{"id":19683,"date":"2025-01-22T10:00:22","date_gmt":"2025-01-22T09:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/then.agency\/articoli\/ux-research"},"modified":"2026-10-07T22:33:57","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T21:33:57","slug":"ux-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/then.agency\/en\/articoli\/ux-research","title":{"rendered":"UX Research: methods, data and impact on digital products"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In a saturated, competitive digital market, designing products without understanding users&#8217; real needs is too big a risk. This is where <strong>UX Research<\/strong> comes in: a fundamental discipline for gathering reliable data, understanding behavior and turning insights into informed design choices.<\/p>\n<p>Understanding the user is not just good practice: it is a strategic lever. UX Research is what makes it possible to design experiences that truly work.<\/p>\n<h2>What is UX Research<\/h2>\n<p><strong>UX Research (User Experience Research)<\/strong> is the activity of collecting and analyzing information about users&#8217; needs, expectations and behaviors. Its goal is to support designers, developers and stakeholders in creating effective, evidence-based solutions.<\/p>\n<p>As <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nngroup.com\/articles\/ux-research-cheat-sheet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nielsen Norman Group<\/a> points out, it is an indispensable phase for guiding product decisions, reducing the risk of failure and increasing end-user satisfaction.<\/p>\n<h2>Why invest in UX Research<\/h2>\n<h3>1. It reduces the risk of building the wrong thing<\/h3>\n<p>Testing an idea before developing it lets you understand whether it meets a real need. UX research makes it possible to validate concepts, features and flows before investing time and resources in delivery.<\/p>\n<h3>2. It optimizes resources and costs<\/h3>\n<p>According to a summary offered by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.qualtrics.com\/experience-management\/user\/ux-research\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Qualtrics<\/a>, every dollar invested in UX can generate up to 100 dollars in economic return. This happens because you avoid building features that are useless or harmful to the experience.<\/p>\n<h3>3. It increases conversions and retention<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nngroup.com\/articles\/ux-research-cheat-sheet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">76% of users abandon a site if the initial experience is frustrating<\/a>. UX Research identifies invisible obstacles and lets you remove them before they affect performance.<\/p>\n<h3>4. It supports strategic choices<\/h3>\n<p>UX Research makes it easier to prioritize features, define roadmaps and make shared decisions based on real data and behavior.<\/p>\n<h2>The main UX Research methods<\/h2>\n<p>As <a href=\"https:\/\/www.interaction-design.org\/literature\/article\/ux-research-methods-and-when-to-use-them\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Interaction Design Foundation<\/a> explains in detail, there is no single method that is valid for all projects. Each technique answers different goals and should be selected based on context.<\/p>\n<h3>Qualitative methods<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>One-on-one interviews<\/strong>: explore perceptions, needs and behaviors in depth.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Moderated <a href=\"https:\/\/then.agency\/en\/articoli\/usability-test\">usability tests<\/a><\/strong>: observe real interaction with a prototype or product.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Ethnographic observation<\/strong>: lets you understand the actual context of use.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/then.agency\/en\/articoli\/card-sorting\"><strong>Card sorting<\/strong><\/a>: helps structure content and information architecture.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Diary studies<\/strong>: analyze the experience over an extended period of time.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Quantitative methods<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Surveys and questionnaires<\/strong>: collect data at scale.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/then.agency\/en\/articoli\/ab-testing-ux-targeted-experiments\"><strong>A\/B tests<\/strong><\/a>: measure the comparative performance of two variants.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Heatmaps and click tracking<\/strong>: visualize interactions and friction.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>UX metrics<\/strong>: such as <a href=\"https:\/\/then.agency\/en\/articoli\/net-promoter-score-nps-what-it-is-and-why-it-matters\">NPS<\/a>, SUS or CES, useful for assessing perceived quality.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>The operational phases of UX Research<\/h2>\n<h3>1. Defining the goals<\/h3>\n<p>The right question is worth more than the perfect answer. Asking &#8220;what do we want to know&#8221; and &#8220;why&#8221; is the first step in designing useful research.<\/p>\n<h3>2. Choosing the method<\/h3>\n<p>Every goal requires a different approach. The choice should be balanced according to resources, timing and the depth required.<\/p>\n<h3>3. Recruiting users<\/h3>\n<p>It is essential to involve users who are representative of the target. Even a small sample can produce meaningful insights: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nngroup.com\/articles\/ux-research-cheat-sheet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">5 users are enough to find 80% of the main problems<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>4. Collecting data<\/h3>\n<p>During interactions, it is essential to avoid bias, observe neutrally and leave room for the user&#8217;s real intentions.