What you need to know about exploratory UX research
What is exploratory research?
A research method that helps gain a deeper understand of users, which then allows researcher to identify opportunity areas based on their core problem areas.
Exploratory research allows researchers to ‘explore’ a space such as peoples motivations, needs, pain points, behaviours, opinions etc (Maze). Understanding all of this helps identify opportunity areas with problems to solve.
This type of research is done during the discovery phase of the design process, as you are trying to ‘discover’ users needs and pain points.
This type of research can also be referred to as
discovery research
generative research
problem space research
foundational research
exploratory research
However the goal of the research is the same (Usertesting).
Keep in mind when you do this research: You don’t actually know what the problem you’re trying to solve is yet. (Maze)
Outcomes of this research:
A final problem statement
This research is going to help you get clarity on what the problem statement is based on what the users experiences have been so you know what to solve in your designs
User needs statements
The research will uncover the different needs users have so you can articulate them in user needs statements to use in your design work
Clear direction to move forward in
You will be able to uncover many problems and needs from the research and the most prominent ones will stand out which will help you decide which direction to move in
Evidence to move forward confidently
Once you know which direction you need to move in you will be much more confident in doing so as you will have a wealth of evidence and logic for this choice
Proves/disproves hypothesis
You or members of your team may have some assumptions around the problem space, this research is a create way to validate these to see if they are correct or not
Why is exploratory research important?
Without it you risk building a product/service which nobody needs or will use
Ensures you are solving for the correct problem
Helps take a broad topics and provide direction to go in based on evidence
helps understand your users and how they are impacted by a particular problem
Understand what users need, desire and value from a solution
Examples of exploratory research (reel with pictures/videos)
Field studies/ethnography - take place in users environment rather than your testing area/lab
These allow you to detect problems by observing as opposed to what users say
Discovery user interviews - these involve a conversation between a researcher and participant
These allow you to ask open questions around different topics to uncover needs and problems
Diary studies - where data is self reported by the participants over an extended period of time
These allows you to understand behaviours and thoughts of users over a period of time
Steps to prepare for a piece of exploratory research
Research preparation is very important to conducting a great piece of research.
Identify the potential themes you want to explore in the research. The most effective way to do this is with the stakeholders of the project. You should go through what you know and don’t know as a group. This is best done in a workshop format as it allows everyone to think about and communicate everything they want to find out about the topic.
Group the things everyone outlined as ‘wanting to know’ into themes. Use these themes to identify an overarching research question which will be what you are trying to answer from the research.
Come up with some research topics which sit under your main research question that you want to explore.
Now you have your structure for the research. Write all your research questions under the topics you have identified
Select the type of research which is most relevant for answering the questions you as a team have selected.
Recruit participants
Conduct interviews
Analyse and synthesise
Present back in an actionable way
I hope this was helpful in giving an introduction to exploratory research!
