Grounded Theory
A research method that involves forming a theory based on data systematically gathered and analyzed. Useful for developing design theories and solutions that are directly grounded in user research and data.
122 topics found for:
“research methods”
Experimenter Bias
A bias that occurs when researchers' expectations influence the outcome of a study. Crucial for designing research methods that ensure objectivity and reliability.
Ethnographic Research
A qualitative research method that studies people in their natural environments to understand their behaviors, cultures, and experiences. Crucial for gaining deep insights into user behaviors and contexts.
User Research
The process of understanding user behaviors, needs, and motivations through various qualitative and quantitative methods. Essential for designing user-centered products and ensuring they meet actual user needs.
Deductive Research
A research approach that starts with a theory or hypothesis and uses data to test it, often moving from general to specific. Essential for validating theories and making informed decisions based on data.
Generative Research
Research aimed at exploring and identifying new opportunities, needs, and ideas to inform the design process. Essential for discovering user insights and guiding innovative design solutions.
Speed Dating
A research method in which participants interact with a series of potential product concepts in quick succession, providing rapid feedback on multiple ideas. Useful for quickly gathering user feedback on various concepts and iterating based on their preferences.
Naturalistic Observation
A research method that involves observing subjects in their natural environment. Crucial for gathering authentic data and insights into real-world behaviors and interactions.
Factor Analysis
A statistical method used to identify underlying relationships between variables by grouping them into factors. Crucial for simplifying data and identifying key variables in research.
Longitudinal Study
A research method that involves repeated observations of the same variables over a period of time. Crucial for understanding changes and developments over time.
Photo Study
A research method where participants take photographs of their activities, environments, or interactions to provide insights into their behaviors and experiences. Important for gaining in-depth, visual insights into user contexts and behaviors.
CIT
Critical Incident Technique (CIT) is a method used to gather and analyze specific incidents that significantly contribute to an activity or outcome. This method is important for identifying key factors that influence performance and user satisfaction.
Desirability Study
A research method used to determine how desirable a product or feature is to potential users. Crucial for understanding user preferences and guiding product development.
Needfinding
A research process used to identify and understand the underlying needs of users to inform the design of products and services. Essential for creating user-centered designs that address real user needs.
Inductive Research
A research approach that starts with observations and develops broader generalizations or theories from them. Useful for discovering patterns and generating new theories from data.
Delphi Method
A structured communication technique originally developed as a systematic, interactive forecasting method which relies on a panel of experts. Important for gathering expert opinions and making informed decisions.
Evaluative Research
Research conducted to assess the effectiveness, usability, and impact of a design or product. Essential for validating design decisions and improving user experiences.
Social Desirability Bias
The tendency for individuals to present themselves in a favorable light by overreporting good behavior and underreporting bad behavior in surveys or research. Crucial for designing research methods that mitigate biases and obtain accurate data.
Focus Groups
A qualitative research method where a small group of people discuss a product, service, or concept to gather diverse insights and opinions. Important for gaining in-depth understanding of user perceptions and needs.
Matched Pairs Design
An experimental design where subjects are paired based on certain characteristics, and then one is assigned to the treatment and the other to the control group. Important for reducing variability and improving the accuracy of experimental results.
Contextual Inquiry
A field research method where researchers observe and interview users in their natural environment to understand their tasks and challenges. Crucial for gaining authentic insights into user behavior and needs.
Diary Study
A research method where participants record their activities, experiences, and thoughts over a period of time, providing insights into their behaviors and needs. Important for gaining in-depth, longitudinal insights into user experiences.
User Interviews
A qualitative research method involving direct conversations with users to gather insights into their needs, behaviors, and experiences. Essential for gaining deep insights into user perspectives and informing design decisions.
Look Elsewhere Effect
A statistical phenomenon where a large number of hypotheses are tested, increasing the chance of a rare event being observed. Crucial for understanding and avoiding false positives in data analysis.
Contextual Design
A user-centered design process that involves understanding users' needs and workflows through field research and applying these insights to design. Essential for creating designs that are deeply informed by user contexts and behaviors.
Eye Tracking
A technology and research method that measures where and how long a person looks at various areas on a screen or interface. Crucial for understanding user attention and improving interface design.
Field Study
Research conducted in natural settings to collect data on how people interact with products or environments in real-world conditions. Crucial for gaining authentic insights into user behaviors and contexts.
Context Mapping
A research technique that explores the context in which users interact with a product, service, or environment to understand their needs and behaviors. Crucial for gaining deep insights into user contexts and designing more relevant solutions.
Spike
A short, time-boxed period used in Agile development to research a concept or explore a new technology. Important for reducing uncertainty and risk in development.
