A list of User Research Methods

Here’s a list of a few UX Research Methods and their one-line descriptions:

• Interviews
  One-on-one meeting to get a participant’s feedback.
• Usability Labs
  Participant is given a set of tasks and meets with a researcher.
• Eyetracking
  A device is configured to measure where people look when they perform a task.
• Ethnographic Field Studies
  Meet with participants in their natural environment.
• Participatory Design
  Participants are given design elements and use them to construct their ideal experience.
• Usability Benchmarking
  Study with precise and predetermined measures of performance.
• Focus Groups
  Groups of 3-12 participants are lead through a discussion during which they give their feedback.
• Concept Testing
  Participants are shown an approximation of a product or service to determine if it meets the needs of the target audience.
• Diary/Camera Studies
  Participants record aspects of their lives that are relevant to the product or service.
• Customer Feedback
  Information generally provided by users through a form or an email.
• Card Sorting
  Method that asks users to organize items into groups and assign them categories. This helps to create the information architecture by revealing the participants’ mental models.
• A/B Testing
  Test of different designs by randomly assigning groups of users to interact with each of the designs and measuring the effect on user behavior.
• Email Surveys
  Participants are recruited by an email message.