Going Global: 8 Tips For Planning International UX Research
When designing for a new market, it is important to conduct research studies with your target users. In recent years, I led usability studies for an e-commerce app and a car rental app. For these projects, I conducted moderated research with Israeli, Azerbaijani, and Finnish participants, and I am happy to share my learnings with you. Here are 8 tips to help you plan an international UX research study:
1. Do your preliminary research:
Before you even begin planning your research, it’s important to gather as much information as possible about your target users. This will allow you to develop your study more accurately, and ensure you’re asking the right questions. Additionally, conducting some desk research about the target market, culture, and trends can be incredibly helpful.
2. Compare the advantages of in-person and remote sessions:
In-person research can be valuable for several reasons, such as being able to observe non-verbal cues from users or getting a better sense of the culture in which they live. However, remote research can be a great alternative if your budget and time are limited. Many companies opt for remote international research since it’s more flexible and budget-friendly than traveling to other countries for in-person research.
3. Learn about legal requirements:
It is crucial to learn about the data protection law of the country and plan your research accordingly. Although regulations vary from country to country, most of the time you’ll need to inform participants and ask them to sign a consent form before recording the session. It’s always a good idea to consult with a lawyer to ensure you’re handling things like data collection and processing properly.
4. Explore different participant recruitment methods:
There are a variety of ways to recruit international participants, including using local recruiting agencies, participant panel tools, or reaching out to your current user base. The best approach will depend on your budget and time constraints. For instance, using participant panel websites may be more cost-effective than hiring a local agency, but a local agency may be better equipped to help with communication and scheduling. Take the time to research your options and choose the recruitment method that’s right for you.
5. Double-check for time zone differences:
When arranging research sessions, it’s important to consider time zone and calendar differences to ensure that session times are reasonable for participants. Keep in mind that it may be difficult to reach participants during local holidays or work hours. If time zone differences make scheduling a challenge, it may be more efficient to hire a local moderator who can help navigate these issues.
6. Don’t forget about linguistic and cultural differences:
It is ideal to conduct and analyze the research sessions in the local language, but budget limitations may make it difficult to hire a local moderator. If you conduct the study in a participant’s second language, be sure to recruit participants who are fluent in that language. Keep in mind that communicating with different dialects can also be challenging.
In addition to language, cultural differences should be taken into account. People from different cultures may communicate differently, so it’s important to have some cultural context to avoid interactions that could be considered rude or inappropriate by participants.
7. Be prepared for technical issues:
During the sessions, some technical issues might occur such as slow internet speed, connection loss, or power outage. To minimize disruptions and avoid having to reschedule sessions, it’s a good idea to give longer breaks between sessions, which can give you some flexibility to address technical issues as they arise. Additionally, in remote settings, you may want to consider recruiting participants with higher internet speeds or providing them with guidelines on how to optimize their internet connection for the session. By being prepared, you can help ensure a smoother research experience for you and your participants.
8. Arrange suitable incentives for the target participants:
The incentives should be able to persuade users to participate in the study. Suitable incentive amount and form varies from country to country. You need to think about factors like the cost of living, session time, and the average income in the area you’re targeting. Plus, it’s important to remember that some payment methods or stores might not be available in certain countries.
There are plenty of ways to offer incentives even if you’re not familiar with the economic background. If you work with a hiring agency, you can ask them for help with incentives. You can also use online tools to send gift cards or other rewards directly to your participants.
When it comes to conducting international UX research, it has similarities with doing research in your country, but it also has its own challenges. From language and cultural differences to legal requirements and technical issues, there’s a lot to consider. However, by doing research, you can gain valuable insights and design a user experience that is suitable for your target audience.
I hope these tips above will help you get started. Thank you so much for reading!
