I really admire the work of user experience researchers. They are so amazing at what they do.
User experience (UX) researchers focus less on assumptions they have about potential users of their product or service, but more on knowing their needs through research and developing evidence-based solutions to meet their needs.
User experience (UX) researchers are aware of the limitations of depending on one data source, research method, or research type when making decisions about how useful a product/service will be for intended users. They, most of the time, collect data from multiple sources – using interviews, focus groups, A/B testing, usability testing and the like (see: https://lnkd.in/gHgaXd24).
UX researchers are like action researchers. They do not only identify the needs of their users and conduct research to address their needs, but also monitor and assess how users are utilizing the new products and services.
UX researchers are like phenomenologists. They engage in gathering and making sense of users’ experience of their product/services. In other words, they allow users to interact with the product/service as they observe them – collecting behavioral information. Also, they allow users to share their experience – collecting attitudinal information.
This strategy is similar to Martin Heidegger’s (1889 – 1976) notion of interpretative phenomenology. He believes that an experience happens when we interact with the things of the world (Larsen & Adu, 2021). As we do so, we discover the true nature of what we are interacting with. To better understand Heidegger’s fascinating ideas about phenomenology and experience, our book, ‘The theoretical framework in phenomenological research: Development and application’ (https://lnkd.in/gQYPsafD) would help.
Whatever you do, always take time to know your users/audience/consumers/clients of your product, service, or content. Take advantage of the available data – making sense of them to help address their needs. We need to take more time to know our potential users/audience/consumers/clients but less time in developing content/products/services based on assumptions we have about them.
Larsen, G. H. & Adu, P. (2021). The theoretical framework in phenomenological research: Development and application. Oxford: Routledge