Ever wonder what makes some websites so easy to use while others make no sense at all? Enter User Research (UX). Usually, the most simple and straightforward websites involve a lot of user research which took time to learn about the audience and build a platform that’s most effective for the company.

Over the last few weeks, I studied and executed a variety of User Research methods to learn how they benefit the website and more importantly, a user’s experience. My focus was on helping SEBO vacuums improve their website. 

My process involved conducting 7 different research methods ranging from customer interviews and user testing to heuristic evaluations. Each method revealed something new about the vacuum shopping experience. However, there were common underlying issues that helped validate each research method. 

The User Research Methods I used were:

1. Interviews: One on one study to understand a user’s journey to gain insight.
2. Surveys: Helps capture data from a large audience set.
3. Card Sorting: Asks participants to organize items in categories to figure out the best way to organize a website.
4. Backcasting: Outlining a future vision for the company then detailing the steps of how to achieve that vision.
5. Journey Mapping: Documents the steps a user took to achieve their goals. The journey map includes pain points and what the user is saying and feeling.
6. Heuristic Evaluation: Using industry standards and guidelines, an expert reviews a website and lists areas that need improvement on the website as well as the severity of each issue. 
7. Usabiltiy Testing: Establishes a set number of tasks for users to do, then studies and evaluates the process of completing each task. The research also prompts users to ‘think out loud’ to gain an understanding of the user’s feelings as they complete each task.  

Before I began each research method, I developed a strategy such as a questionnaire or a script to follow. I scheduled interviews and meeting times, some very formal others more casual. Some of these meetings were recorded for later reference while others were transcribed. Each method was methodically recorded and presented in a complete report for SEBO vacuums consideration. My complete research document can be found here.