You don’t need a big budget or fancy tools to conduct impactful user research. Andy Switzky, a UX expert with over 25 years of experience, suggests starting with the simplest approach first. Reach out to people who fit the profile of your ideal customer and conduct informal yet structured interviews. Start by asking about their pain points, behaviors, and what solutions they’ve tried before. Think of it as a casual yet purposeful conversation, not a clinical science experiment.
Here’s the magic of these interviews: They help you uncover what truly matters to your customers and shape your product or service to meet their needs. The best part? You can do this over coffee chats, a Zoom call, or even a quick survey crafted through platforms like Google Forms or Typeform. Start with what you know and grow from there.
Andy emphasizes that you can sketch ideas on a napkin to test with users (yep, that simple!). Show them early concepts and ask questions like, “What works for you here?” or “What’s missing?” Constant iteration doesn’t require costly resources but rather a mindset of listening, adapting, and improving.
For a deeper look at affordable and effective user research techniques, check out this article from Usability.gov for actionable strategies you can start applying today.
3 Tips for Researching Smart on a Budget:
- Use Your Network: Tap into your personal connections and ask for referrals to your potential users.
- Keep It Lean: Test early ideas with sketches, one-pagers, or mock-ups before investing in expensive prototypes.
- Iterate Often: Keep refining based on each user interaction. You don’t need it perfect to learn valuable lessons.
Why It Matters:
By focusing on real conversations and agile testing, you’re ensuring your product resonates with people before investing too much time or money. It’s simply smarter business.
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