Exploratory Phase of User Research (Understanding Users & Context)
Sep 13, 2025
This phase involves researching users and their environment to identify needs, behaviours, and pain points. It helps define the problem space and guides design decisions.
Diary Method
When | Where | How | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
Long-term behaviour tracking or understanding habitual usage. | It provides a direct measure of efficiency. Faster completion times (without errors) usually indicate better design and usability. | Provide users with tools (apps, journals) to record their experiences daily over a set period. | A fitness app user logs their daily progress and challenges while using the app for a month. |
Field Study
When | Where | How | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
You need authentic, real-world user insights. | In users’ natural environments (homes, workplaces). | Observe users silently or engage in light questioning as they interact with tools or processes. | Observing how a user organises their home office setup to improve a task management app. |
Interviews
When | Where | How | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
Exploring user motivations, pain points, and feedback in depth. | In-person, over video calls, or by phone. | Prepare open-ended questions and follow up based on user responses for deeper insights. | Interviewing users to understand why they abandoned a cart in an e-commerce app. |
Contextual Inquiry
When | Where | How | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
Combining observation with real-time feedback. | Users’ environments (workplace, home). | Observe users performing tasks and ask questions while they work. | Observing a user using a software program and asking questions as they work through a task. |
Competitive Analysis
When | Where | How | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
Identifying opportunities and gaps compared to competitors. | Online or with competitor products. | Evaluate competitors' interfaces, features, and user feedback. Summarise insights in a report. | Analysing competitor fitness apps to identify features that appeal to users and their pain points. |
Literature Review
When | Where | How | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
Researching existing data to save time and effort. | Online databases, academic journals, and UX reports. | Search, analyse, and extract relevant information to inform your project. | Reviewing previous research on mobile app usability to guide your design decisions. |
Customer Feedback
When | Where | How | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
Gauging user satisfaction and pinpointing specific issues. | Surveys, Social media, and customer support channels. | Aggregate feedback, categorise issues, and analyse patterns for actionable insights. | Analysing user feedback to identify complaints about a mobile app's slow loading time. |
This phase involves researching users and their environment to identify needs, behaviours, and pain points. It helps define the problem space and guides design decisions.
Diary Method
When | Where | How | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
Long-term behaviour tracking or understanding habitual usage. | It provides a direct measure of efficiency. Faster completion times (without errors) usually indicate better design and usability. | Provide users with tools (apps, journals) to record their experiences daily over a set period. | A fitness app user logs their daily progress and challenges while using the app for a month. |
Field Study
When | Where | How | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
You need authentic, real-world user insights. | In users’ natural environments (homes, workplaces). | Observe users silently or engage in light questioning as they interact with tools or processes. | Observing how a user organises their home office setup to improve a task management app. |
Interviews
When | Where | How | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
Exploring user motivations, pain points, and feedback in depth. | In-person, over video calls, or by phone. | Prepare open-ended questions and follow up based on user responses for deeper insights. | Interviewing users to understand why they abandoned a cart in an e-commerce app. |
Contextual Inquiry
When | Where | How | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
Combining observation with real-time feedback. | Users’ environments (workplace, home). | Observe users performing tasks and ask questions while they work. | Observing a user using a software program and asking questions as they work through a task. |
Competitive Analysis
When | Where | How | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
Identifying opportunities and gaps compared to competitors. | Online or with competitor products. | Evaluate competitors' interfaces, features, and user feedback. Summarise insights in a report. | Analysing competitor fitness apps to identify features that appeal to users and their pain points. |
Literature Review
When | Where | How | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
Researching existing data to save time and effort. | Online databases, academic journals, and UX reports. | Search, analyse, and extract relevant information to inform your project. | Reviewing previous research on mobile app usability to guide your design decisions. |
Customer Feedback
When | Where | How | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
Gauging user satisfaction and pinpointing specific issues. | Surveys, Social media, and customer support channels. | Aggregate feedback, categorise issues, and analyse patterns for actionable insights. | Analysing user feedback to identify complaints about a mobile app's slow loading time. |