I’ve referenced the article When to Use Which User-Experience Research Methods by the NN Group so many times I’ve lost count. It’s an incredible overview of the landscape of user research. While many tech startups still overlook the value of research, this has been changing as companies better understand the entirety of the design process.

I love these diagrams in particular, which highlight a framework to conduct research across 3 dimensions:

• Attitudinal (why questions) vs. Behavioural (how questions)
• Qualitative vs Quantitative
• Context of Use

Whether you are building a new feature or a whole new product - understanding the methods and how they are used is essential. The answers you get are only as good as the questions you ask.