Why is User research important in Product Management?

#10 When is the right time to do User research and how does it work ?

If you are a Product Manager , then I am sure the term “User research” is not new to you. If you are already part of Product development, you must have done extensive User research. In this article , I will try to summarise why and how one should do User research and what is the tangible outcome which can be leveraged for effective Product Management. You will definitely learn something valuable out of this article no matter you being a seasoned Product Manager or a novice.

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I will try to encapsulate everything which you need to know about User research — the Why , What , How , When , Do’s and Don’ts ..

Let’s get going..

Why should you do User research ?

In my previous article What triggers Product development ? , I wrote about the critical factors which leads to building new Products. Some of the triggers are unrealised user needs, known user problems , out-of-the-box ideas of entrepreneurs trying to explore an untapped arena. Irrespective of the trigger the key element is the “User”. Hence it becomes important to get answers to the following questions.

1. What does the User want ?
2. What are the behavioural patterns of the Users ?
3. Is the User able to explicitly articulate Problems/ pain-points ?
4. Are there hidden or unsaid User Problems or needs ?
5. Is the User sentimental about his goals ?
6. What are some of the key motivation points for the Users ?
7. Is our current Product offering everything the User needs ?
8. Will updating or tweaking our current Product benefit the Users ?

Hence, in-order to get answers to the above questions and many more, we need to discover , understand and explore Users and that is why we need to do User research.

What is User research ?

User research is the process of getting to know about your User — their needs, preferences, experiences , expectations , goals and behaviors which becomes critical in identifying the kind of Product to be built , the design of the Product and even new innovative opportunities differentiating the Product from other market competitors. The most valuable outcome of User research is gaining a deep understanding of the User’s pain points, motivations and diverse perspectives which triggers new Product ideas.

How can you do User research ?

Some of the below methods can be used to perform User research.

1. Surveys: Surveys are great to gather quantitative data from a large group of users. They can be conducted online or in person, and can cover a wide range of topics such as user preferences, behaviors, and demographics.
2. Interviews: Interviews are more in-depth way of gathering qualitative data from users. They can be conducted in person, over the phone, or online, and can be structured or unstructured. Interviews can help in understanding users’ goals, needs, and pain points in more details.
3. Focus groups: Focus groups are small group discussions led by a moderator. They are typically conducted in person, but can also be done online. Focus groups can help gather feedback on specific ideas or concepts, as well as observe how users interact with each other and the Product.
4. Usability testing: Usability testing involves observing users as they interact with a Product or prototype specifically instrumental in UI/UX designing. It can be conducted in person or remotely, and can help identify usability issues and areas for improvement.
5. Data-driven user analytics: Analytics involves gathering data about how users interact with a Product through tools such as Google Analytics or Adobe Analytics. This data can help Product teams identify usage patterns and trends, such as which features are most commonly used , How much time is spend on a particular page or a feature or where users drop off in the user flow.
6. Job Shadowing : It might not be a very common method of conducting User research , but it is a very valuable process . In job shadowing we observe and follow a person as they go about their work, to gain a better understanding of their tasks, goals, and work environment. The person being shadowed could be an employee or a customer, and the purpose of job shadowing is to gain insights into their behaviors, attitudes, and needs. It helps in getting insights about their unsaid problems or needs which could be very critical in Product design.
7. A/B testing : A/B testing involves creating two versions of a Product or an app and then randomly assigning users to either the A or B group. The two groups are then presented with their respective versions, and their behavior is tracked and analyzed to determine which version performs better. It helps in identifying which design or feature changes are most effective in achieving specific goals, such as increasing conversions or improving User satisfaction.

When can you do User research ?

User research is mostly related to the usability testing done on a Product design. We have understood that User should be our central focus as their preferences , needs ,behaviour, attitude etc immensely influences the overall Product , Hence User research should be done during the following phases of Product development and each phase provides a valuable outcome.

Phase wise User research and Outcome

Some Don’ts in User research which you should consider

1. Don’t be vague or unclear about the objectives : Without a proper objective the User feedback will not be useful as you may end up collecting irrelevant data that doesn’t help you achieve your goals.
2. Don't dismiss negative feedback: Negative feedback can be hard to hear, but it can be the most valuable. Don’t dismiss negative feedback or criticism, as it can provide valuable insights into areas for improvement.
3. Don’t ask biased questions : Avoid asking biased questions that steer users towards a specific answer. This can impact the results and undermine the validity of the research.
4. Don’t conduct research with very small sample size : Ensure you have a large enough sample size to draw meaningful conclusions. Small sample sizes can lead to inaccurate results and flawed insights.
5. Don’t assume things : Keep an open-mind and do not assume things . Try to observe and make notes of the User responses where necessary. Assumptions could lead to misinterpretations of the User responses.

Hope this article helps in understanding about User research in Product Management.