and decision-making

Card sorting is an important step in creating an intuitive information architecture (IA) and user experience. It’s also a great technique to generate ideas, naming conventions, or simply see how users understand topics.

In this UX research method, participants are presented with cards featuring different topics or information, and tasked with grouping the cards into categories that make sense to them.

There are three types of card sorting:

• Open card sorting: Participants organize topics into categories that make sense to them and name those categories, thus generating new ideas and names
• Hybrid card sorting: Participants can sort cards into predefined categories, but also have the option to create their own categories
• Closed card sorting: Participants are given predefined categories and asked to sort the items into the available groups

Card sorting type comparison table

You can run a card sorting session using physical index cards or digitally with a UX research tool like Maze to simulate the drag-and-drop activity of dividing cards into groups. Running digital card sorting is ideal for any type of card sort, and moderated or unmoderated sessions .

Read more about card sorting and learn how to run a card sorting session here .

When to conduct card sorting

Card sorting isn’t limited to a single stage of design or development—it can be employed anytime you need to explore how users categorize or perceive information. For example, you may want to use card sorting if you need to:

• Understand how users perceive ideas
• Evaluate and prioritize potential solutions
• Generate name ideas and understand naming conventions
• Learn how users expect navigation to work
• Decide how to group content on a new or existing site
• Restructure information architecture

7. Tree testing

Tl;dr: tree testing.

Evaluate the findability of existing information within a product's hierarchical structure or navigation

✅ Identifies potential issues in the information architecture ❌ Focuses on navigation structure, not visual design or content

During tree testing a text-only version of the site is given to your participants, who are asked to complete a series of tasks requiring them to locate items on the app or website.

The data collected from a tree test helps you understand where users intuitively navigate first, and is an effective way to assess the findability, labeling, and information architecture of a product.

We recommend keeping these sessions short, ranging from 15 to 20 minutes, and asking participants to complete no more than ten tasks. This helps ensure participants remain focused and engaged, leading to more reliable and accurate data, and avoiding fatigue.

If you’re using a platform like Maze to run remote testing, you can easily recruit participants based on various demographic filters, including industry and country. This way, you can uncover a broader range of user preferences, ensuring a more comprehensive understanding of your target audience.

To learn more about tree testing, check out this chapter .

When to conduct tree testing

Tree testing is often done at an early stage in the design or redesign process. That’s because it’s more cost-effective to address errors at the start of a project—rather than making changes later in the development process or after launch.

However, it can be helpful to employ tree testing as a method when adding new features, particularly alongside card sorting.

While tree testing and card sorting can both help you with categorizing the content on a website, it’s important to note that they each approach this from a different angle and are used at different stages during the research process. Ideally, you should use the two in tandem: card sorting is recommended when defining and testing a new website architecture, while tree testing is meant to help you test how the navigation performs with users.

8. Usability testing

Tl;dr: usability testing.

Observe users completing specific tasks with a product to identify usability issues and potential improvements

✅ Provides direct insights into user behavior and reveals pain points ❌ Conducted in a controlled environment, may not fully represent real-world usage

Usability testing evaluates your product with people by getting them to complete tasks while you observe and note their interactions (either during or after the test). The goal of conducting usability testing is to understand if your design is intuitive and easy to use. A sign of success is if users can easily accomplish their goals and complete tasks with your product.

There are various usability testing methods that you can use, such as moderated vs. unmoderated or qualitative vs. quantitative —and selecting the right one depends on your research goals, resources, and timeline.

Usability testing is usually performed with functional mid or hi-fi prototypes . If you have a Figma, InVision, Sketch, or prototype ready, you can import it into a platform like Maze and start testing your design with users immediately.

The tasks you create for usability tests should be:

• Realistic, and describe a scenario
• Actionable, and use action verbs (create, sign up, buy, etc)

Be mindful of using leading words such as ‘click here’ or ‘go to that page’ in your tasks. These instructions bias the results by helping users complete their tasks—something that doesn’t happen in real life.

✨ Product tip

With Maze, you can test your prototype and live website with real users to filter out cognitive biases, and gather actionable insights that fuel product decisions.

When to conduct usability testing

To inform your design decisions, you should do usability testing early and often in the process . Here are some guidelines to help you decide when to do usability testing:

• Before you start designing
• Once you have a wireframe or prototype
• Prior to the launch of the product
• At regular intervals after launch

To learn more about usability testing, check out our complete guide to usability testing .

9. Five-second testing

Tl;dr: five-second testing.

Gauge users' first impressions and understanding of a design or layout

✅ Provides insights into the instant clarity and effectiveness of visual communication ❌ Limited to first impressions, does not assess full user experience or interaction

In five-second testing , participants are (unsurprisingly) given five seconds to view an image like a design or web page, and then they’re asked questions about the design to gauge their first impressions.

Why five seconds? According to data , 55% of visitors spend less than 15 seconds on a website, so it;s essential to grab someone’s attention in the first few seconds of their visit. With a five-second test, you can quickly determine what information users perceive and their impressions during the first five seconds of viewing a design.

Product tip 💡

And if you’re using Maze, you can simply upload an image of the screen you want to test, or browse your prototype and select a screen. Plus, you can star individual comments and automatically add them to your report to share with stakeholders.

When to conduct five-second testing

Five-second testing is typically conducted in the early stages of the design process, specifically during initial concept testing or prototype development. This way, you can evaluate your design's initial impact and make early refinements or adjustments to ensure its effectiveness, before putting design to development.

To learn more, check out our chapter on five-second testing .

10. A/B testing

Tl;dr: a/b testing.

Compare two versions of a design or feature to determine which performs better based on user engagement

✅ Provides data-driven insights to guide design decisions and optimize user experience ❌ Requires a large sample size and may not account for long-term effects or complex interactions

A/B testing , also known as split testing, compares two or more versions of a webpage, interface, or feature to determine which performs better regarding engagement, conversions, or other predefined metrics.

It involves randomly dividing users into different groups and giving each group a different version of the design element being tested. For example, let's say the primary call-to-action on the page is a button that says ‘buy now’.

You're considering making changes to its design to see if it can lead to higher conversions, so you create two versions:

• Version A : The original design with the ‘buy now’ button positioned below the product description—shown to group A
• Version B : A variation with the ‘buy now’ button now prominently displayed above the product description—shown to group B

Over a planned period, you measure metrics like click-through rates, add-to-cart rates, and actual purchases to assess the performance of each variation. You find that Group B had significantly higher click-through and conversion rates than Group A. This indicates that showing the button above the product description drove higher user engagement and conversions.

Check out our A/B testing guide for more in-depth examples and guidance on how to run these tests.

When to conduct A/B testing

A/B testing can be used at all stages of the design and development process—whenever you want to collect direct, quantitative data and confirm a suspicion, or settle a design debate. This iterative testing approach allows you to continually improve your website's performance and user experience based on data-driven insights.

11. Concept testing

Tl;dr: concept testing.

Evaluate users' reception and understanding of a new product, feature, or design idea before moving on to development

✅ Helps validate and refine concepts based on user feedback ❌ Relies on users' perception and imagination, may not reflect actual use

Concept testing is a type of research that evaluates the feasibility, appeal, and potential success of a new product before you build it. It centers the user in the ideation process, using UX research methods like A/B testing, surveys, and customer interviews.

