The Seven Deadly Sins of UX Research
Currently reading the book “Think like a UX Researcher”
Companies claim to design products and services that are easy to use, but when customers actually use them, they often find them to be far from simple. The disconnect between what organizations think of as “simple” and what users actually experience is often blamed on a lack of user research. However, the problem is not with the quantity of UX research, but with the quality. Organizations struggle to distinguish good UX research from bad UX research.
One of the biggest problems in UX research is 1. Credulity, which takes the form of asking users what they want and believing the answer without any further investigation. Another problem is 2. Dogmatism, which is the belief that there is only one “right” way to do research. 3. Bias is also a major issue in UX research, particularly response bias, which is caused by the way data is collected.
4. Obscurantism is another sin of UX research, which occurs when findings are kept in the head of one person rather than being shared with the team. 5. Laziness is another common problem, where old research data is recycled as if it can be cut and pasted into a new project. 6. Vagueness is also a problem, where a team fails to focus on a single key research question and instead tries to answer several questions at once.
Finally, 7. Hubris is a major problem in UX research, where researchers take undue pride in their reports and fail to see the limitations of their research. To avoid these seven deadly sins of UX research, organizations must focus on the quality of their research and avoid these common pitfalls. By doing so, they can ensure that their products and services are truly simple and easy to use for their customers.
As the famous UX researcher, Steve Portigal, states, ‘Designing for people means understanding the context of their lives, not just their demographics or technology use.’ In order to truly understand and improve the user experience, organizations must go beyond surface-level research and dive deep into the context and motivations of their target users. By avoiding the seven deadly sins of UX research, such as credulity, dogmatism, and bias, and focusing on the quality of their research, organizations can create truly user-centered designs that lead to increased customer satisfaction and business success.
