I Asked ChatGPT to Write Me a UX Research Case Study Prompt

…and how it helped provide a launching pad for building a UXR portfolio.

Photo by David Travis on Unsplash

A friend of mine expressed interest in User Experience Research and wasn’t sure where to start nor how to apply their learnings to build a strong UXR portfolio. Currently, numerous courses, certifications, and boot camps help pave the way to a fundamental understanding of UXR concepts and methodologies.

However, that’s just one part of the battle. Let's say you did all the studying you needed to do and it then begs the question, “So now what?”

“How and where can I find my first UXR project to work on?”

Now, I am not a professional UX researcher. I am a professional UX designer, but I’ve had the pleasure of working with extremely intelligent UX researchers in my day-to-day job and that has exposed me to the power of their role, the amount of experience needed to execute the job, and the types of skillsets required in their field.

All that to say, the information I share today reflects my own observations and findings about how AI, specifically, ChatGPT could play a role in helping people who are just breaking into the field of UXR and need more experience.

The cyclical path of case study building

When it comes to building your portfolio in any UX discipline, it’s always advised to find real projects with real customers, clients, startups, whatever that may be, so that you can get exposed to as many real challenges and opportunities as possible. However, this isn’t as easy as it sounds.

Oftentimes, you hear the saying, “I need a job to get experience, but I need the experience to get a job..?” We’ve all spiraled down this cyclical contradictory path and seeking for this to all make sense. I get it.

The reality of it is, sometimes you’ll need to bite the bullet and do pro-bono projects. If you’re looking for a paid opportunity as your first-ever UXR case study, think again. It’s not to say it’s impossible, but reasonably setting your expectations and opening your mind to pro-bono opportunities will increase the chances of finding projects you can truly apply your new UXR learnings to. This is the same for UX design.

As a UX designer, I had to pursue pro-bono work, unpaid internships, start my own projects, and essentially build my portfolio from the ground up before companies started taking me a bit more seriously. If you want to learn more about that, check out my blog:

5 Takeaways on Pursuing UX Design Without a Bootcamp

Getting started with your UXR portfolio

Senior UX Researcher, @aonatalks (Aona Yang) shares her tips on how to build a UXR portfolio from scratch in her YouTube video, “How to Become a UX Researcher: the ultimate UXR career guide”.

“Take a lecture to learn about the knowledge and the professor will ask you to pick a product you’re interested in and identify a user problem that you want to research and start doing research!”, Yang says.

Seemingly like in a classroom or boot camp setting, these are projects and tasks you can give to yourself and apply to a user problem of interest.

Do you want to conduct a competitive analysis to look at the competitive landscape of a product you picked?

Or maybe a heuristic evaluation to identify existing usability issues of an app you want to research?

You get the idea. Manifest your own projects!

So where does ChatGPT come into all of this?

First, I found it personally difficult to craft an entire case study from scratch without at least some directional guidance as to what exactly I wanted to solve with my product of choice. I searched the entire internet to find tools such as…

• UX Challenge
• Sharpen
• UX Tools Challenges
• and other various case study generators

While these tools are valuable in their own specific ways with specific scope in mind, these don’t offer a holistic, research-focused prompt that would set a junior UXR up for success in my opinion.

I decided to go to ChatGPT and initially ask,

“generate me a case study prompt that focuses on UX research skills”

ChatGPT then computed this:

Case Study Prompt: Enhancing Mobile Banking Experience

Scenario: You work for a leading financial institution that offers mobile banking services to its customers. While the mobile app has gained popularity, there have been increasing complaints and negative user feedback regarding the user experience (UX). As a UX researcher, your task is to conduct a comprehensive study to identify pain points and suggest improvements to enhance the mobile banking experience for the institution’s customers.

Objectives:

1. Understand the current mobile banking user experience and identify pain points or areas of improvement.
2. Evaluate the effectiveness of existing features, navigation, and interface design.
3. Identify usability issues that may hinder smooth transactions or cause frustration among users.
4. Gather insights into users’ expectations, preferences, and needs when it comes to mobile banking.
5. Develop actionable recommendations and design solutions to improve the overall user experience.

Key Questions:

1. What are the main pain points or frustrations that users encounter while using the mobile banking app?
2. How intuitive and user-friendly is the app’s navigation and interface design?
3. Are there any specific transactions or features that users struggle with or find difficult to complete?
4. What are users’ expectations and preferences when it comes to mobile banking apps? How do they differ across different demographics or user segments?
5. How can the app be improved to provide a more seamless, efficient, and secure banking experience?