There’s no one way to run a concept test—you can opt for concept testing surveys, interviews, focus groups, or any other method that gets qualitative data on your concept.

*Dive into our complete guide to concept testing for more tips and tricks on getting started. *

When to conduct concept testing

Concept testing helps gauge your audience’s interest, understanding, and likelihood-to-purchase, before committing time and resources to a concept. However, it can also be useful further down the product development line—such as when defining marketing messaging or just before launching.

Which is the best UX research type?

The best research type varies depending on your project; what your objectives are, and what stage you’re in. Ultimately, the ideal type of research is one which provides the insights required, using the available resources.

For example, if you're at the early ideation or product discovery stage, generative research methods can help you generate new ideas, understand user needs, and explore possibilities. As you move to the design and development phase, evaluative research methods and quantitative data become crucial.

Discover the UX research trends shaping the future of the industry and why the best results come from a combination of different research methods.

How to choose the right user experience research method

In an ideal world, a combination of all the insights you gain from multiple types of user research methods would guide every design decision. In practice, this can be hard to execute due to resources.

Sometimes the right methodology is the one you can get buy-in, budget, and time for.

Gregg Bernstein , UX Researcher at Signal

UX research tools can help streamline the research process, making regular testing and application of diverse methods more accessible—so you always keep the user at the center of your design process. Some other key tips to remember when choosing your method are:

Define the goals and problems

A good way to inform your choice of user experience research method is to start by considering your goals. You might want to browse UX research templates or read about examples of research.

Michael Margolis , UX Research Partner at Google Ventures, recommends answering questions like:

• “What do your users need?”
• “What are your users struggling with?”
• “How can you help your users?”

Understand the design process stage

If your team is very early in product development, generative research —like field studies—make sense. If you need to test design mockups or a prototype, evaluative research methods—such as usability testing—will work best.

This is something they’re big on at Sketch, as we heard from Design Researcher, Tanya Nativ. She says, “In the discovery phase, we focus on user interviews and contextual inquiries. The testing phase is more about dogfooding, concept testing, and usability testing. Once a feature has been launched, it’s about ongoing listening.”

Consider the type of insights required

If you're looking for rich, qualitative data that delves into user behaviors, motivations, and emotions, then methods like user interviews or field studies are ideal. They’ll help you uncover the ‘why’ behind user actions.

On the other hand, if you need to gather quantitative data to measure user satisfaction or compare different design variations, methods like surveys or A/B testing are more suitable. These methods will help you get hard numbers and concrete data on preferences and behavior.

*Discover the UX research trends shaping the future of the industry and why the best results come from a combination of different research methods. *

Build a deeper understanding of your users with UX research

Think of UX research methods as building blocks that work together to create a well-rounded understanding of your users. Each method brings its own unique strengths, whether it's human empathy from user interviews or the vast data from surveys.

But it's not just about choosing the right UX research methods; the research platform you use is equally important. You need a platform that empowers your team to collect data, analyze, and collaborate seamlessly.

Simplifying product research is simple with Maze. From tree testing to card sorting, prototype testing to user interview analysis—Maze makes getting actionable insights easy, whatever method you opt for.

Meanwhile, if you want to know more about testing methods, head on to the next chapter all about tree testing .

Get valuable insights from real users

Conduct impactful UX research with Maze and improve your product experience and customer satisfaction.

Frequently asked questions

How do you choose the right UX research method?

Choosing the right research method depends on your goals. Some key things to consider are:

• The feature/product you’re testing
• The type of data you’re looking for
• The design stage
• The time and resources you have available

What is the best UX research method?

The best research method is the one you have the time, resources, and budget for that meets your specific needs and goals. Most research tools, like Maze, will accommodate a variety of UX research and testing techniques.

When to use which user experience research method?

Selecting which user research method to use—if budget and resources aren’t a factor—depends on your goals. UX research methods provide different types of data:

• Qualitative vs quantitative
• Attitudinal vs behavioral
• Generative vs evaluative

Identify your goals, then choose a research method that gathers the user data you need.

What results can I expect from UX research?

Here are some of the key results you can expect from actioning the insights uncovered during UX research:

• Improved user satisfaction
• Increased usability
• Better product fit
• Informed design decisions
• Reduced development costs
• Higher conversion rates
• Increased customer loyalty and retention

Tree Testing: Your Guide to Improve Navigation and UX

30 User Researcher Interview Questions and Answers

Common User Researcher interview questions, how to answer them, and example answers from a certified career coach.

User researchers play a critical role in the design and development process by ensuring that products are tailored to meet end-users’ needs and expectations. Your expertise in uncovering insights and understanding user behavior has brought you one step closer to your dream job, but now it’s time to demonstrate your skills and knowledge during the interview process.

To help you confidently showcase your strengths as a user researcher, we’ve curated a list of common interview questions specific to this role, along with tips on how to tackle them effectively. By honing your responses to these questions, you’ll be better prepared to impress potential employers and secure that coveted position.

1. Can you describe your experience with various user research methods, such as interviews, surveys, usability testing, and card sorting?

Understanding your familiarity and competence with different user research methods is important to potential employers because it showcases your versatility and adaptability as a researcher. Each method has its own strengths and weaknesses, and being able to select and apply the right method for a specific project demonstrates your ability to gather valuable user insights, inform design decisions, and ultimately contribute to creating better user experiences.

Example: “Throughout my career as a user researcher, I have employed various research methods to gather valuable insights and improve the overall user experience. For instance, I’ve conducted one-on-one interviews with users to understand their needs, preferences, and pain points. This qualitative approach allows me to dive deep into individual experiences and uncover underlying motivations.

On the other hand, I’ve also utilized quantitative methods like surveys to collect data from a larger sample of users. Surveys help identify trends and patterns in user behavior that may not be apparent through interviews alone. Usability testing is another method I frequently use to evaluate how well users can interact with a product or interface. Observing users while they perform specific tasks helps pinpoint areas where improvements are needed.

Card sorting has been particularly useful when working on information architecture projects. It involves asking participants to organize content into categories, which provides insight into how users perceive and structure information. This method helps ensure that navigation and organization within a product align with users’ mental models, making it more intuitive for them to use.

Each research method offers unique advantages, and I believe in selecting the most appropriate technique based on the project’s goals and constraints. Combining different methods often yields the most comprehensive understanding of user needs and informs better design decisions.”

2. How do you determine which research method is most appropriate for a given project or problem?

Selecting the right research method is a critical skill for a user researcher. By asking this question, interviewers want to understand your thought process and ability to choose the most effective approach for different projects. They’re looking for insights into your knowledge of various research methods, your ability to analyze project requirements, and your experience in tailoring your research approach to best serve the project’s goals and objectives.

Example: “When determining the most appropriate research method for a given project or problem, I first consider the specific objectives and goals of the study. This involves understanding the type of information we’re seeking to gather, whether it’s exploratory, descriptive, or evaluative in nature.

