How to Accomplish Productive On-Site UX Research for Transforming Your Client’s Business?

The importance of user research (UX) cannot be overstated. It is a systematic investigation of users’ experience and their necessities. The UI/UX designers add insight and context into the process of UI designing. The designers employ a variety of components, techniques and methodologies to get the best result out of the UX research. These designers do not stay seated at the desk when researching. They often conduct on-site researches. They visit the real environment where the products/services are supposed to be used. The UX designers can gain practical insight during on-site researches. They cannot experience or collect the invaluable information sitting at the desks. Hence, the on-site research is vital for UI/UX designing process. However, only a professional UI/UX designer can make the best use of an on-site research. It is prudent to hire UI/UX designers with experience for best results.

Importance of On-Site Research

Even an intensive interview/survey cannot provide the perspectives or design data points available through the on-site research. The UI/UX designers also avail invaluable context through the research. They may use this real-world context to produce most effective UI designs. The designers can identify the real problems and opportunities after visiting the market.

When a UX designer observes the performance of a product in real life, then it not only refines the process of UI designing. It also expedites the entire process. In UX designing, each project has different characteristics. Hence, it is not enough to have effective guidelines based on the industry best practices or years of experience. It is equally important to eliminate the assumptions, lessen the chance of iteration and can quickly resolve the apparent issues. Through on-site research, a designer can execute all these tasks.

Best Time for On-Site Research

There is no ideal time for performing on-site research. A UX designer can always conduct this research depending upon the timeline and the geographic location. A designer may determine the suitable time for conducting an onsite research depending upon the needs of a project. The use of some products is limited within a small environment and on-site research is ideal for these products. However, some products have larger environment or scope for usage. It may be hard to conduct onsite research on these products. However, it is prudent for a UI/UX designer to conduct on-site research on these products as well.

Practical & Productive Way to Research

There is no doubt that onsite researches bring invaluable insight into the process of UI designing. But, how do UI/UX designers conduct a research in the most productive way? They may achieve the best results after following three simple steps at the time of onsite researching.

1. Preparation

Preparation is the key to success in every task. Even in the UI/UX designing, there is a need for thorough preparation before visiting the market. With proper preparation, a designer can have the questions that matter to a project or have relevance to process of designing. A UI/UX designer may even confer with the clients or may check the author guidelines before conducting an on-site visit. He/she may ask some vital questions at the time of research.

What sort of problems the users are currently experiencing?

What is unique about an environment/space?

Is there any workaround present to resolve these issues?

What are the solutions if there are any?

Can the present solution effectively resolve the problem?

What is the method of interaction between people in an environment?

These questions can help UI/UX designers identify the opportunities that are present in the real world to resolve the current problems. These questions may even lead to some additional questions during the research.

2. Observational Framework

A designer must observe the facts and maintain a detailed record of this observation. However, this task is easier said than done. It is not easy to separate the signal from the noise. An observational framework can help UX designers pay attention to the important matters. This organizational tool can help designers identify and collect the critical user-data through all types of interaction. The POEMS is the most commonly used observational framework amongst a variety of other frameworks used during onsite research.

The ‘P’ in this versatile framework stands for ‘People’. It includes positions, roles, demographics, behavioral traits and population.

The ‘O’ stands for ‘Objects’ that people commonly interact with, such as tools, machines or furniture.

The ‘E’ in POEMS stands for environments, such as temperature, atmosphere, architecture and lighting.

The ‘M’ stands for ‘Messages’ through verbiage, professional/social interactions, popular phrases or language.

The ‘S’ stands for ‘Services’ that influence the environment, such as applications, tools or other systems.

The POEMS framework helps designers maintain uncluttered data. It saves them from missing the insightful user information with organized observation and makes it easier for them to revisit all data.

3. Observation & More

For some projects, it may not be sufficient to observe the behavior of the participants in real environment. A UI/UX designer may need to perform process-mapping with tête-à-tête discussions with the subjects. A designer may learn about current problems from one-on-one discussions.

This interview compels the users to write down the steps of a transaction process. The users then rank each step based on necessity or difficulty. This method is called ‘process-mapping’. The deconstruction of a process helps users realize which step is difficult or which step is essential without using automated tools or software applications.

Out of the Desk Researching

The on-site research lays the groundwork for deliverables in the future, such as creation of feature list, user journeys or prioritization. The UX designers also receive guidelines or principles for designing through on-site research. The data collected through any on-site researching may enrich the discovery phase and bring speed into UI designing process. Hence, it is essential for a UX/UI designer to step out of the cubicle and research the real environment.

Conclusion

The on-site researching is indispensable in process of UI/UX research. It helps designers identify the real problems, prove/disapprove the assumptions, identify common factors across the target audiences and recognize their requirements or goals. If the businesses hire UI/UX designers, then these professionals can ensure the logical flow of products after researching the actual environment.