“User research” usually involves a casual 30-60 minute conversation covering these topics.
1. Have a clear goal upfront
Don’t ask this…
What do you want from a tool?
…ask this instead
What does your current workflow for this process look like, and what tools do you use for it?
2. Use evidence to understand the user journey and pain points
Don’t ask this…
Would you do X or Y?
…ask this instead
I noticed that you did X. Could you tell me why you took that approach?
3. Make your questions and the interview process as inclusive as possible
- Use simple language. English isn’t everyone’s first language—and even if it is, people may not be familiar with your industry’s terminology. Avoid unnecessarily complicated words and give interviewees time to process (and translate) their answers.
- Share an outline in advance. Consider sharing a broad outline of what you will discuss in the interview before the day so participants know what to expect and can prepare beforehand.
- Provide an opportunity to follow up. Sometimes your best insights come after the conversation has ended and you’ve had time to reflect. Share a contact address or send a follow-up survey to your interviewees to capture any additional thoughts.
Don’t ask this…
Do you prefer the feedback widget as a modal or as a full-page popover?
…ask this instead
When it comes to leaving feedback, do you have a preference between these two options? Here’s option A, and here’s option B.
4. Ask open-ended questions, not leading questions
Leading questions cause problems in user research interviews because they can skew data by telling you what you want to hear, not what you need to hear.
Don’t ask this…
How much do you love our product?
…ask this instead
Would you recommend our product to a friend or colleague? Why or why not?
5. Leave room for follow-up questions
Don’t ask this…
Wow, that’s a really interesting point! Anyway, back to my scripted question…
…ask this instead
Wow, that’s a really interesting point! Can you tell me a little bit more about that?
Concept testing
- What’s your first reaction to this prototype?
- What do you like and dislike about this prototype?
- How would you improve this design?
- Based on this prototype, who do you think the target audience for this product/service/brand is?
Market research
- What department are you in?
- What are the top challenges your team/company is facing right now?
- What products are you currently using to solve those challenges?
- Which features are most important to you in a product like this?
Product development
- What do you like and dislike about this product?
- Does this product have the features you need? Is there any additional functionality you need?
- How do you feel this product compares to similar products on the market?
- On a scale of 1–10, how likely are you to buy this product?
- Is there anything that would prevent you from buying or using this product, and if so, what?
Usability testing
- How did you complete this action? Please talk us through the specific steps you took.
- On a scale of 1–10, how easy was it for you to complete this specific set task?
- Can you tell me why you did X/took Y approach?
- Did you find all the information you needed?
Customer satisfaction
- On a scale of 1–10, how likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague? Why did you give that rating?
- Can you tell me about your recent experience with our support team?
- How does the service you received compare to the service you’ve received from other brands?
- What would make your experience better?
Churn analysis
- What were your main reasons for churning?
- Would you consider using our product/service again in the future? Why or why not?
- If you churned to go to a competitor, can you tell me which one, and why you decided to use them instead?
further more..
- At what stage are customers leaving? Is it early on or at a later stage of the process?
- How do customers across different industries engage with your product or service?
- Which customers frequently engage and make contact with your customer support team?
- How do customers across different pricing plans differ in terms of churn?
- Which customers are more likely to upgrade their plan?
Predict and prevent customer churn
It’s inevitable that some customers will stop using your website or product. What matters is making the effort to learn why they leave by analyzing customer churn, and taking steps to prevent it in the future. Customer churn analysis lets you:
- Better understand your customers’ pain points
- Detect underlying frustrations and problems with your product or service before customers leave
- Understand where to target your efforts and make improvements
- Pinpoint weaknesses and take steps to overcome problems
- Provide future customers with a better overall experience