For instance, if we need to explore users’ needs and pain points, qualitative methods like interviews or focus groups might be more suitable. On the other hand, if we want to evaluate the usability of an existing product or feature, quantitative methods such as surveys or A/B testing could provide valuable insights. Ultimately, selecting the right research method depends on aligning the approach with the project’s goals and ensuring that the chosen method will yield actionable data to inform decision-making. In some cases, a combination of methods may be necessary to gain a comprehensive understanding of user behavior and preferences.”

3. What steps do you take to ensure that your research findings are unbiased and reliable?

The integrity of your research is paramount in a user researcher role, as it directly affects the quality of the insights you provide and the decisions made by your team. By asking this question, interviewers want to gauge your understanding of potential biases, your commitment to ethical research practices, and your ability to implement techniques that will yield accurate, trustworthy results. This demonstrates your ability to contribute meaningfully to the product development process and ensure that user needs are met effectively.

Example: “To ensure that my research findings are unbiased and reliable, I start by carefully designing the research methodology. This includes selecting a diverse participant pool to represent various user groups and backgrounds, as well as crafting unbiased questions and tasks for participants to complete during the study.

During data collection, I maintain objectivity by avoiding leading questions or influencing participants’ responses in any way. I also use multiple methods of data gathering, such as interviews, surveys, and usability tests, to triangulate results and validate findings from different sources.

After collecting the data, I analyze it thoroughly while being mindful of potential biases. To minimize subjectivity, I involve other team members in the analysis process, encouraging them to challenge my interpretations and assumptions. This collaborative approach helps us reach more accurate and reliable conclusions, ultimately contributing to better-informed design decisions and improved user experiences.”

4. Describe a time when you had to adapt your research approach due to unforeseen challenges.

Flexibility and adaptability are essential traits for a user researcher. Interviewers want to assess your ability to pivot quickly and effectively in the face of unexpected challenges. By asking this question, they aim to learn how you handle unexpected changes, adjust your research strategy, and still achieve meaningful results—demonstrating your resourcefulness and resilience in a dynamic work environment.

Example: “During a project focused on improving the user experience of an e-commerce website, I initially planned to conduct in-person usability testing with participants. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, including travel restrictions and social distancing measures, it became impossible to carry out the tests as originally intended.

To adapt to this challenge, I quickly pivoted to remote usability testing using video conferencing tools and screen-sharing software. This allowed me to continue gathering valuable insights from users while ensuring their safety and comfort. Although the change required some adjustments in terms of logistics and communication, it ultimately proved successful in providing the necessary data for our team to make informed design decisions. The experience taught me the importance of being flexible and resourceful when faced with unexpected obstacles in user research.”

5. How do you prioritize research questions and objectives in a project with limited resources or tight deadlines?

Time and resources are often limited in any project, and hiring managers want to ensure that you can effectively prioritize research objectives to maximize the impact of your findings. Your ability to focus on the most critical questions, adapt to changing circumstances, and deliver valuable insights even under pressure demonstrates your strategic thinking and project management skills, which are essential for a successful user researcher.

Example: “When faced with limited resources or tight deadlines, prioritizing research questions and objectives becomes essential. I start by collaborating closely with the project stakeholders to identify the most critical business goals and user needs that must be addressed in the given timeframe. This helps us align our priorities and ensures that we focus on what matters most for both the users and the organization.

Once we have a clear understanding of these key goals, I categorize the research questions based on their potential impact and feasibility within the constraints. High-impact questions that can be answered with available resources are prioritized, while lower-impact or resource-intensive questions may be deferred or approached using alternative methods. Throughout this process, maintaining open communication with stakeholders is vital to ensure everyone stays informed about the progress and any necessary adjustments to the research plan.”

6. Can you provide an example of how you’ve used quantitative data to inform your user research?

Diving into the numbers is essential in user research to understand user behavior, preferences, and trends on a larger scale. Interviewers want to see that you can effectively utilize quantitative data to complement your qualitative findings, ultimately leading to better insights and more informed decisions in the design and development of products or services. Showcasing your ability to combine both types of data demonstrates a well-rounded approach to user research.

Example: “Certainly, in a previous project, we were working on improving the user experience of an e-commerce website. We started by analyzing quantitative data from Google Analytics to identify areas that needed attention. The data showed high bounce rates and low conversion rates on specific product pages.

Based on this information, we designed a research plan to understand the reasons behind these issues. We conducted usability tests with participants who represented our target audience and asked them to complete tasks related to those problematic product pages. During the sessions, we observed their interactions and gathered qualitative insights into the challenges they faced while navigating the site.

Combining both quantitative and qualitative findings allowed us to pinpoint the key pain points users experienced, such as confusing navigation and unclear product descriptions. This informed our recommendations for design improvements, which ultimately led to increased conversions and reduced bounce rates once implemented. Using quantitative data as a starting point helped us focus our research efforts and ensured that our solutions addressed the most critical issues affecting the overall user experience.”

7. How do you handle situations where stakeholders disagree with your research findings or recommendations?

Conflict resolution and effective communication are key components of being a successful user researcher. When stakeholders disagree with your research findings or recommendations, it’s essential to demonstrate your ability to navigate these situations professionally and collaboratively. By asking this question, interviewers want to gauge your ability to handle pushback, defend your work, and find common ground with stakeholders to ultimately achieve the best outcome for the project.

Example: “When faced with situations where stakeholders disagree with my research findings or recommendations, I first ensure that I have clearly communicated the methodology and rationale behind my conclusions. This involves presenting the data in a concise and easily understandable manner, highlighting key insights and trends that support my recommendations.

If disagreements persist, I engage in open dialogue with the stakeholders to understand their concerns and perspectives. This allows me to identify any gaps in knowledge or potential biases that may be influencing their opinions. In some cases, it might be necessary to conduct additional research or reevaluate certain aspects of the study to address these concerns.

Throughout this process, I maintain a collaborative approach, emphasizing the shared goal of improving user experience and meeting business objectives. Ultimately, by fostering an environment of mutual respect and understanding, we can work together to find solutions that best serve the needs of both users and the organization.”

8. What tools and software have you used to conduct user research and analyze the results?

Employers want to gauge your familiarity and proficiency with the tools of the trade, as well as your adaptability to new software and methodologies. This question helps them understand your experience in conducting user research and analyzing results, which ultimately saves time and resources for the company. Showcasing your skills with these tools demonstrates your ability to extract valuable insights and contribute effectively to the user experience design process.

Example: “Throughout my career as a user researcher, I have utilized various tools and software to conduct research and analyze results effectively. For remote usability testing, I’ve used platforms like UserTesting and Lookback, which allow me to observe users interacting with prototypes or live products in real-time while recording their feedback.

When it comes to surveys and questionnaires, I rely on tools such as SurveyMonkey and Google Forms for collecting quantitative data from participants. These tools offer robust analytics features that help me identify trends and patterns in the responses.

For qualitative analysis, I use affinity diagramming techniques and software like Optimal Workshop’s Reframer to organize and synthesize insights gathered from interviews, focus groups, and open-ended survey questions. This approach helps me uncover key themes and pain points, ultimately informing design decisions and improving the overall user experience.”

9. Describe your process for recruiting participants for user research studies.

Recruiting the right participants is a critical aspect of user research, as it ensures that the insights gathered are relevant and valuable to the project at hand. Interviewers want to know if you have a well-thought-out approach to selecting and engaging participants, which ultimately demonstrates your ability to plan and execute successful user research studies. Your process should reflect an understanding of the target users, methods to reach them, and how to motivate them to participate in the study.

