UX Research: The case for ethnographies and mixed-methods

UX research, in terms of standards, is still the wild wild west. Skip this reading and net here: run ethnographies and mixed-methods when you can.

There are three general types of UX research methods:

• Observational
• Experimental
• Mixed-methods

The fundamental difference between observational and experimental research is that in observational studies, researchers observe how subjects respond to a variable, factor, or intervention without manipulating who is exposed to the condition.

In experimental studies, investigators methodically manipulate one or more variables while holding all other variables constant to study the effects of the manipulation. Study participants are randomly assigned to two or more groups — one of which is a control group.

Observational Research

Observational research methods offer UX professionals piercing insights into how users behave and decide. Causality generally cannot be asserted in observational studies. The insights provided by this method, however, do set a central context from which to practice user-centered design. This predominantly iterative design methodology gives designers and stakeholders insights about the users and their needs along the design process.

Observational studies in UX can be formative or summative in nature. They can also be cross-sectional, cohort, or case-controlled. Which type of study design selected is completely driven by the kind of question the researcher is trying to answer. And even though observational research methods are generally less challenging to design, administer, and analyze when compared to other research methods, there is still a proper and scientific way to do it (Cresswell & Cresswell, 2018).

There are several observational research methods commonly practiced by UX researchers and designers, such as usability tests, focus groups, interviews, diaries, case studies, card sorting, and ethnographies (Lazar et al., 2017; Rohrer, 2014; Shneiderman et al., 2017). Despite these research methodologies being common…