Why do we do user research?
User research is used to uncover any frustrations people have when they use products and services. It focuses on understanding:
- the context people work in
- their behaviour
- what their needs are
We often refer to these people as ‘users’. Users can be residents, businesses, our colleagues, partners, and anyone else who might come into contact with our services.
Some of the methods used to conduct user research include:
- work shadowing
- research interviews
- ethnographic interviews
- observation
- surveys
Why user research is important
One of our Digital Strategy themes is ‘Improving our data and evidence-based decision making’. Part of how we will do this is through speaking regularly with our users.
By listening to them, we can learn more about their needs and any challenges they may have.
User research is a recognised and effective approach that puts people at the heart of decision making. It helps us to ensure that our services are designed to work for everyone.
When user research is done
User research should be the first step in all new projects and continued throughout. It makes sure that we define the correct problem and that we can solve it.
User research is often conducted in phases:
- a Discovery phase gives us a solid foundation of understanding about our users and their experiences
- an Alpha phase is an opportunity to think of ideas for a possible solution and fill in any gaps we may have in our understanding
User research can also be used when we want to test a prototype, a minimum viable product or service, or a live product or service.
The purpose of testing is to find out how a user interacts with a product or service. It can help us identify any issues and understand how we can better meet user needs.
Each time we refine the solution, we want to test it again with our users to see what works and what needs to be improved.
How to advocate for user research
Doing user research helps to ensure:
- that any solution we deliver is going to work for our users
- we reduce the level of risk on the project
- we deliver results quickly and effectively
- we can test and iterate whilst keeping costs low and minimising unnecessary spending
- we design and deliver solutions that are accessible for everyone
- we are making evidence-based decisions
Talking about these benefits will help you to advocate for conducting user research and encourage stakeholders on board.
Bringing stakeholders into user research sessions to observe is invaluable in bringing the experiences of our users to life and demonstrating the value of the approach.
Being able to map evidence against the decisions you have made will ensure that they are robust and reliable.