{"id":8501,"date":"2025-05-26T06:34:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-26T09:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chrisoliveiras.me\/?p=8501"},"modified":"2025-05-23T19:57:19","modified_gmt":"2025-05-23T22:57:19","slug":"pesquisa-em-ux-design-por-que-entender-o-usuario-e-o-primeiro-passo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chrisoliveiras.me\/en\/trabalho-e-carreira\/pesquisa-em-ux-design-por-que-entender-o-usuario-e-o-primeiro-passo\/","title":{"rendered":"UX Research: why understanding the user is the first step"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading time:<\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 3<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">min<\/span><\/span><div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div><div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-reaction-buttons\" ><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Listen before you propose<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When I started studying <strong>UX Design<\/strong> and first heard about <em>research<\/em>, I have to admit I felt a little lost. It felt like I had to find big answers just to begin... but I didn\u2019t even know the right questions to ask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over time, I realized that <strong>UX research<\/strong> doesn\u2019t have to start with fancy tools or impressive numbers. It can begin with something much simpler: curiosity and presence. Paying close attention, listening with intention, and truly asking: What is this person trying to do? What\u2019s working? What\u2019s getting in the way?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s where meaningful design begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is UX Research?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Research means investigating the human experience behind the interfaces. It\u2019s about understanding how people live, what they feel, how they make decisions, and how our products influence (or get in the way of) all of that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More than just gathering data, it\u2019s an <strong>act of care<\/strong>.  Without that care, we risk creating something beautiful... that serves no one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Types of research: opening and closing the fan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Generative (or exploratory) research<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This happens at the beginning of a project. It\u2019s about understanding the problem, the context, and the people involved. It\u2019s like opening the fan, listening before proposing, and observing before designing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It helps generate ideas, identify real needs, and uncover opportunities that might go unnoticed without deeper listening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Common techniques<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Open-ended interviews<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Contextual observation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Usage diaries<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Desk research<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Evaluative research<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This happens when there\u2019s already a solution or prototype. The focus is on testing if it works, if it makes sense, and if it solves the problem. It\u2019s time to close the fan, test, refine, and validate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Common techniques<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Usability testing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Quick surveys<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Metrics analysis<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Card sorting<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Quantitative and qualitative: complementary data<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Quantitative<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Think numbers, charts, and statistics. It helps us understand what is happening and how often. For example, how many people clicked a button or abandoned a cart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Qualitative<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This goes deeper. It\u2019s about understanding the why and the how. What were the feelings, doubts, or frustrations that led someone to abandon that cart? What obstacles did they face?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\ud83d\udca1 <strong>Practical tip<\/strong><br>These approaches often complement each other. Quantitative analysis reveals patterns. Qualitative research reveals meaning. One helps locate the problem. The other helps understand it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Attitudinal vs. Behavioral: what people say vs. what they do<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Attitudinal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Focuses on what people say they think or feel. Questionnaires, surveys, and focus groups fit here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Behavioral<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Focuses on what people do. Usability tests, heatmaps, and session recordings show real actions, often different from what\u2019s said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\ud83d\udca1 <strong>Practical tip<\/strong><br>Sometimes what we say and what we do are not the same. Combining these views reveals hidden habits, gaps, and valuable opportunities for improvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Accessible methods to start right now<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Desk Research (secondary research)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This involves using data and information that already exists. It could be an academic article, a market report, or even app store review comments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\ud83d\udca1 <strong>Practical example<\/strong><br>If you're creating a personal organization app, reading reviews of similar apps may reveal frustrations, unmet needs, usage habits, and even the vocabulary people use to describe their pain points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Contextual observation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you're creating a personal organization app, reading reviews of similar apps may reveal frustrations, unmet needs, usage habits, and even the vocabulary people use to describe their pain points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\ud83d\udca1 <strong>Practical tip<\/strong><br>Ask for permission and observe. The \u201cworkarounds\u201d people invent to overcome obstacles are incredibly rich sources of insight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Quick surveys and questionnaires<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>These are great for getting a quick snapshot of preferences or behaviors. They work best with direct, short, multiple-choice questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\ud83d\udca1 <strong>Practical tip<\/strong><br>Use tools like Google Forms. Focus on a few well-thought-out questions. Share the form in groups where your target audience is likely to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Usage diaries<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ask someone to log their interactions with a product or service over a few days. It\u2019s a way to follow real-life experiences, ups and downs included.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\ud83d\udca1 <strong>Practical tip<\/strong><br>Provide guiding questions such as:\n\u201cWhat did you do with the app today?\u201d, \n\u201cWas there anything that annoyed you?\u201d, \n\u201cWas there anything that pleasantly surprised you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background\" style=\"background-color:#faf4f1\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A plan can (and should) guide you<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you feel like you need more structure to get started, I recommend this other post from the blog:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/chrisoliveiras.me\/en\/trabalho-e-carreira\/design-thinking-e-ux-research-como-pensar-e-investigar-para-criar-solucoes-reais\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><mark style=\"background-color:#fcb900\" class=\"has-inline-color\">Design Thinking and UX Research: how to think (and investigate) to create real solutions<\/mark><\/strong><br><\/a>There, I share an example of a beginner-friendly research plan, with clear language and direct applicability.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u2728 More than just technique, UX research is a way to welcome others. It\u2019s stepping out of autopilot, letting go of assumptions, and returning to what truly matters: people, their stories, and the contexts where everything happens.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If this post sparked something in you, share it with someone else who's trying to create with more purpose. And if you\u2019d like to chat about the challenges of learning UX in a more human and less rushed way, I\u2019m around. The comment section is open. \ud83d\ude09<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A practical introduction for those beginning to explore UX Research. With clear explanations, accessible examples, and a human-centered view on the process of listening and investigation.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8509,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[659],"tags":[1034,1035,1011,1036,801],"class_list":["post-8501","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-trabalho-e-carreira","tag-design-com-proposito","tag-iniciantes-em-ux","tag-jornada-do-usuario","tag-pesquisa-com-usuarios","tag-ux-design"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chrisoliveiras.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8501","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chrisoliveiras.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chrisoliveiras.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chrisoliveiras.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chrisoliveiras.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8501"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/chrisoliveiras.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8501\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8507,"href":"https:\/\/chrisoliveiras.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8501\/revisions\/8507"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chrisoliveiras.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8509"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chrisoliveiras.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8501"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chrisoliveiras.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8501"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chrisoliveiras.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8501"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}