Example: “When recruiting participants for user research studies, I start by defining the target audience based on the project’s objectives and requirements. This involves creating a detailed profile of the ideal participant, including demographics, psychographics, and any other relevant criteria.

Once the target audience is defined, I use various recruitment methods to reach potential participants. These may include using existing customer databases, social media platforms, online forums, or partnering with specialized recruitment agencies. To ensure a diverse and representative sample, I often employ multiple channels to cast a wider net.

After identifying potential participants, I screen them through questionnaires or interviews to verify their suitability for the study. This helps in selecting individuals who closely match the desired profile and can provide valuable insights. Finally, I communicate the details of the study to the selected participants, such as the purpose, format, duration, and incentives, ensuring they are well-informed and engaged throughout the process.”

10. How do you ensure participant privacy and ethical considerations during user research?

When it comes to user research, maintaining participant privacy and adhering to ethical guidelines are of utmost importance. Interviewers want to know that you, as a researcher, are committed to protecting your participants’ personal information and treating them with respect. Demonstrating your understanding of ethical considerations and how you implement them in your research process helps establish trust with the company and shows that you prioritize the well-being of research participants.

Example: “Ensuring participant privacy and ethical considerations during user research is of utmost importance. To achieve this, I start by obtaining informed consent from all participants before conducting any research activities. This involves clearly explaining the purpose of the study, what their participation entails, and how their data will be used and protected.

During the research process, I anonymize all collected data to protect participants’ identities. This includes removing personally identifiable information (PII) and assigning unique codes or pseudonyms for each participant. Additionally, I store all research data securely using encrypted storage solutions and limit access only to authorized team members involved in the project.

Furthermore, I adhere to relevant industry guidelines and regulations, such as GDPR, when handling personal data. Throughout the entire research process, I maintain open communication with participants, allowing them to ask questions, raise concerns, or withdraw from the study at any time without negative consequences. This approach ensures that my user research practices are both ethically sound and respectful of participants’ privacy.”

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12. Have you ever conducted remote user research? If so, what challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?

Remote user research has become increasingly important as technology and global collaboration continues to grow. Interviewers want to know if you have experience in this area and how you’ve tackled the unique challenges it presents. This question helps them assess your adaptability, problem-solving skills, and ability to innovate when faced with obstacles in the ever-changing landscape of user research.

Example: “Yes, I have conducted remote user research on several occasions, particularly during the recent shift to remote work due to the pandemic. One of the main challenges I faced was ensuring effective communication and engagement with participants. To overcome this, I made sure to use clear instructions and visual aids when necessary, as well as providing ample opportunities for participants to ask questions or seek clarification.

Another challenge was managing technical issues that arose during remote sessions, such as unstable internet connections or difficulties with screen sharing. To mitigate these issues, I always conducted a thorough test run before each session to identify potential problems and ensure all tools were functioning properly. Additionally, I prepared backup plans in case of unexpected disruptions, like having an alternative video conferencing platform ready or rescheduling the session if needed.

These strategies helped me maintain the quality of my research while adapting to the unique demands of remote user testing, ultimately allowing me to gather valuable insights and continue driving improvements in product design.”

13. Describe a situation where your research findings led to significant improvements in a product or service.

Understanding the impact of your research is vital in the field of user experience. When you can demonstrate that your findings have led to substantial improvements, you show your ability to turn data into actionable insights. This is the core of a user researcher’s role, and interviewers want to see that your research efforts lead to tangible results, ultimately enhancing the user experience and driving the success of a product or service.

Example: “During my time at a previous company, we were working on redesigning our mobile app to improve user experience. I conducted in-depth interviews and usability tests with a diverse group of users to identify pain points and areas for improvement. One key finding was that the navigation menu was not intuitive, causing confusion and frustration among users.

Based on this insight, I collaborated with the design team to restructure the navigation menu, grouping related features together and using more descriptive labels. We also introduced visual cues to guide users through the app more effectively. After implementing these changes, we conducted another round of testing to validate our improvements.

The results showed a significant increase in user satisfaction and task completion rates, demonstrating that our research-driven modifications had a positive impact on the overall user experience. This success reinforced the importance of incorporating user feedback into product development and led to the adoption of a more user-centric approach within the organization.”

14. How do you present your research findings to non-technical stakeholders in a clear and concise manner?

Effective communication is essential for a user researcher, as it ensures your findings and recommendations are understood and implemented by your team and other stakeholders. Interviewers want to know if you can break down complex concepts and present them in a way that non-technical team members can easily grasp, ultimately leading to better decision-making and product development.

Example: “When presenting research findings to non-technical stakeholders, I focus on making the information easily digestible and relevant to their interests. First, I identify the key insights from my research that directly impact the stakeholder’s goals or concerns. This helps me tailor the presentation to address their specific needs.

To convey these insights effectively, I use clear language and avoid jargon, ensuring that everyone can understand the concepts being discussed. Visual aids, such as graphs, charts, and infographics, are particularly helpful in illustrating complex data points in a more accessible way. Additionally, I provide real-world examples or user stories to help stakeholders connect with the findings on a personal level.

Throughout the presentation, I encourage questions and feedback, fostering an open dialogue that allows for clarification and deeper understanding. Ultimately, my goal is to ensure that stakeholders walk away with a clear grasp of the research outcomes and how they can be applied to drive informed decision-making within the organization.”

15. What role does empathy play in your approach to user research?

Empathy is the cornerstone of effective user research because it allows you to better understand users’ perspectives, needs, and pain points. By asking about the role of empathy in your approach, interviewers are trying to gauge your ability to connect with users, ensure their experiences and feelings are considered, and ultimately translate those insights into actionable improvements for the product or service. This question also provides insight into your soft skills and your ability to approach research from a human-centered perspective.

Example: “Empathy plays a central role in my approach to user research, as it allows me to genuinely understand users’ needs, motivations, and pain points. When conducting interviews or observing users interacting with a product, I make an effort to put myself in their shoes and see the situation from their perspective. This helps me identify potential barriers they may face and uncover insights that might not be apparent through data analysis alone.

Furthermore, empathy enables me to communicate my findings effectively to the design and development teams. By presenting user stories and experiences in a relatable manner, I can help team members grasp the importance of addressing specific issues and prioritize improvements based on real user needs. Ultimately, incorporating empathy into my user research process leads to more informed decisions and better-designed products that truly resonate with the target audience.”

16. How do you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in user research?

Staying current in your field is essential to delivering the best possible results for your company. By asking about your methods for staying informed on trends and best practices in user research, interviewers want to ensure that you are proactive in your professional development and that you will bring the most cutting-edge techniques and knowledge to their organization. This reflects a dedication to your craft and a commitment to continuous improvement.

Example: “To stay current with the latest trends and best practices in user research, I actively engage in professional development activities. First, I subscribe to industry-leading blogs, newsletters, and podcasts that provide insights into new methodologies, tools, and case studies. This helps me learn from other professionals’ experiences and apply their knowledge to my own work.

