Researching users is the first step towards effective UX, and it requires the correct tools. However, with so many options, how do you begin?

There is no need to look any further. Here are few of the greatest UX research tools currently available on the market. A few suggestions on how to choose the best tools for the job will be provided as well.

What is UX research?

Let’s take a step back and review what user experience research is and why it’s so important before diving into the finest tools for the task. When it comes to user experience design, the goal is to make the user’s life easier by addressing their pain points directly. Finding the issue, you’re trying to address and the best way to tackle it are the goals of UX research.

Assumptions are the foundation of your work if you do not do user research. A poor user experience (UX) is inevitable if you don’t take into account the needs of the people you’re creating for. For this reason, the first step in any successful UX design process is to do research. UX research entails:

  • Users are interviewed, surveys, card sorting exercises and focus groups (to name a few!) conducted to learn what they anticipate from the user experience and what pain-points they presently face.
  • Recognising and solving issues encountered by users by examining the collected data
  • Determine what the scale of the issue is and what to prioritise.
  • Informing important stakeholders of your results
  • Optimize the user experience by testing and tweaking your designs on a regular basis.

Difference Between Quantitative and Qualitative Research

It’s critical to differentiate between quantitative and qualitative research methods when deciding on the instruments you’ll employ for your user experience study.

Qualitative user research is difficult to quantify, but it may provide you with a more in-depth understanding of your consumers’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Qualitative research includes, for example, interviewing customers to learn how they feel about a specific product. Qualitative data, on the other hand, may be gathered by watching a user struggle with an app and writing down their feelings of frustration.

Objective, quantifiable data is gathered in quantitative user research (i.e. counted). A website’s bounce rate and the amount of clicks it takes a user to accomplish a task are examples of quantitative data that can be used to improve a website’s usability.

UX designers often do both qualitative and quantitative research in order to have a comprehensive understanding of their customers.

Difference Between Unmoderated and Moderated User Research

There is also a difference between moderated and unmoderated research.

The user researcher is present during moderated UX research. Moderated UX research involves interviewing or monitoring a user as they do a certain activity and asking follow-up questions.

Without your oversight, unmoderated UX research is conducted. For example, surveys that users complete at their own pace, or usability tests in which users record their screen while interacting with your website, fall under this category.

What are the UX research tools?

Let’s take a look at some of the best UX research tools currently available on the market, now that we’ve learned about the various forms of user research.

Optimal Workshop

In addition to being a user research tool, Optimal Workshop offers a complete set of tools. Use it to do both qualitative and quantitative user research, and to find volunteers for your surveys.

Your data is presented in simple-to-understand visualisations that make it easy to share your findings with others.

Lookback

It is possible to perform moderated and unmoderated user interviews as well as usability studies using Lookback, a video research platform.

An online collaboration platform makes it easy to share information with colleagues as well as generate highlight reels of the most important findings. Setting up virtual observation rooms, recording user screens, and transcribing user interviews are all options.

Type form for surveys

Surveys are an essential part of UX research since they are fast, straightforward, and affordable. A typical survey question relates to respondents’ thoughts and preferences about the product or service you’re developing while doing user experience research via the use of surveys.

For UX designers, Type form is a popular survey tool. From custom or from a selection of pre-made templates, Type form allows you to create surveys that are tailored to your needs. Survey replies and completion rates may be tracked and shared once the survey has been delivered.

Maze

Another UX research tool with an emphasis on speedy testing is Maze. Card sorting, 5-second tests, tree testing, surveys, and user testing of wireframes and prototypes can all be done using it.

Figma, Adobe XD, Sketch, and In Vision are all supported by Maze’s API. You can even get user feedback in less than two hours thanks to a built-in panel of experts.

User zoom

Users may use User Zoom for a variety of UX research studies and testing at various phases of the product development process remotely. When it comes to making design choices, User Zoom is an excellent resource.

Like Optimal Workshop and Maze, User Zoom is a full UX research toolkit that can be used to sort cards, run surveys, conduct click testing and user interviews as well as other types of usability testing. In addition, the platform contains a participant recruiting engine with over 120 million international users that is completely integrated.

Also Read: 16 Best Web Design Tools Taking UI/UX, Prototyping & Wireframing Further Up In 2021