You can’t create a product that people fall in love with if you don’t know your audience. To maximize your chances of success, it’s vital to conduct insightful research before making any major product decisions. User research is a process of understanding the needs, wants, and behaviors of users using different methods of observing and collecting feedback. research is a fundamental part of the ux designer’s job and a central part of the overall design process.
The field of user experience has a wide range of research techniques available, and it’s often not obvious which one to choose for a given project. while there are many books dedicated to ux design, very few focus on user research. the list below aggregates the most relevant books in that area, covering the most common research techniques and metrics.
You are reading: Best ux research books
1. Observing User Experience, Second Edition: A Practical Guide to User Research
observing user experience introduces a set of investigative techniques that help ux professionals see the world through the eyes of their users. The book is written primarily as a reference guide: it contains a lot of practical information in the context of real-world product development (the authors are familiar with typical constraints such as tight budgets or short schedules). Comprehensive overview of research methodologies (the book contains 13 UX research techniques) and clear instructions on how to use each method make this book a perfect guide for both beginners who want to understand the fundamental principles behind user research and for seasoned professionals looking for new ideas. .
2. Quantifying the User Experience: Practical Statistics for User Research
Many product designers view design as a series of qualitative activities, not requiring attention to formulas and numbers. however, that is not how things work. As a designer, you need to explain why your solution is good for the people who will use your product. in other words, you need to focus on measuring the impact of every major design decision. By incorporating real data into the design process and quantifying the benefits of each change, you’ll be able to understand exactly what effect the changes are having on your users’ behavior.
Quantifying User Experience provides instructions on the practicalities of quantitative analysis in user research. will guide you through the most important statistical insights and tools needed to measure user experience. After reading this book, you will know how to calculate margins of error or how to determine appropriate sample sizes for research. the authors draw many practical examples from usability studies and marry statistical theory with practice.
3. Interviewing Users: How to Uncover Compelling Insights
The interview is a fundamental user research tool. a great deal of valuable information can be gained from direct dialogue. many people assume that they already own this tool; everyone can ask questions and collect feedback, right? wrong! An interview is a complex activity and there are many things that need to be considered, from the way you prepare for the session (preparing a list of questions) to the way you do it (for example, how to ask the right questions, how to synthesize the findings).
Interviewing Users is a practical guide to interviewing that provides various techniques and methods for capturing valuable information. The author uses stories and examples from her practical experience to show how interviews can be incorporated into the design process. this book will be a valuable source of information for anyone conducting interviews or moderating usability tests.
4. Validating Product Ideas
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“how do I know if my idea is valuable to users?” is a fundamental question that many product designers ask themselves. product designers often have tons of ideas. what they don’t have is a way to show that people really want those ideas. It is possible to validate hypotheses with user research.
validating product ideas explains how to use research to create the best possible product. provides readers with a clear methodology that helps them answer the most critical questions about their users.
5. It’s Our Research: Getting Stakeholder Buy-in for User Experience Research Projects
Even if you, as a ux professional, understand the value of user research, it may not be so easy to persuade others to think the same way. Stakeholders are often skeptical about user research: they may ignore the research results or even reject the whole idea (especially when a researcher pushes them to act on the research). therefore, it is essential not only to conduct proper research, but also to sell it.
It’s Our Research looks at strategies and techniques for working with stakeholders in a way that ensures buy-in. Here are some of the strategies discussed in the book:
- plan ux research with stakeholders (identify research opportunities together with stakeholders).
- team up with stakeholders (involve stakeholders in conducting research activities).
- improve communication of research results to stakeholders (report research findings a way that stakeholders can understand and empathize with).
- assess the value of user research in your organization.
This book offers dozens of case studies and visuals from international research professionals. In addition to the text, it includes 30 video interviews with world-renowned experts, conducted specifically for this book.
6. Measuring the User Experience: Collecting, Analyzing, and Presenting Usability Metrics
Measuring User Experience is another book focused on quantifying user experience. the authors organized dozens of metrics in a single book. metrics range from traditional metrics (such as various types of performance metrics) to innovative ones (such as emotional engagement, keystroke analysis, and net promoter score). The book explores each metric and provides best practices for collecting, analyzing, and presenting the data. this information will allow product developers to efficiently measure the usability of any product.
7. UX for Lean Startups: Faster, Smarter User Experience Research and Design
Great user experiences are essential to today’s products: Users demand well-designed, easy-to-use products. To create products that people love, it is essential that the user experience is a natural part of the design process. but this is usually easier said than done.
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ux for lean startups provides tips and proven tools to research, identify, and design an easy-to-use product. The book consolidates the key lean principles and delivers them to readers in an easy-to-understand manner. here are some practical skills that the book explores:
- determine whether a product will be successful in the marketplace before building it.
- gather feedback from your customers throughout the product lifecycle.
- discern the difference between necessary and nice-to-have features.
the book will give you lots of ideas on how to test your new designs to see if they really are better for your users and generate more engagement.
8. Just Enough Research
Just Enough Research is a short cookbook of research methods. The information in this book will be extremely useful for organizations where research is not yet a strong part of the design process.
Considering it’s a relatively short book (a lot of information is packed into a small 154-page package), it can be a great starting point for learning how to integrate various types of ux research into your process.
9. Handbook of Usability Testing: How to Plan, Design, and Conduct Effective Tests
Usability is the cornerstone of the user experience. No matter what product you design, your customers expect it to be easy to use. Usability Testing Handbook is the ideal introductory reading to the topic of usability testing. After reading this book, you will be able to:
- recognize the factors that limit usability.
- decide where testing should be done.
- establish a test plan to assess your product’s usability goals.
- decide how best to collect and review data.
- report results and make recommendations.
10. Universal Methods of Design: 100 Ways to Research Complex Problems, Develop Innovative Ideas, and Design Effective Solutions
Universal Design Methods is a valuable collection of research methods that can be used as a reference for any designer solving complex design challenges. the book covers 100 tools that help in almost any design process.
Conclusion
Good user research is key to designing a great user experience. I hope that after reading these books you can learn from your users (or customers) and turn that information into products that people love.
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