Furthermore, I participate in online forums and social media groups dedicated to user research, where I can discuss ideas, ask questions, and share resources with fellow researchers. Attending conferences and workshops is another way I keep up-to-date, as they offer opportunities to network with experts, attend presentations on cutting-edge topics, and gain hands-on experience through interactive sessions. These combined efforts ensure that I am always aware of the evolving landscape of user research and can implement the most effective strategies for my projects.”

17. Can you discuss your experience working with cross-functional teams, such as designers, developers, and product managers?

Collaboration is key in user research, as your findings and insights will ultimately guide the work of other team members. Interviewers want to know that you’re comfortable working with professionals from different disciplines and can effectively communicate your research findings to inform their decisions. Demonstrating your ability to collaborate, share insights, and adapt to different perspectives will show you’re a valuable team player who can contribute to a successful product development process.

Example: “Throughout my career as a user researcher, I have had the opportunity to work closely with cross-functional teams comprising designers, developers, and product managers. This collaboration is essential for creating products that meet user needs and expectations while aligning with business goals.

One notable project involved redesigning a mobile app’s onboarding process. As the lead user researcher, I conducted usability tests and gathered feedback from users. I then shared these insights with the design team, who used them to create wireframes and prototypes. During this iterative process, we held regular meetings with developers and product managers to discuss feasibility, technical constraints, and alignment with overall product strategy. This open communication allowed us to address any concerns early in the development process, ensuring a smooth transition from design to implementation.

Working with cross-functional teams has taught me the importance of clear communication, empathy, and understanding each team member’s perspective. It has also reinforced the value of incorporating diverse viewpoints into the decision-making process, ultimately leading to more effective and user-centric solutions.”

18. Describe a time when you had to balance conflicting stakeholder requirements during a user research project.

Understanding how to manage and balance conflicting requirements is a key skill for a user researcher. The interviewer wants to know if you can navigate the complexities of diverse stakeholder opinions while ensuring the integrity of your research and prioritizing user needs. Your response should demonstrate your ability to find common ground, compromise, and communicate effectively with multiple parties to achieve the best outcome for the project.

Example: “During a previous project, I was tasked with conducting user research for an e-commerce website redesign. The marketing team wanted to focus on increasing customer engagement and driving sales through promotions and personalized recommendations, while the product team prioritized improving site navigation and simplifying the checkout process.

To balance these conflicting requirements, I first organized a meeting with both teams to discuss their objectives and understand their perspectives. Then, I designed a comprehensive research plan that included various methods such as usability testing, surveys, and interviews to gather insights on both aspects of the redesign. This allowed me to collect data on user preferences regarding promotional content and personalization, as well as feedback on the overall user experience and ease of use.

After analyzing the findings, I presented my results to both teams, highlighting areas where their goals aligned and suggesting compromises in areas where they diverged. For example, we agreed to incorporate personalized recommendations but also streamline the navigation menu to ensure a seamless user experience. Ultimately, this collaborative approach helped us create a more balanced design that addressed the needs of both stakeholders while keeping the end-users’ best interests at heart.”

19. How do you measure the success of your user research efforts?

Understanding how to measure the success of user research is essential because it demonstrates your ability to evaluate the impact your work has on a product or service. Employers want a user researcher who can not only gather valuable insights but also effectively assess the outcomes and make data-driven decisions to improve the user experience. Your ability to measure success also shows that you’re results-oriented and committed to making a meaningful contribution to the company.

Example: “Measuring the success of user research efforts involves evaluating both the process and the outcomes. For the process, I assess how well we’ve engaged with users throughout the research, ensuring that we’ve gathered diverse perspectives and maintained open communication channels. This includes tracking participation rates, response quality, and feedback from participants.

For the outcomes, I focus on the impact our findings have on product development and overall user experience. Success is evident when insights from the research are effectively translated into design improvements or new features that address user needs and pain points. To measure this, I collaborate with the product team to track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as user satisfaction scores, task completion rates, and usage metrics. Ultimately, the success of user research efforts can be seen in improved user experiences, increased engagement, and positive feedback from end-users.”

20. What strategies do you use to encourage open communication and collaboration within your team?

A successful user researcher must not only collect and analyze data but also work closely with their team to share findings and insights. Interviewers ask this question to gauge your ability to foster a positive, collaborative environment where team members feel comfortable exchanging ideas, discussing challenges, and working together to enhance the user experience. Demonstrating your ability to promote open communication and collaboration is vital for ensuring that your research has a meaningful impact on the product or service you’re working on.

Example: “To foster open communication and collaboration within my team, I first establish a culture of trust and psychological safety. This involves encouraging team members to share their thoughts and ideas without fear of judgment or negative consequences. One way I do this is by conducting regular check-ins and retrospectives where everyone has an opportunity to voice their opinions and provide feedback on the project.

Another strategy I use is promoting active listening among team members. During meetings and discussions, I emphasize the importance of giving each person the chance to speak and be heard. I also encourage asking clarifying questions and paraphrasing what others have said to ensure understanding. This approach not only helps in building rapport but also leads to more effective collaboration as it ensures that everyone’s perspectives are considered during decision-making processes.”

21. Have you ever conducted user research for a product or service targeting an international audience? If so, what challenges did you face?

Gauging your experience with international audiences helps interviewers determine your ability to adapt research methodologies to diverse cultural contexts. User research for global products or services requires an understanding of how cultural differences might affect user behavior, preferences, and expectations. Addressing these complexities is vital in ensuring the research findings are accurate, relevant, and actionable for the target audience.

Example: “Yes, I have conducted user research for a mobile app targeting an international audience. One of the main challenges I faced was addressing language and cultural differences among users from various countries. To overcome this challenge, I collaborated with local researchers who had a deep understanding of the target market’s culture and language. This helped ensure that our research methods were culturally sensitive and appropriate.

Another challenge was coordinating and conducting remote user testing sessions across different time zones. To manage this effectively, I created a flexible schedule that accommodated participants’ availability and used video conferencing tools to facilitate communication during the sessions. Despite these challenges, the insights gained from the research proved invaluable in shaping the product’s design and functionality to better cater to the diverse needs of its international user base.”

22. Describe your experience with accessibility and inclusive design in user research.

Inclusive design and accessibility are critical components of creating products and services that can be used by as many people as possible. Interviewers want to know if you have experience considering the needs of diverse users, including those with disabilities, and how you’ve incorporated that understanding into your research process. This demonstrates your commitment to creating user experiences that are not only effective but also equitable and accessible for all.

Example: “During my time as a user researcher, I have been actively involved in projects that prioritize accessibility and inclusive design. One such project was the development of an e-learning platform for people with varying abilities. Our goal was to create an accessible and engaging learning experience for all users.

To achieve this, we conducted extensive research on best practices for accessibility and inclusive design, including studying guidelines like WCAG 2.1. We then incorporated these principles into our research plan by recruiting participants with diverse backgrounds and abilities, ensuring that our sample represented a wide range of user needs. During usability testing sessions, we used assistive technologies such as screen readers and alternative input devices to better understand how different users interacted with the platform.

The insights gathered from this research allowed us to identify areas where the platform could be improved to better accommodate users with disabilities. As a result, we made several adjustments to the interface, such as increasing color contrast, providing text alternatives for images, and simplifying navigation. Ultimately, our commitment to accessibility and inclusive design led to a more usable and enjoyable product for all users, regardless of their abilities.”