<\/p>\n<h3>5. Analysis and synthesis<\/h3>\n<p>Insights must be turned into actionable artifacts: <a href=\"https:\/\/then.agency\/en\/articoli\/personas-experience-design\">personas<\/a>, journey maps, priorities, visual reports. This is where research takes on design value.<\/p>\n<h3>6. Activating the team<\/h3>\n<p>Research does not end with a report. To have impact, insights must become shared action: workshops, roadmaps, decisions.<\/p>\n<h2>Best practices to follow<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Involve stakeholders from the start<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Combine qualitative and quantitative methods<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Test early and often<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Centralize results so they can be reused over time<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Turn data into insights, and insights into design<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Common mistakes to avoid<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>Using only quantitative surveys without context.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Skipping the synthesis phase or ignoring the results.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Interviewing users outside the target.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Limiting yourself to a single round of testing.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Thinking &#8220;we&#8217;ll do the research later&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Then&#8217;s approach to UX Research<\/h2>\n<p>Then integrates UX Research as an essential phase of every project, with a modular, flexible approach that combines <strong>methodological rigor and concrete impact<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Among the main activities:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Stakeholder interviews<\/strong> to align goals and expectations<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Moderated and remote user tests<\/strong>, including on prototypes<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Expert review<\/strong> of existing flows<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Insight-driven workshops<\/strong> to activate the team<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Iterative validation<\/strong> to improve the product sprint after sprint<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Conclusions<\/h2>\n<p>UX Research is the foundation of every digital product that aims to be truly useful, usable and effective. It is a strategic choice that reduces waste, improves the effectiveness of design and generates value for users and companies.<\/p>\n<p>If you want to understand how to integrate research into your projects, <a href=\"https:\/\/then.agency\/en\/book-a-call\"><strong>contact us<\/strong><\/a>. Our network of experts can work alongside you to define a tailored UX Research plan, from the exploratory phase to validation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Methods, data and impact: how research reduces the risk of building the wrong product.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":17605,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_title":"UX research: what it is, methods and when to use them","rank_math_description":"What UX research is, how to choose between qualitative and quantitative methods and how to turn data into decisions.","rank_math_focus_keyword":"ux research","fonti_articolo":"<ul>\n<li data-start=\"6622\" data-end=\"6730\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nngroup.com\/articles\/ux-research-cheat-sheet\/\">Nielsen Norman Group, \"UX Research Cheat Sheet\"<\/a><\/li>\n<li data-start=\"6622\" data-end=\"6730\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.interaction-design.org\/literature\/article\/ux-research-methods-and-when-to-use-them\">Interaction Design Foundation, \"UX Research Methods and When to Use Them\"<\/a><\/li>\n<li data-start=\"6622\" data-end=\"6730\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.qualtrics.com\/experience-management\/user\/ux-research\/\">Qualtrics, \"UX Research: The Complete Guide\"<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","riassunto":"<p>In a saturated market, building without knowing what people need is a risk that costs more than research.<\/p>\n<p>UX Research collects and analyzes needs, expectations and behaviors, and turns what emerges into defensible design choices.<\/p>\n<p>The qualitative and quantitative methods available and the operational phases of a study: defining goals, choosing the right method, recruiting the right people, collecting and reading the data.<\/p>","footnotes":""},"categories":[52],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19683","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-research"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/then.agency\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19683","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/then.agency\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/then.agency\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/then.agency\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/then.agency\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19683"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/then.agency\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19683\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/then.agency\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17605"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/then.agency\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19683"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/then.agency\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19683"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/then.agency\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19683"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}