Great products are built on deep user understanding. Here are the research methods that deliver insights.
Qualitative Methods
User Interviews
One-on-one conversations exploring user needs, behaviours, and pain points. Best for deep insights.
Usability Testing
Watch users attempt tasks with your product. Reveals friction points you'd never find yourself.
Contextual Inquiry
Observe users in their natural environment. See how your product fits into their real workflow.
Card Sorting
Users organise content into categories. Reveals how they think about information architecture.
Quantitative Methods
Surveys
Collect data at scale. Good for validating qualitative insights with numbers.
Analytics
What users actually do, not what they say. Track behaviour patterns and drop-off points.
A/B Testing
Compare two versions to see which performs better. Data-driven design decisions.
When to Use What
- Early discovery: Interviews, contextual inquiry
- Design validation: Usability testing, card sorting
- Post-launch: Analytics, surveys, A/B testing
Budget-Friendly Research
Five users find 85% of usability issues. Start small. Something is better than nothing.
Need help with user research? Contact PYCO IT.