Methods and Deliverables:

1. Conduct user interviews to gather qualitative insights about users’ experiences, pain points, and suggestions for improvement.
2. Perform usability testing to observe users’ interactions and identify areas where they encounter difficulties or confusion.
3. Analyze quantitative data from user surveys or app analytics to understand usage patterns, common issues, and user satisfaction levels.
4. Create user personas or segments to understand the diversity of users and their specific needs.
5. Develop wireframes, prototypes, or mockups to visualize and communicate design solutions.
6. Present a comprehensive research report outlining key findings, recommendations, and design improvements to enhance the mobile banking experience.

Note: Adjust the specifics of the case study prompt based on the level of expertise or focus desired for the UX research skills being assessed.

Not too shabby. ChatGPT delivered when it came to centering key questions around user research. When it came to methods and deliverables, there were certain deliverables that I personally felt weren’t necessary to a UX researcher’s skillset such as designing wireframes and prototypes.

If you’re a UX Researcher reading this, I’d love to know your thoughts and opinions on ChatGPT and whether this type of case study prompt is a helpful starting point for juniors breaking into the field! Comment below.

After conversing with ChatGPT, I wanted to get a bit more niche. ChatGPT gave me a banking app scenario above and that was when I realized I can ask for a more narrowed product preference.

So then my second ask to ChatGPT was,

“generate me a case study prompt that focuses on UX research skills and is about online therapy app”

ChatGPT then computed this:

Case Study Prompt: Enhancing User Experience of an Online Therapy App

Scenario: You are a UX researcher working for a leading online therapy app that provides mental health support to users through virtual sessions with licensed therapists. While the app has gained popularity, user feedback indicates areas where the user experience (UX) can be improved. As a UX researcher, your objective is to conduct a comprehensive study to identify pain points and propose design enhancements to enhance the user experience of the online therapy app.

Objectives:

1. Understand the current user experience on the online therapy app and identify areas that need improvement.
2. Evaluate the effectiveness of the app’s user interface, navigation, and features in facilitating seamless and secure therapy sessions.
3. Identify usability issues or barriers that may impact users’ comfort, engagement, or trust in the online therapy experience.
4. Gather insights into users’ expectations, preferences, and needs when it comes to online therapy platforms.
5. Develop actionable recommendations and design solutions to enhance the overall user experience and ensure positive therapeutic outcomes.

Key Questions:

1. What are the main challenges or frustrations that users encounter while navigating and using the online therapy app?
2. How intuitive, visually appealing, and user-friendly is the app’s interface, and does it instill confidence and trust in users?
3. Are there any specific features or functionalities that hinder or enhance users’ ability to connect with therapists effectively?
4. What are users’ expectations regarding privacy, security, and confidentiality in an online therapy app, and how can these be met or exceeded?
5. How can the app be improved to foster a sense of connection, empathy, and personalized care during virtual therapy sessions?

Methods and Deliverables:

1. Conduct user interviews or focus groups to gather qualitative insights into users’ experiences, challenges, and suggestions for improving the online therapy app.
2. Perform usability testing to observe how users interact with the app, identify pain points, and uncover areas where they struggle or encounter difficulties.
3. Analyze quantitative data from user surveys, feedback forms, or app analytics to understand usage patterns, user satisfaction levels, and dropout rates.
4. Create user personas or segments to capture the diversity of users, their therapy goals, and specific needs.
5. Develop wireframes, prototypes, or mockups to visualize and communicate design enhancements that address user pain points and improve the therapy experience.
6. Present a comprehensive research report outlining key findings, recommendations, and design solutions to enhance the user experience and ensure positive therapeutic outcomes in the online therapy app.

You probably have an idea of what type of app or at least what vertical you’re most interested in digging into. That’s great! Keep that in mind should you choose to ask ChatGPT for a case study prompt.

It’s worth noting that these case study prompts are not one-size-fits-all. You may need to alter specific parts if you want to hone in on a specific skill set.

When in doubt, consult with a UXR mentor or any professional researcher for additional feedback and guidance.

These case study prompts are setting directional guidance to different ways you can pursue your user research on a product, but ultimately the type of research methodology you find appropriate and the user problems you’re trying to solve are determined by you.

Additionally, how you present all the research work in response to the case study prompt is driven and owned by you.

If you’re a UX Researcher reading this, I’d love to know your thoughts and opinions on ChatGPT and whether this type of case study prompt is a helpful starting point for juniors breaking into the field!

What other aspects of UXR portfolio building should juniors be mindful of? Comment below.

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