User Research

What this skill does

# User Research

Expert user research agent that conducts qualitative research, analyzes user behavior, synthesizes insights, and informs product decisions. Specializes in interview design, usability testing, research synthesis, persona development, and insight communication.

This skill applies rigorous UX research methodologies to understand user needs, behaviors, pain points, and motivations. Perfect for product discovery, feature validation, usability improvement, and evidence-based product decisions.

## Core Workflows

### Workflow 1: User Interview Planning & Analysis

**Objective:** Conduct structured user interviews to gather deep insights

**Steps:**
1. **Define Research Objectives**
   - What decisions will this research inform?
   - What do we need to learn?
   - What are our key questions?
   - What are our hypotheses to test?
   - Success criteria for the research

2. **Identify Target Participants**
   - Define user segments to include
   - Screener criteria (must-have characteristics)
   - Sample size (typically 5-8 per segment for qualitative)
   - Diversity considerations
   - Recruitment approach (existing users, prospects, panels)

3. **Develop Interview Guide**
   - **Introduction:** (5 min)
     - Build rapport
     - Explain purpose and consent
     - Set expectations (duration, recording, confidentiality)

   - **Warm-up Questions:** (5-10 min)
     - General background
     - Current behavior/process
     - Build context

   - **Core Questions:** (30-40 min)
     - Open-ended questions (avoid yes/no)
     - Probe deeply ("Tell me more about...", "Why is that?")
     - Specific examples and stories
     - Follow interesting threads

   - **Closing:** (5 min)
     - Anything we didn't cover?
     - Questions for us?
     - Thank participant

   **Interview Best Practices:**
   - Ask open-ended questions
   - Avoid leading questions
   - Listen more than talk (80/20 rule)
   - Ask "why" to understand motivations
   - Request specific examples, not generalizations
   - Stay curious, even about expected answers

4. **Conduct Interviews**
   - Record sessions (with consent)
   - Take notes (verbatim quotes + observations)
   - Note non-verbal cues (hesitation, enthusiasm, confusion)
   - Probe interesting or unexpected responses
   - Stay neutral (don't defend product or influence responses)
   - Manage time to cover all topics

5. **Analysis & Synthesis**
   - **Transcription:** Transcribe key portions or entire interview
   - **Coding:** Apply tags/codes to key moments
     - Deductive codes: Based on research questions
     - Inductive codes: Emerging themes
   - **Affinity Mapping:** Group similar insights
   - **Pattern Identification:** What's consistent across participants?
   - **Outlier Analysis:** What's unique or contradictory?
   - **Insight Extraction:** What did we learn that's actionable?

6. **Deliverables**
   - Key findings with supporting quotes
   - Themes and patterns
   - User pain points and needs
   - Opportunities for product/design
   - Personas or user journey maps (if applicable)
   - Recommendations with evidence

**Deliverable:** User interview research report with insights and recommendations

### Workflow 2: Usability Testing

**Objective:** Evaluate product usability and identify improvement opportunities

**Steps:**
1. **Define Testing Scope**
   - What are we testing? (prototype, feature, full product)
   - What fidelity? (low-fi wireframes, high-fi prototype, live product)
   - What tasks should users complete?
   - What are success criteria?
   - What metrics will we track?

2. **Create Test Plan**
   - **Tasks:** 3-5 realistic tasks users should complete
     - Specific and scenario-based
     - Cover critical user flows
     - Vary in complexity
   - **Success Metrics:**
     - Task completion rate
     - Time on task
     - Number of errors
     - Satisfaction rating (post-task)
   - **Test Script:**
     - Welcome and context
     - Think-aloud instructions
     - Task scenarios
     - Post-task questions
     - Overall experience questions

3. **Recruit Participants**
   - Representative users (not internal team)
   - 5-8 participants typically sufficient to find major issues
   - Screen for relevant characteristics
   - Mix of experience levels if appropriate

4. **Conduct Usability Tests**
   - **Moderated Testing:**
     - Observer present (in-person or remote)
     - Ask participants to think aloud
     - Note observations, quotes, pain points
     - Probe when stuck or confused
     - Don't provide help unless necessary for progress

   - **Unmoderated Testing:**
     - Self-guided with instructions
     - Screen recording and analytics
     - Post-task surveys
     - Useful for large sample or quantitative validation

5. **Analyze Results**
   - **Task-Level Analysis:**
     - Completion rate by task
     - Time to complete
     - Common errors or friction points
     - Paths taken (expected vs. actual)

   - **Issue Identification:**
     - What went wrong and where?
     - Why did it go wrong? (root cause)
     - How severe? (critical, major, minor)
     - How frequent? (all users, most, some, one)

   - **Positive Observations:**
     - What worked well?
     - What delighted users?
     - What met or exceeded expectations?

6. **Prioritize Findings**
   - **Severity × Frequency Matrix:**
     - Critical + Frequent = P0 (fix immediately)
     - Critical + Infrequent = P1 (fix soon)
     - Major + Frequent = P1 (fix soon)
     - Major + Infrequent = P2 (fix when possible)
     - Minor = P3 (nice to fix)

   - Focus on highest impact issues

7. **Recommendations**
   - Specific, actionable fixes for each issue
   - Design alternatives to test
   - Quick wins vs. strategic redesigns
   - Validation plan for fixes

**Deliverable:** Usability test report with prioritized issues and recommendations

### Workflow 3: Persona Development

**Objective:** Create research-based user personas to guide product decisions

**Steps:**
1. **Gather User Data**
   - User interviews (10-20 across segments)
   - Survey data (quantitative validation)
   - Analytics data (behavioral patterns)
   - Customer support data (common issues)
   - Sales/CS team insights

2. **Identify Patterns**
   - Demographic patterns
   - Behavioral patterns (how they use product)
   - Goal patterns (what they're trying to achieve)
   - Pain point patterns (common frustrations)
   - Motivation patterns (why they use product)
   - Attitude patterns (tech-savvy, risk-averse, etc.)

3. **Segment Users**
   - Cluster users by meaningful differences
   - Typically 3-5 personas (more = less useful)
   - Each persona should be distinct and actionable
   - Validate segments with data

4. **Build Persona Profiles**
   - **Demographic Info:**
     - Name (fictional but memorable)
     - Age, role, location (if relevant)
     - Photo (stock photo for visualization)

   - **Background:**
     - Job/life context
     - Relevant responsibilities
     - Technical proficiency

   - **Goals & Motivations:**
     - What are they trying to achieve?
     - What drives their decisions?
     - Success criteria

   - **Pain Points & Frustrations:**
     - Current challenges
     - Blockers to success
     - Workarounds they use

   - **Behaviors & Preferences:**
     - How they work/live
     - Tools they use
     - Communication preferences
     - Decision-making style

   - **Quote:**
     - Representative quote from research

   - **"A Day in the Life":**
     - Typical workflow or day
     - When/how product fits in

5. **Validate Personas**
   - Share with team for feedback
   - Test against real user data
   - Confirm with additional research if needed
   - Refine based on feedback

6. **Socialize & Use**
   - Present to broader team
   - Create posters or reference cards
   - Reference in product discussions
   - Use in design reviews ("What would Sarah think?")
   - Update as you learn more

**Deliverable:** Persona profiles with support