23. How do you handle negative feedback from participants during usability testing sessions?

When hiring for a user researcher role, employers want to ensure that you have the ability to maintain professionalism and composure when faced with criticism or negative feedback. Understanding how you approach such situations will help them gauge your ability to handle challenges, extract valuable insights from the feedback, and turn it into actionable improvements for the product or service.

Example: “When receiving negative feedback from participants during usability testing sessions, I view it as an opportunity to gain valuable insights into areas that need improvement. My primary focus is to create a comfortable environment for the participant, ensuring they feel heard and respected.

I start by actively listening to their concerns without interrupting or becoming defensive. Then, I ask follow-up questions to better understand the root cause of their frustration and gather specific details about the issue. This approach not only helps me collect more accurate data but also demonstrates empathy towards the participant, which can help alleviate any tension in the session.

Once the session is over, I analyze the negative feedback alongside other findings to identify patterns and prioritize recommendations for improvements. Ultimately, addressing these issues contributes to creating a better user experience, which is the main goal of my role as a User Researcher.”

24. Can you provide an example of how you’ve used qualitative data to inform your user research?

Diving into the minds of users is a critical component of user research, and qualitative data offers a rich, in-depth understanding of their experiences, needs, and preferences. Interviewers want to ensure that you can effectively incorporate qualitative insights into your research process, using it to shape hypotheses, design decisions, and product improvements that ultimately drive better user experiences.

Example: “Certainly, in a previous project, we were tasked with improving the user experience of an e-commerce website. We had quantitative data from web analytics that showed high bounce rates and low conversion rates on certain pages, but it didn’t provide enough context to understand why users were leaving or not completing their purchases.

To gather qualitative data, I conducted semi-structured interviews with a diverse group of target users. During these interviews, I asked open-ended questions about their experiences navigating the website, making product selections, and going through the checkout process. This allowed me to identify common pain points and frustrations, such as difficulty finding specific products due to unclear categorization and confusion around shipping options during checkout.

The insights gained from this qualitative research helped us prioritize design improvements based on actual user needs and preferences. As a result, we made changes to the site’s navigation structure, improved product filtering options, and clarified shipping information at the beginning of the checkout process. These updates led to a significant decrease in bounce rates and an increase in conversion rates, demonstrating the value of incorporating qualitative data into our user research efforts.”

25. What is your approach to conducting competitive analysis as part of your user research process?

Understanding your approach to competitive analysis is essential to gauging your ability to think critically about the market and identify trends, strengths, and weaknesses in competitors’ products. This helps your potential employer assess how well you can contribute to the development of innovative and user-centered products that outshine the competition and meet the needs of the target audience.

Example: “When conducting competitive analysis as part of the user research process, my approach involves identifying key competitors and analyzing their products or services to understand their strengths and weaknesses. I start by defining the criteria for comparison, which may include factors such as usability, functionality, aesthetics, and overall user experience.

Once the criteria are established, I gather data on each competitor through various methods like exploring their websites, using their products or services, reading customer reviews, and examining any available case studies or whitepapers. This helps me gain insights into what works well and where there might be opportunities for improvement in our own product.

After collecting and analyzing the data, I synthesize my findings into a comprehensive report that highlights the main takeaways and recommendations for our team. This information not only informs our design decisions but also helps us better understand the market landscape and position our product more effectively against the competition.”

26. Have you ever had to pivot your research focus based on unexpected findings? If so, describe the situation and how you handled it.

The unpredictable nature of user research means that sometimes, unexpected findings can emerge. Interviewers ask this question to gauge your adaptability and ability to shift your research focus when necessary. They want to ensure you can handle changes in the research process, make informed decisions, and ultimately, provide valuable insights to help improve products, services, or user experiences.

Example: “Yes, I have experienced a situation where unexpected findings led to a pivot in research focus. I was working on a project aimed at improving the user experience of an e-commerce website’s checkout process. Our initial hypothesis was that users were abandoning their carts due to a lengthy and complicated checkout flow.

As we began conducting usability tests and interviews, we discovered that while the checkout process did contribute to cart abandonment, there was another significant issue: many users found it difficult to locate specific products on the website. This unexpected finding indicated that the site’s navigation and search functionality needed improvement as well.

Upon discovering this, I communicated these insights to the project stakeholders and recommended that we shift our research focus to address both the checkout process and the product discovery issues. We then conducted additional research, including card sorting exercises and tree testing, to better understand how users expected to navigate the site. Ultimately, this pivot allowed us to develop more comprehensive recommendations for improving the overall user experience, leading to increased customer satisfaction and reduced cart abandonment rates.”

27. How do you ensure that your research insights are actionable and relevant to the project goals?

It’s critical for user researchers to translate their findings into practical, actionable insights that can directly inform design and development decisions. Interviewers want to ensure that you not only have the skills to gather valuable data but also have the ability to analyze and present your findings in a way that aligns with the project’s objectives and supports the team in creating better user experiences. Demonstrating this ability indicates that you can effectively contribute to the product’s success.

Example: “To ensure that my research insights are actionable and relevant to the project goals, I start by aligning my research objectives with the overall project objectives. This involves collaborating closely with stakeholders, such as product managers, designers, and developers, to understand their needs and expectations from the research.

Once the research is conducted, I focus on synthesizing the data into clear, concise findings that directly address the project goals. I prioritize these findings based on their potential impact on the project and present them in a way that highlights the implications for design or strategy decisions. Additionally, I provide specific recommendations backed by evidence from the research, making it easier for the team to implement changes and improvements.

Throughout this process, maintaining open communication with the project team is essential. Regularly sharing updates and discussing preliminary insights helps keep everyone informed and ensures that the final research deliverables remain aligned with the project’s evolving requirements. This collaborative approach ultimately leads to more effective and relevant research outcomes that drive meaningful improvements in the end product.”

28. Describe a time when you had to advocate for the importance of user research within your organization.

Advocating for user research is a key part of the role, as it demonstrates your passion for creating meaningful and effective user experiences. Hiring managers want to know that you’re not only skilled at conducting research but also capable of communicating its value to stakeholders and decision-makers. Your ability to champion user research can make the difference between a product that meets user needs and one that misses the mark.

Example: “At my previous company, we were working on a major redesign of our mobile app. The initial plan was to make design changes based on internal feedback and industry trends without conducting user research. I felt strongly that incorporating user insights would lead to a more successful outcome, so I advocated for the importance of user research within the project team.

I presented a case to the stakeholders by highlighting the potential risks of not involving users in the process, such as increased development costs due to rework or lower user satisfaction with the redesigned app. I also shared examples of other companies that had successfully implemented user-centered design approaches and demonstrated tangible benefits from their investments in user research.

As a result, the management agreed to allocate resources for user research activities. We conducted interviews, usability tests, and surveys to gather valuable insights into user needs and preferences. This information helped us make informed decisions throughout the redesign process, ultimately leading to an improved user experience and higher adoption rates for the updated app.”

29. What role does user research play in the overall product development lifecycle?

User research is the backbone of creating user-centric products, and interviewers want to know you understand its significance in the product development lifecycle. Your perspective on how user research informs product design, development, testing, and iteration demonstrates your ability to use research insights to enhance user experiences and contribute to the success of the product.

