2 User Research and Needs Analysis Free Online FlashCards

What should guide the start of user research?

Begin with a decision the team needs to make, then write questions that uncover relevant behavior and causes before committing to a solution.

What should a practical research plan record?

Record objectives and questions, users and context, methods, recruitment and access, logistics and ethics, and how findings will be analyzed and shared.

How should teams scope research rounds and participant groups?

Focus each round on a manageable set of questions, adapt the plan as evidence accumulates, and include a range of relevant users rather than assuming one person represents everyone.

What can in-depth interviews reveal, and what is their limitation?

In-depth interviews reveal users’ goals, circumstances, motivations, and reported difficulties. Reports may differ from what people actually do.

What can contextual research reveal?

Contextual observation or interviews show what people do in their normal setting, including workarounds, tools, interruptions, and environmental constraints.

What does a moderated usability test help identify?

A moderated usability test shows where people hesitate, misunderstand, or fail while attempting specific tasks with an interface.

When are surveys or quantitative data useful?

Surveys or existing quantitative data can measure how widespread a known behavior or preference is; they are usually less suited to discovering detailed causes.

How can interview questions reduce leading or speculative answers?

Use open, neutral prompts about specific past events, such as “Tell me about the last time you…”. Avoid questions that lead participants toward a particular answer.

What ethical and access steps should precede a research session?

Explain the session and data use, make participation voluntary, and obtain informed consent before recording or collecting personal information. Arrange suitable accessibility support and a setting.

How should researchers conduct observation?

Let the activity unfold naturally and note actions, context, tools, interruptions, and obstacles. Frequent questions can change the behavior being observed.

How do observations differ from inferences?

An observation states what was directly seen or heard; an inference interprets it. For example, reopening instructions is observable, while concluding they were not understood is an inference to investigate.

How should teams synthesize research observations?

Write one specific observation per note, label it by session or participant, group related observations into themes, and check themes against the underlying evidence.