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What is Quality User Research & Events

michele ronsen

Yesterday I joined a riveting panel discussion by Rosenfield Media titled “A Genuine Conversation about the Future of UX Research,” with an audience of 400 + researchers and industry leaders. A key question was: “What is quality research?” This hit close to my heart, as I often think in terms of tools and templates for teaching UXR and elevating our industry’s appreciation and value for it.


Original image from Freepik

Quality user research serves as the backbone of product strategy and business and design decision making. It’s a systematic exploration aimed at uncovering needs, behaviors, and motivations, ensuring solutions resonate with and effectively address the target audience’s expectations.

But what makes research ‘quality’? And how do we ensure our work not only reveals insightful information but also aligns with and supports business goals?

Here is a draft checklist of sorts in hopes to further the conversation. We'd love your feedback.​

Key Measures of Quality in User Research:​

  1. Structured Process Adherence: Following a well-defined process, from intake (ensuring the study supports key business goals) to planning, recruiting, conducting, etc. through to reporting, helps to guarantee the thoroughness and accuracy of research outcomes.

  2. Bias Minimization: Objectivity is paramount; diversity in participant recruitment and analytical neutrality helps to ensure results reflect genuine user opinions and behaviors.

  3. Question Clarity: The relevance and precision of research questions direct the focus and utility of insights gathered.

  4. Methodology Selection: The choice of research method(s) should correspond to project objectives, align with where the design is in the product development cycle and be guided by the researcher’s expertise.

  5. Reliability and Validity: Consistency over time (reliability) and the research’s ability to measure what it’s supposed to (validity) are critical markers of quality.

  6. Reproducibility: Well-documented research enables replication, attesting to its reliability and thoroughness.

  7. Impact Measurement: Quality research validates its worth by informing actionable design and strategic decisions that drive positive future experiences and business success.

  8. Outcome Assessment: Tangible and intangible research outcomes should lead to product improvements, user satisfaction, and potentially significant strategic pivots.​

Quality research also encompasses strategic planning from the intake stage and demonstrates its value through learnings while being directly aligned with overarching business goals.

Strategic Alignment with Business Goals:

9. At the intake stage, aligning research with business objectives ensures direct contributions to the company’s KPIs/OKRs and strategic ambitions.

10. Stakeholder engagement fosters a collaborative environment where research outcomes can propel business forward.

Demonstrating Value Through Learnings:

11. Quality research is distinguished by its actionable learnings, translating complex data into clear, strategic short term and long term recommendations.

12. The measurement of impact on business outcomes, such as engagement or conversion rates, underscores the ROI in user research.

Knowledge Management and Continuous Learning:

13. Effective archiving and sharing of research findings bolster strategic planning and encourage a culture of informed decision-making and continuous improvement.

Incorporating quality user research throughout the product development cycle not only centers on user needs but also dovetails with the business’s strategic objectives. It demonstrates the indispensable role of user research in achieving business success, positioning it as a fundamental component of strategic planning and execution.

Original image from Freepik

The dialogue at Rosenfield Media’s panel discussion (AND THE FANTASTIC CHAT, MY GOODNESS!) inspired this article to understand, define, and harness the power of quality user research. I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR THIS INSPIRATION.

​Please join me in continuing this conversation, sharing your thoughts, experiences, additions/omissions, etc. of what you think constitutes quality in our field. Let’s define what “quality research” means. Let's set a benchmark, and measure it over time.

Don't you think it's time we established standards to measure "quality research"? Please hit replay and share your thoughts!

Upcoming Events

NEW DATE! Maximize Your Impact: Strategic Personal Branding for UXers Workshop & Q&A​

Building on our theme of Independent UX/UXR consulting, we've invited Philip VanDusen, a luminary in branding and design, to lead a workshop on beginning, or building on, your personal branding goals. Learn to establish yourself as a distinguished and recognized thought leader in the tech industry. Join us for this specialized workshop to elevate the professional stature of UXers and beyond.

Philip will cover the fundamentals and ROI of Personal Branding, introduce you to his proprietary “Personal Brand Wheel Framework” and in the workshop we’ll explore “Your Story, Purpose + Value” and how to get your brand out there.

Please join us on March 27th at 9am PT and recorded. Join us live, or not. Register and learn more here. Discounts are available for those impacted from the layoffs.

​From Data to Difference: Purpose-Driven User Research​

If you're interested in broadening your user research skills or seeking job opportunities in social impact, this event is for you. Whether you're considering how to align your personal values with your research role or thinking about transitioning into the purpose-driven, social impact, or non-profit sectors, we've created this gathering with your goals in mind.

"From Data to Difference: Purpose-Driven User Research" isn't just an event; it's a networking opportunity for people eager to explore, learn more, and engage with like-minded researchers in this meaningful domain.

Please join us on April 2nd at 4pm PT and recorded. Join us live, or not. Register and learn more here. Discounts are available for those impacted from the layoffs.

​UXR Fundamentals: Interactive workshop with tools, templates and Q&A​

Despite what many might think, getting to the heart of user experiences isn’t easy. It’s a cerebral adventure that requires preparation, innovative methods, artful interviewing skills, sharp analysis, and empathy.

This two-part workshop will show you the massive difference between customer and sales calls versus proper user research (ahem, PMs and Designers!), teach attendees about the primary tools and processes trained professional researchers employ, and why. We’ll also discuss what goes into effective research plans, why plans are critical, the key to crafting research questions that unearth meaningful insights, and much more.

This workshop uses a combination of engaging lectures. and interactive in-class exercises. Ample time for Q&As is incorporated and questions are strongly encouraged.

Michele taught this workshop at General Assembly over 50 times!

Please join us on April 9th/10th! Registrants can attend live or watch the recorded replay. All registrants will receive the recorded replay, whether attending live or not, as well as some Curiosity Tank "Ask Like A Pro" resources. Discounts are available for those impacted from the layoffs. Register and learn more here.

Speak up, get involved, and share the love!

And that’s a wrap!

We try to alternate between a theme and UX/UXR jobs, events, classes, articles, and other happenings every few weeks. Thank you for all of the feedback. Feedback is a gift, and we continue to receive very actionable input on how to make Fuel Your Curiosity more meaningful to you.

What do you think? We're constantly iterating and would love to hear your input.​

Stay curious,

- Michele and the Curiosity Tank team

PS: Don't forget to reply and share your thoughts on "what is quality research?"