As stated, UX, (User Experience) is all about strategising the design of a digital product or service to fit the needs of users.

UX research is where you start in this process, and it's all about understanding the users that you’re designing a product for.

UX research will also inform how your existing website is serving user needs and uncover opportunities to optimise your website by addressing user pain points on your site.

Hot Tip: In a nutshell, UX Research helps inform digital design decisions and ensure that your website is not only meeting but exceeding expectations for users.

Why do UX Research

One of the most significant motivations for any business to invest in user experience research is that it will save a lot of money on development and marketing costs.

For example: Figuring out the genuine needs and experience expectations a customer wanting to book flights on a desktop website vs a mobile app is all part of UX research and will inform how each platform should be designed for better conversion.

Instead, of guessing, assuming or designing a website or app based on opinion; research uncovers the actual needs of users and allows you to understand better what design solutions will work for them, so you refrain from wasting website development time and money on features that won’t be valuable to users and therefore will not be a return on investment.

Hot Tip: Conducting research ensures you understand and account for user requirements from the beginning – it makes your design experience work for the user experience, not the other way around.

Having a clear user goal from the beginning of a project allows decision making to happen faster and avoids the possibility of rework once you send it live and figure out no one likes the site. For example – If you know upfront from your user testing that customers struggled to find your store location, you’ll know in the website design you need to increase the visibility of your location information and even use a Google map.

How does UX Research Save Business Costs

When you kick off research, you’ll usually start with your Google Analytics data and see how users are currently using the website.

For example, just say your analytics uncover that users on your website are constantly choosing the click-to-call option because they don’t understand how something works or how to find the information they need, the UX research output would suggest designs include things like contextual help or a new way to present the information that is clearer to users, so that they don’t call – FYI call centers cost a lot of money!

Your business would then save money by not having to have as many call centre representatives.

Why Research benefits users and conversion

I am sure it is no surprise to you that today, customers have ever-growing expectations for positive experiences with products and services via digital platforms – meaning the more technology advances, the higher the expectation for a positive experience and the less tolerance for the mediocre.

Hot Tip: Providing a baseline of a good experience online is no longer acceptable, but rather the expectedminimum.

UX studies show that users are willing to leave a website within 5 seconds if they have trouble finding what they’re looking for or they run into a usability problem such as a page loading too slow.

Ensuring ease of use for all online channels means customers are less likely to go to a competitor for the same service.

6 Key Outputs from UX Research

1. Identify the preferred features and tools that enhance a customer’s ability to find their desired products/services on your website
2. Discover what is the appropriate level of information and visual imagery required to be able to learn about your websites products or services, before they progress with confidence. (i.e What influences their decision making?)
3. Gain insight into the appropriate level of personalisation users expect to find on a website that influences their experience and enquiries with your website and business
4. Identify pain points experienced during the information and product discovery process throughout your website
5. Identify what methods of content presentation best aid understanding of what your business and website offers – i.e. value proposition, location information and product offering
6. Gain insight into the preferred devices and experiences across both desktop, and mobile devices

Examples of Exceptional UX

There are lots of examples of companies becoming hugely successful by focusing on providing exceptional user experiences online.

Examples of easy to use sites/apps: 

1. ASOS – Their website allows you to filter via your exact needs, eg- black, knee-length, silk dress in size 6
2. Uber – Their app allows you to book, track, pay and rate all in one smooth easy to figure out interface
3. Qantas – The Qantas website, App & SMS products all sync together seamlessly. From the website you can easily search and book flights, the App allows you to easily check-in, book, and change flights and SMS send your boarding pass right to your phone

Hot Tip: Users who have an easy-to-use, positive experience with your brand, product, or service, are less likely to switch to a competitor. They’re more likely to purchase from you, and they’re also more likely to refer your website to their friends or family.

User experience research helps you uncover opportunities for improvements or new website features that you wouldn’t have otherwise known about, that will allow you to provide more value to your users.

UX words of wisdom from Dana Chisnell from usabilityworks:

“My main piece of advice is that if you want users to love your designs, fall in love with your users. That is, spend as much time as you can understand the experience they are having. Observe them, listen to them, feel their pain. Treat them like experts, and learn from them.