User Research Methods
Overview
User research uncovers what people need, want, and do — through direct observation and conversation, not assumptions. This skill covers four core methods: depth interviews, focus groups, surveys, and field observation, plus when to use each.
Framework
IRON LAW: Method Follows Question
Choose the method based on what you need to learn, not what's convenient.
"Why" questions → Interviews/Observation (qualitative)
"How many" questions → Surveys (quantitative)
"What do they really do" → Observation (behavioral)
Running a survey to answer "why" produces misleading data.Method Selection
| Method | Best For | Sample | Depth | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depth Interview | Understanding motivations, pain points, mental models | 8-15 people | Very high | Medium |
| Focus Group | Exploring reactions, generating ideas, social dynamics | 6-10 per group, 2-3 groups | Medium | Medium |
| Survey | Measuring prevalence, preferences, demographics at scale | 100+ responses | Low | Low-Med |
| Field Observation | Understanding actual behavior in context (not self-reported) | 5-10 sessions | Very high | High |
Depth Interview Guide
- Warm-up: Build rapport (2 min) — "Tell me about your role/day"
- Context: Understand their world (5 min) — "Walk me through the last time you..."
- Core questions: Explore the topic (20 min) — Open-ended, no leading questions
- Probing: Go deeper on interesting threads — "Tell me more about that", "Why?"
- Wrap-up: Summarize and confirm (3 min) — "Did I understand correctly that...?"
Rules:
- Ask about past behavior, not hypothetical future ("What did you do?" not "What would you do?")
- Never ask "Would you use this?" — people are terrible at predicting their own behavior
- Silence is a tool — let them fill the gap
Survey Design
- Start with screening questions (qualify respondents)
- Move from general to specific
- Put sensitive/demographic questions last
- Limit to 15-20 questions (5-7 min completion)
- Use validated scales where possible (Likert, NPS, SUS)
Question types to avoid:
- Double-barreled: "Is the product fast and reliable?" (which one?)
- Leading: "Don't you think our app is easy to use?"
- Hypothetical: "Would you pay $10/month for this feature?"
Analysis
Qualitative (interviews, observation):
- Affinity mapping: Group observations into themes
- Look for patterns across 5+ participants
- Quote verbatim — don't paraphrase
Quantitative (surveys):
- Descriptive stats first (means, distributions)
- Cross-tabulate by segments
- Statistical significance for comparisons (p < 0.05)
Output Format
# User Research Plan: {Project}
## Research Questions
1. {what we need to learn}
## Method
- Type: {interview / focus group / survey / observation}
- Rationale: {why this method for this question}
- Sample: {who, how many, recruitment criteria}
- Timeline: {duration}
## Discussion Guide / Survey Instrument
{Key questions or survey structure}
## Analysis Plan
{How findings will be synthesized}Examples
Correct Application
Scenario: Understanding why users abandon a food delivery app at checkout
- Method: Depth interviews (need to understand "why", not "how many")
- Sample: 10 users who abandoned in the last 30 days (recruit via in-app data)
- Key question: "Walk me through your last order that you didn't complete. What happened?" (behavioral, past-tense, open-ended ✓)
Incorrect Application
- Survey asking "Would you complete your order if we removed the delivery fee?" → Hypothetical. Users will say yes but behavior may not change. Should observe actual behavior or test with a real experiment.
Gotchas
- 5 users find 85% of usability problems (Nielsen): For usability testing, diminishing returns after 5. For understanding motivations, need 8-15.
- Self-reported behavior ≠ actual behavior: People overestimate how healthy they eat, how often they exercise, and how much they'd pay. Observation and behavioral data > self-report.
- Recruitment bias: If you recruit "users of our app", you miss non-users and churned users. Define the population carefully.
- Interviewer bias: The interviewer's reactions (nodding, "great!") influence responses. Stay neutral.
- Surveys measure what you ask, not what matters: If you didn't think to ask about a pain point, the survey won't reveal it. Use qualitative research first to discover the right questions.
References
- For interview script templates, see
references/interview-templates.md - For survey design best practices, see
references/survey-design.md