Example: “User research plays a critical role in the product development lifecycle, as it helps ensure that products are designed and built to meet users’ needs and expectations. It is an integral part of the process from the initial concept stage through to post-launch evaluation.

During the early stages of product development, user research helps identify target users, their pain points, and their requirements. This information guides the creation of user personas and informs design decisions. As the product moves into the design phase, user research techniques such as usability testing, interviews, and surveys help validate design choices and uncover potential issues before they become costly problems during development. Finally, after the product launch, ongoing user research allows for continuous improvement by identifying areas where users may still be experiencing difficulties or where new features could enhance the overall experience. In summary, user research ensures that the product remains user-centric throughout its entire lifecycle, ultimately leading to higher user satisfaction and better business outcomes.”

30. How do you balance the need for thorough research with the fast-paced nature of agile development environments?

Finding the right balance between detailed user research and the quick turnaround required in agile development is a crucial skill for user researchers. Interviewers want to ensure that you can deliver valuable insights to the development team without compromising the speed of the project. Your ability to adapt and prioritize research tasks under tight deadlines will be essential for the team’s success in creating effective user-centric products.

Example: “Balancing thorough research with the fast-paced nature of agile development environments requires a combination of flexibility and prioritization. First, I focus on identifying the most critical research questions that will have the greatest impact on the project’s success. This allows me to prioritize my efforts and ensure that the most important insights are gathered in a timely manner.

To maintain agility, I employ lean research methods such as rapid usability testing, guerrilla testing, or short surveys, which can provide valuable insights quickly without sacrificing quality. Additionally, I collaborate closely with the product team throughout the development process, sharing findings and iterating on designs as new information becomes available. This continuous feedback loop helps keep the entire team aligned and informed, allowing us to make data-driven decisions while maintaining momentum in our agile environment.”

30 Assembly Line Worker Interview Questions and Answers

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A Cheatsheet for User Interview and Follow Ups Questions

When I prepare user interviews (or usability tests), I end up coming back to the same resources again. I decided to put them all in one single place. If you follow this blog, you know it’s also kind of my “ public bookmarks of resources” and “memos”.  I put together this cheat sheet to help you write interviews and follow up questions for user interview guides and usability test protocols . Those are fragments of questions that should help you get started writing your own questions. I organized them in different categories depending on what type of question I want to ask. This will help you save times with your own questions. You can also check all my a user interview resources . get them as .PDF if you need to print them or want to use those offline.-->

Note that I will not guide you through a whole interview process in this memo. But you will find some resources at the end of the article to dig further.

** last update: March 2023 **

User Interview Questions

User Interview by Christina

Here is a list of helpers I use when I build my user interview questions . I usually prefer to conduct semi structured interviews . It means that I write a guide with the main questions and topics I want to ask about. But I might not totally follow this guide and dig into topics that users will bring up while talking to them. This makes it feel more like a conversation than guided interviews do. Even if I record/have a note taker, I like to take my own notes during the interview. This let’s me ask follow up questions on what the user said later. I also usually ask a few questions during usability tests, so here again, those questions are handy.

Those questions are for the core of the interview outside of your screener, demographic questions.

1. Open discovery questions

To keep the conversation going I want to ask open questions. Those questions are questions that require more than a single word answer (like yes/no). Avoid starting questions by “did you” / “have you” / “were you” and replace them by “why”, “how”, etc.

• “ Tell me about …”
• “ Why do you …”?
• “ What is / are …?”
• “ What … do you use / do ?”
• “ Describe to me how you… / your experience with…?”
• “ How often do you…?” (to ask about frequency and quantity)
• “ How much/many …” (can also be used to probe level of knowledge like “how much do you know about this topic?”)

2. Understanding user tasks / activities

Here are a few starter questions that help me understand how people perform tasks and activities. Most of the time I work on digital product, but those can apply to any type of task or activity.

• “ How do you [task]…?” (direct)
• “ Describe how you would [task]?” (indirect)
• “ What are all the things you need to do and know in order to [task]?”
• Sequence: “ Walk me through the steps, how do you [task]?”
• Comparison: “ What is the difference between [task 1] and [other task]?”

3. Performing / showing

User interviews don’t have to be limited to questions you can also ask people to perform tasks.

• “ Show me how you  [task]“ ask them to perform the task, share their screen, etc.
• Role playing: “ Let’s pretend I’m a colleague who knows nothing about [task]. Guide me so that I could do it myself afterwards” (a friend of mine likes to use “explain to me like I’m a five years old”, I like the idea but it might not be good in some situations ^^)

4. Talking about problems and pain points

Part of my job is to understand issues and pain points in order to try to solve them. Here are some questions that help.

• “How does this problem impact you ?”
• ” How did you solve / get around that issue?”
• “What’s the hardest / most frustrating part about …?”
• “If you had a magic wand, what would you change ?”

5. Opinions / points of view / attitude and projections

Those questions usually help me ask about opinions. Still you need to bear in mind that opinion questions are highly susceptible to some biases. For example: like courtesy bias is “the tendency to give an opinion that is more socially correct than one’s true opinion, so as to avoid offending anyone”.

• “ What do you think about …?”
• “ What do you like/dislike about…?”
• “What would your friend/partner/colleague think of that ?
• “Some people …, other …, what is your opinion on that ?”
• Variant: “Last week I interviewed people who did // said … What do you think of that idea // how do you feel about this approach?

Note: if you want to learn more (and raise awareness within your team) about cognitive biases , Laurence and I created a set of “ 52 UX Cards to Discover Cognitive Biases ”. You can download the cards for free and print them. There’s a special category called “Interview & user testing” where we select some of the biases that might influence users during your research.

6. Recalling the past / anticipating the future

You can ask people about events in the past. Be careful though: any event prior to a few days in the past might be distorted . People are Lazy, Forgetful Creatures of Habit . Also note that people have a hard time projecting in the future so, again, treat the replies to those kinds of questions accordingly. More on that in Rikka’s article about why collective past behavior in interviews works better .

• “Please recall a situation when you …, what did you do ?”
• “ Tell me about your most significant/ memorable experience/interaction with…?”
• “How do you think … is going to help you?”
• “Describe to me the ideal product / experience…?”

7. Sentence completion and drawing

Last but not least I sometimes ask people to complete a sentence . I also ask them to draw something like a process, how they recall the interface, etc. Some people are more visual thinkers than others so it can really help. How many times did you end up in a conversation where someone just said “wait let me show you” and started drawing a chart to explain to you? 🙂

Neurodivergence cultural differences with polite “could you” questions and the difficulty of predicting one’s own future.

I had interesting discussions on how some of those open ended questions might be hard to answer for some neurodivergent users , including autistic people. I honestly need to dig further in that topic. I had discussions on twitter on how a polite “could/can you show me” question might be answered by “yes I can” by some people who might not get that the “could/can” is mostly politeness.

Elizabeth Kirt added some interesting information in her LinkedIn comment that I will paraphrase here:

“I would have a hard time with a lot of these on the spot. A ny kind of open ended question can be really difficult. Hypothetical , especially ones not based on reality, are going to cause some of us to struggle. It would be easier to show rather than discuss out loud. And I have no idea how to anticipate the future . Asking me what someone else think about could be skipped”.

