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UX Tree hosted a powerhouse discussion on Integrating UX Research and Design, featuring Seán Dunne (Senior UX Researcher at Workhuman) and Jane Carroll (Senior UX Designer at VHI), and moderated by Valentina Antunovic.

This post breaks down the 6 essential categories of expertise shared during the event.

1. Establishing a Strategic Research Plan

Great design starts with clear goals. Seán Dunne detailed how to build a strong foundation:

• Align Everything
  Choosing research methods must align with clear objectives, which are set collaboratively and often emerge from past research or business metrics (like a dip in engagement).
• Prioritise Focus
  Create a list of questions, then prioritize only those that are vital to your objectives.
• Balance Data
  Use Qualitative data in the discovery phase to find the “why” (user needs/pain points) and Quantitative data to validate those insights and measure success (e.g., success rates in usability testing). A survey can be a quick kickoff, followed by deeper interviews.

2. Best Practices for Gathering Honest Data

Getting reliable, unbiased information is key.

• Master the Interview
  Focus on asking about a user’s past experiences (what they did), as this is more reliable than hypothetical future actions. Use a standard script and embrace awkward silences to encourage detailed insights.
• Natural Testing
  In usability testing, minimise interruptions so the participant interacts with the prototype naturally, allowing for an unbiased assessment.
• Encourage Candor
  Validate the user’s feelings by telling them the researcher is not the designer of the product. This helps them give truly honest feedback.
• Avoid Survey Traps
  Keep surveys short (max 10 questions) to prevent drop-off. Limit open text boxes to one, and get experience ratings immediately after a task to capture fresh feedback.

3. Connecting Research to Design & Synthesis

This is where findings turn into action and protect design decisions.

• Structured Synthesis
  Seán recommended affinity mapping to organize qualitative data (grouping similar insights into themes). The process flows from data points $\to$ themes $\to$ insights $\to$ product recommendations.
• Know Your Role
  A researcher’s formal recommendation should contextualise the issue and its impact, not prescribe the specific solution. Always involve the lead designer.
• Defend Decisions
  Jane stressed that artefacts like personas and journey maps are crucial for rationalising design decisions when stakeholder requests might otherwise override user needs.
• Conflicting Data
  If findings conflict (especially early on), continue researching and collaborate internally (with product managers, data analysts, sales).

4. Prioritisation and Handling Outside Influence

Deciding what to fix and how to manage team expectations.

• Prioritise by Severity
  Rank issues based on how much they block the user from completing a flow (high for blocking, medium for delays, low for minor experience issues).
• The ICE Framework
  Use the ICE (Impact, Cost, Ease of Use) framework collaboratively (involving researchers, designers, product, and engineering) to prioritise features and build the roadmap.
• Competitive Analysis
  It’s valuable for industry awareness, but caution stakeholders: focus on user problems first, rather than heavily weighting competitor solutions.
• Stakeholder Buy-in
  Involve stakeholders when forming research scripts to ensure early buy-in. Sharing audio/video clips of user reactions is powerful for confronting assumptions.

5. Efficiency and the Future of Research

When is it time to move on, and how can AI help?

• When to Stop
  Ideally, stop when no new insights are being learned. Practically, project timelines dictate the end. You can move to ideation when a clear user problem is identified, and the designer has a basic understanding of the problem and business goals.
• AI Caution
  Use AI tools for simple tasks (transcription, summarising plans). Do not use AI for early analysis! Researchers must personally map data to themes first to avoid loss of context or false information.

6. Advice for Growing UX Professionals

Final guidance for those building their careers.

• Plan Before You Act
  Seán advised early-career pros to prioritise developing a clear and concise plan before making any research or design decisions.
• Embrace Learning
  Jane encouraged new professionals to accept that they won’t know everything and focus on continuous skill development through practice.
• Political Process
  Gaining buy-in is a political process. Build early relationships with stakeholders and understand their preferred data formats.

 

As a thought leader, UX Tree is committed to sharing the practical wisdom that separates good design from great design. We thank all our panelists for sharing their invaluable expertise!