How to Choose a UX Research Method
Map your research question to a 3D space: what people say vs. do (attitudinal vs. behavioral), and direct observation vs. indirect measurement (qual vs. quant). This helps you select the right tool, from surveys to A/B tests.
Why it exists
Design teams have access to a wide range of research methods, but often default to the one or two they know best. This leads to mismatched tools and weak insights. A systematic framework helps you select the most appropriate method for your specific question, ensuring your research yields valuable results.
The mental model
Think of choosing a research method as placing your question on a map with two primary axes. First, the Attitudinal vs. Behavioral axis, which separates what people SAY from what people DO. Second, the Qualitative vs. Quantitative axis, which separates direct observation (Qual) from indirect measurement (Quant).
How it works
Start with your research question and locate it within the framework. Are you trying to understand users' stated beliefs? That's attitudinal research, like a survey or card sort. Are you trying to see if a new design increases conversions? That's behavioral and quantitative, a perfect fit for an A/B test. Methods can also be hybrids. For example, a usability study is primarily behavioral (observing tasks) but also gathers self-reported attitudinal data.
When to use it
Use this framework at the beginning of any project to justify your research plan. It's essential when your team needs to move beyond a single, familiar method like usability testing. It forces a crucial discussion: what do we really need to learn, and which tool is sharpest for that job?
When not to use it
This framework is for strategic planning, not tactical execution. It helps you choose 'usability study' over 'survey', but it won't tell you how to write the study script or survey questions. Also, don't treat the axes as rigid binaries; many methods combine elements from each quadrant.
One canonical example
A focus group is attitudinal and qualitative. You directly hear a group of people discuss their opinions and stated beliefs about a product concept. In contrast, an A/B test is behavioral and quantitative. You indirectly measure what thousands of users actually do when presented with different designs, collecting data on clicks or conversions without ever asking for their opinion.
Interview question
When using the framework to select a UX research method, which two primary axes define the research space?
- a.Direct vs. Indirect, and Say vs. Do
- b.Attitudinal vs. Behavioral, and Qualitative vs. QuantitativeCorrect
- c.Exploratory vs. Explanatory, and Observational vs. Experimental
- d.Primary vs. Secondary, and Formative vs. Summative
Why? this is the answer
The card explicitly defines the two primary axes of the framework as 'Attitudinal vs. Behavioral' and 'Qualitative vs. Quantitative'. While 'Say vs. Do' and 'Direct vs. Indirect' describe aspects of these axes, they are not the formal names of the axes themselves within this framework.
Just read this? Test yourself on what you have been reading.
Read the original → nngroup.com
- #ux
- #research
- #product-development
- #user-testing
You just looked this up. Could you explain it out loud?
That is the part interviews actually test. Tezvyn takes questions like this one and gives you what the interviewer is really checking, the answer that lands, and the mistake that ends the conversation, in the four minutes before your next meeting.
The iPhone app is on the way
We are building it. Until it lands, nothing here is held back from you: every interview card, your saved cards, streaks and the job board all work in Safari, plus hundreds of free practice quizzes of thirty questions each. Sign in and it all carries over to the app the day it arrives.
Want it as an icon? Tap Share at the bottom of Safari, then Add to Home Screen. It opens full screen and the cards you have read stay available offline.
We are hiring for this. Open roles that interview on ux — each one lists the topics its interview covers.
See open roles