Design research is research focused on closing the gap between what designers think consumers want and what consumers actually want. It helps designers better understand the needs and wants of their target audience. It can take many forms, from surveys and interviews to focus groups and usability testing. We’ll talk more about that below.
No matter what form it takes, design research is a valuable step in any project. Here at The Obsidian Lab, design research is a crucial part of our conversion optimisation process.
The purpose of design research
The goal of design research is to expose patterns in peoples’ behaviours. It helps us identify peoples habits, tendencies, and goals. Without it, designers would be relying on their own preferences and assumptions. This could lead to products that don't meet the needs of consumers. Understanding human behaviour is key to designing better products and services.
Different types of design research
Design research can come in many flavours, each designed to answer a different type of question, at a different stage in your design journey.
Exploratory Research
This aims to answer the question “What is a good problem to solve”. It helps you create a mental model of how your customers see the world, and how your brand is showing up to them. Ways you might answer this question:
- Interviews,
- Contextual inquiries
- Heuristic reviews
- UX Audits
- Customer Journey Maps
Competitive Research
This aims to answer the questions “How are other people solving this problem” and “how can we stand out”. It examines how your competitors are showing up in the world, and can measures how they perform on different metrics that might be of importance to your customer. If you discover holes in your competition, you can outperform their services. Types include:
- SWOT Analysis
- Competitor Product Audits
- Comparison Charts
- Journey Comparison
- Usability testing on competitor products
Evaluative Research
This aims to answer the question “Is our idea any good”. It involves prototyping and testing out your ideas with potential users. Types of evaluative research include:
- Prototype testing
- Usability testing
- Preference testing
- A/B testing or multivariate testing
Where should we start with our research?
Like all great questions, the answer to that is - it depends - on where you are in your process. If you don’t know what to build next, a UX Audit or some Customer Journey Mapping would be a great way to identify your weakest areas in terms of customer service. If you’re about to embark on a new project, start with some exploratory research to understand your customer needs. About to launch a new feature to your site that’s already been designed and developed? Run some usability testing to identify any major points of friction. Or, launch it with an A/B test to check it’s actually having a positive impact on your business.
If you need help figuring out what to do next - get in touch. We’d love to help you figure it out and take your business to the next level.