I like her advice on how to mitigate that :

“If you see a candidate struggle then try to switch to more fact based and practice experience based questions . Or allow them to actually demonstrate.”

This goes into the same direction as Erika Hall’s article on surveys where she warns us about how difficult it might be to recall the past and predict future for users:

“If you ask about something that happened too far back in time, you are going to get a low quality answer. And especially, never ask people to make a prediction of their own future behavior. They will make that prediction based on wishful thinking or social desirability”

Participants answering “yes” I can to a polite “could you show me” question might also happen due to cultural differences or language barriers . I’m French, we use a lot the “please could you do X” to be polite, because “do X” is too directive. But, it’s not the case for all languages. So, if English isn’t the participant’s native language, they might not grasp the nuance of the question.

Bottom line: be careful with category 4 and 5 and over politeness when asking questions, especially if you know your target audience might be neurodivergent, on the spectrum, or if English isn’t their native language. Knowing your audience is key when interviewing users. I always advise juniors and mentees to adapt to their audience. After all, an interview script is just a guide, you don’t need to follow it word for word. The goal is to have a solid base, and adapt if needed. Don’t also hesitate to follow-up and rephrase the question if needed, while still putting the participant at ease.

Follow Up Questions

User Interview by UX Indonesia

For the rest of this part, [ xxx ] will be “something the person said”.

Follow-up questions are asked in the middle of the interview to dig further in a topic the person just mentioned. But they can also be asked at the end to come back to a specific topic. Especially if you didn’t want to interrupt the thoughts of the person you are interviewing.

As mentioned before, follow-up questions are the reason I take notes during an interview even if I have someone else taking notes and a recording. I write down verbatim (user quotes) that peaked my interest and that I want to come back to later.

1. Bouncing back

Those follow-ups help me bounce back on what people said and sometimes let met ask for clarification

• “You mentioned [ xxx ], ( can you) tell me more about it?”
• “That’s interesting. Could you elaborate on that / give me an example? ”
• “ What do you mean by [ xxx ]?”

2. Digging further

The beauty of interviews is that you sometimes get nice surprises when people bring up topics you didn’t think about. Those sentences let me come back and dig a little bit further in those topics.

• “ Why ”, yes, the all powerful why, as simple as that.
• “ How come? ” also works
• “You mentioned [ xxx ], what’s the reason for that? ”

3. Asking for clarification

Sometimes I ask for clarification to get more information on a topic. But sometimes I also need more information to understand the context. Especially when the interview is about a complex business process I don’t fully master.

• What did you mean by [ xxx ] ?

4. Rephrasing / interpreting / mirroring

Those sentences help me check if I understood correctly . They also let me give a gentle nudge to again, dig a little bit further a specific topic I am interested in:

• “Sooooo, you are saying that [ xxx ] ?” + wait
• “It sounds like you are saying [ xxx ], is that correct / did I understand correctly?”
• Mirroring: repeat part of the sentence with a question mark. For example: “I had problems using that part, I didn’t understand what the button did, it was quite frustrating for me ” would become “ hum, frustrating? ” (you need to convey the question mark when you talk). Usually this helps dig further into a feeling.

5. Recalling past experience

In the interview questions I sometimes ask directly to recall past events. But this method can also be used as a follow-up question.

• “Please give me / think of an example of [ xxx ]?”
• “ Show me how you did [ xxx ]?” (if you can ask them to show them their screen and do the task for example)

6. One Last Thing?

After I thank the person, I usually finish the interview with an open question. This the user talks about a topic I might not have thought about when preparing the guide.

• “Is there anything you would like to add ?”
• “ Would you like to talk about a specific topic before we finish?”
• “Any questions you would like to ask me about the project?”

Most of the people will say no. So I wait. Then they think a little bit and actually have things to add. So here again, don’t underestimate the power of silence, don’t turn the recorder off. A lot of people will give you interesting feedback once the interview is “finished” . They are more relaxed and might speak more freely. Especially at the end of the interview. Wait… a little bit. Usually the “no” turns into a “actually” + interesting conversation about a point you didn’t cover in your interview.

7. The Power of Silence

Silence is powerful. An interview is about actively listening. The person you interview might sometimes need time to collect their thoughts. Wait for the person to complete or continue. It might feel awkward but it’s powerful. Most people will say no. Wait… a little bit. Usually the “no” turns into a “actually” + interesting conversation about a point you didn’t cover in your interview. If you struggle with this, my fun advice: count in your head, the same way you count when lightening strikes: 1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippis… up to 5 Mississippis. Eventually, you will get more comfortable with silence.

Get my cheatsheet in .PDF format

Get the Cheatsheet in .PDF

User Interview Workshop

Next year, I will launch a workshop to help people get better at user interview. The workshop will be online and use my brand new “user interview” cards and build upon this content.

We will have some hands on practical exercises to help you:

• build a user interview guide
• get comfortable with interviewing people and asking follow-up questions
• take notes (in case you are the note taker of the interview for a colleague)

You can register your interest here (this list will only be used for that, you won’t get  the newsletter or anything else)

Let me know when the workshop is ready!

Going further: books and references

From the real Experts, by Rita Morais

If you want to read further, here are a few books and resources that should help you.

You can start by checking my list of Selected Books on Design, User eXperience, Mobile, Accessibility & more where you can find

• “ Just Enough Research – Erika Hall” she has a whole chapter on interviews and great advice
• If you speak French, Méthodes de design UX (2ed 2018) – Dr Carine Lallemand”

There a few online guide with lists of questions that can also help you

• Sarah Doody’s “ Free Guide: 35 User Research Interview Questions ” (PDF)
• The “ Starter questions for User research interviews (PDF direct download) ” from harvard ux group
• Also the “ Some Strategies for Developing Interview Guides (PDF direct download)” also from harvard ux group

Articles and online resources:

• 12 Ways To Improve User Interview Questions
• User Research Methods : usability.gov still has some of the best resources around interviews and testing
• Interviewing for research
• User Interviews: How, When, and Why to Conduct Them
• 16 tips for better user interviews
• A Guide to Interviewing Users
• User Interviews – a guide to user interview, by, user interviews
• How to ask questions like a UX Researcher
• The Optimizer’s Guide to Conducting User Interviews & Analyzing the Data
• How to write a generative interview guide and  17 Pro Tips to Perfect One-on-One Interviews by Nikki Anderson

Lists of questions:

• Maze has an interesting question bank
• User Interview Example Questions – Yale University

Okay, what do I do with all that data?

Last but not least, if you want to learn more about User Research, User Experience Design what to do with all the information you gathered during the interview, I brought a few resources together in the form of an article, some slides and a “UX Starter Kit and a User Research Starter Crash Course”

Read the UX Starter Crash Course Article

Other articles you might enjoy:

• My Expert Guide to User Interviews
• A User Research and UX Design Starter Kit
• User Experience – Starter Crash Course for Startups
• 80+ UX, psychology and product design blogs & people to follow
• An Introduction to User Journey Map + free User Journey Map Templates

Published on 9 June 2020

in Expert UX Templates & Resources

By Stéphanie Walter

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