5 reasons to do UX research in your digital project today!
Making objective decisions in a digital project is not an easy task. Whether it's choosing a title in a menu, the place of an item on a web page, how to digitise a business process or the implementation of a functionality...The same questions come up again and again: What do users really need? Will they understand where to find the information? How to avoid usage problems?
There’s a clear answer to these questions: UX research! User research consists of using different research methods (focus groups, surveys, market analysis, behavioural analysis, tests, etc.) with the aim of identifying the expectations and needs of target audiences. This research combines the wealth of experiences and behavioural information of different people (qualitative) with tangible figures and measures (quantitative).
This data can (must) be collected at all stages of your digital project. It is never too late to start! Each additional piece of knowledge about your users will allow you to considerably increase the added value of your solution. Of course, the sooner and more often you do this, the better.
Still not convinced? Here are 5 reasons to do UX research today.
1. You will make better decisions
No more wasting time developing web solutions based on assumptions. Too often this leads to websites or applications that meet internal requirements but not the needs of the end users. Thanks to the data and conclusions obtained during the research phase, you will have a better understanding of your users' expectations. These will guide all your design choices.
2. You will reduce your corrections budget
A large part of the maintenance budgets are still too often used to correct elements of the site that do not ultimately meet user expectations. "If I had known, I would have done it this way straight away.” If you have ever said this sentence or if you have ever heard someone say it in your teams, then you understand the importance of research to avoid mistakes. As the saying goes: prevention is better than cure.
UX research will therefore enable you to reduce risk and uncertainty by ensuring at all times that what is developed :
- matches the needs of your users
- Is understandable by your users
- Is easy to use for your users
You will thus be able to use your maintenance budget to really make your site evolve rather than for corrections.
3. You will stand out from your competitors
A good user experience has become one of the most important criteria for branding, loyalty and retention of users on the web. Answer the problems of your target audience in the simplest way and they will give it back to you. Make your website or application an example for your peers!
4. You will solve opinion problems in teams
What to do when several people in the same team have different ideas about what they want to implement? You can engage in endless debates...or make up your mind with the information that research will provide! Through surveys, tests & analyses, you can more easily identify what works and what doesn't, and thus choose the solution that makes the most sense for your target audience.
5. You will find new opportunities for improvement
Change is constant, both inside and outside your company. Being in a process of continuous improvement is therefore essential. It is important to listen and capture as quickly as possible all the information you need to make decisions. With a few simple actions, such as collecting feedback, you will be able to :
- Identify trends and emerging issues in your sector
- Discover problems your users are facing
- Adjust your actions