User Research Methods

Learn which research methods to use when, and how to gather insights that drive product decisions

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Section 1 of 5

Introduction

Research is Not a Phase, It's a Habit

Bad PMs research once at the start. Good PMs research continuously. Great PMs weave research into every decision. User research isn't about collecting data—it's about building empathy, validating assumptions, and avoiding expensive mistakes.

Research Methods Overview

Different problems need different methods. Choose based on what you need to learn:

Qualitative Research

Understand WHY users behave the way they do

Common Methods:

User Interviews

When: Deep insights into motivations

Output: Rich narratives, pain points

Usability Testing

When: Watch users struggle with product

Output: UX issues, friction points

Ethnography

When: Observe users in natural context

Output: Behavioral patterns, workflows

Best For:

Early discovery, understanding context, exploring unknown problems

Which Method Should I Use?

Select your current stage to see recommended research methods:

Recommended Methods for: Discovery Phase

User Interviews

High Priority

Open-ended exploration of pain points

Ethnography

Medium Priority

Observe users in their natural environment

Surveys

Low Priority

Quickly validate patterns across many users

The Two Types of Research Mistakes

❌ Type 1: No Research

Building what you THINK users want without validation. Most common mistake.

Result: Build the wrong thing, waste months, users don't care

⚠️ Type 2: Wrong Research

Using surveys for discovery or interviews for quantification. Right intent, wrong tool.

Result: False confidence, misleading insights, bad decisions

💡

Research Doesn't Slow You Down—It Speeds You Up

"We don't have time for research" is the most expensive sentence in product management. Building the wrong thing for 6 months costs more than researching for 2 weeks. Research feels slow but prevents building things nobody wants. That's the ultimate time saver.

Key Takeaways

•Qualitative research (interviews, testing) answers WHY. Quantitative (surveys, analytics) answers WHAT and HOW MANY.
•Choose research methods based on your stage: Discovery needs interviews, Validation needs surveys, Optimization needs analytics.
•Mixed methods (qual + quant) give the complete picture: numbers with context.
•Research is not a phase you do once—it's a continuous practice that prevents expensive mistakes.

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