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The value of UX research is yet to be recognized.
In the era of digital experience, human lives have become equally easier and miserable than ever before. Who would you give credit to?
Is it Design? Engineering? High stakeholders?
Well none of them is responsible for the product’s miserable experience. We all are doing our best to give life to the product but unknowingly overlook UX research. For many decades, organizations have invested in market research which develops an understanding of user behavior patterns, market trends, and competitor analysis. But when it comes to developing a deeper understanding of the end users, UX research is a valuable investment.
It looks value of UX research is yet to be recognized which often worries me. Studies like contextual inquiries, generative research, cultural probes, and many invaluable social research studies are side-parked despite having immense potential to enhance user experience.
Today, products are often developed on assumptions/ hypotheses extracted from marketing research to kick-start the project, but it happens so aggressively that the definition phase is completely chopped off from the UX process. Technically “assumptions/ hypotheses” need to be validated by UX researchers in the definition phase in order to define the problem but unfortunately, very few organizations realized the importance of UX research studies that will genuinely and strategically provide a deeper level of understanding about the end users.
Another technology is growing rapidly which is called data analysis. It is a great tool used by the consumer insights team, and data analysts to understand the behavior pattern of end users but it cannot reveal the WHY behind the behavior pattern. Here, conducting user research studies could contextualize the user’s environment, pain points, needs, and expectations.
Emotions such as joy, frustration, confusion, expectations, needs, and wants on the product could be revealed much more contextually and efficiently through UX research rather than by just relying on marketing research and data analysis, AI, ML, ChatGPT, etc.
You might be thinking if there is any solid evidence of UX research capabilities that contribute to the product’s success.