Backward Chaining
An inference method used in AI and expert systems where reasoning starts from the goal and works backward to determine the necessary conditions. Important for developing intelligent systems that can solve complex problems by working from desired outcomes.
Demographic
Statistical data relating to a particular population and groups within it. Crucial for market research and understanding target audiences.
Creative Block Strategies
Methods and techniques used to overcome mental blocks that hinder creative thinking and problem-solving. Crucial for maintaining productivity and fostering innovation in design.
Cognitive Walkthrough
A usability evaluation method where evaluators walk through tasks to identify potential user difficulties. Essential for improving user interfaces and ensuring usability.
Normal Distribution
A statistical distribution where most occurrences take place near the mean, and fewer occurrences happen as you move further from the mean, forming a bell curve. Crucial for data analysis and understanding variability in user behavior and responses.
Competitive Intelligence
The process of gathering and analyzing information about competitors to inform business strategy and decision-making. Essential for understanding market positioning and developing effective competitive strategies.
Customer Validation
The process of testing product ideas and assumptions with real customers to ensure they meet market needs. Essential for reducing risk and ensuring product-market fit.
Quantitative Research
A research method that focuses on collecting and analyzing numerical data to identify patterns, relationships, and trends, often using surveys or experiments. Essential for making data-driven decisions and validating hypotheses with statistical evidence.
Qualitative Research
A research method that focuses on understanding phenomena through in-depth exploration of human behavior, opinions, and experiences, often using interviews or observations. Essential for gaining deep insights into user needs and behaviors to inform design and development.
Berkson’s Paradox
A statistical phenomenon where two independent events appear to be correlated due to a selection bias. Important for accurately interpreting data and avoiding misleading conclusions.
Think-Aloud Protocol
A usability testing method where participants verbalize their thoughts while interacting with a product. Essential for understanding user thought processes and identifying usability issues.
CBR
Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) is an AI method that solves new problems based on the solutions of similar past problems. This approach is essential for developing intelligent systems that learn from past experiences to improve problem-solving capabilities.
Wizard of Oz Testing
A usability testing method where users interact with a system they believe to be autonomous, but which is actually operated by a human. Essential for testing concepts and interactions before full development.
Tree Testing
A usability technique used to evaluate the findability and labeling of topics in a website's structure by having participants find specific items in a simplified text version of the site. Crucial for improving information architecture and ensuring users can navigate a website effectively.
Content Validity
The extent to which a measure represents all facets of a given construct, ensuring the content covers all relevant aspects. Important for ensuring that assessments and content accurately reflect the intended subject matter.
First Click Testing
A usability testing method that measures the first click users make on a webpage to determine if they can successfully navigate to their goal. Essential for evaluating and improving the navigational structure of a website.
RLHF
Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF) is a machine learning technique that uses human input to guide the training of AI models. Essential for improving the alignment and performance of AI systems in real-world applications.
User Centered Design
An iterative design process that focuses on the users and their needs at every phase of the design process. Crucial for creating products that are effective, efficient, and satisfying for the end users.
Turing Test
A test proposed by Alan Turing to determine if a machine's behavior is indistinguishable from that of a human. Important for evaluating the intelligence of AI systems.
Thick Data
Qualitative data that provides insights into the context and human aspects behind quantitative data. Crucial for gaining deep insights into user behaviors and motivations.
Ego Depletion
The idea that self-control or willpower draws upon a limited pool of mental resources that can be used up. Useful for designing user experiences that consider the limitations of willpower and self-control.
Halo Effect
A cognitive bias where the perception of one positive trait influences the perception of other unrelated traits. Important for designers to manage and utilize this bias effectively in user experience design.
Testing Effect
The phenomenon where taking a test on material improves long-term retention of that material more than additional study sessions. Crucial for designing educational tools and methods that enhance learning and retention.
Central Limit Theorem
A statistical theory that states that the distribution of sample means approximates a normal distribution as the sample size becomes larger, regardless of the population's distribution. Important for making inferences about population parameters and ensuring the validity of statistical tests in digital product design.
Mere Exposure Effect
A psychological phenomenon where people develop a preference for things simply because they are familiar with them. Crucial for designing user experiences that leverage familiarity to increase user comfort and satisfaction.
Bottom-Up IA
An approach to information architecture that starts with the details and builds up to a comprehensive structure. Useful for designing flexible and detailed systems that can adapt to user needs.
Journey Mapping
A technique that visualizes the process users go through to achieve a goal with a product or service. Essential for identifying pain points and optimizing user interactions to improve overall experience.
Empathy in Design
The practice of deeply understanding and sharing the feelings of users to create products and services that truly meet their needs. Crucial for creating user-centered designs that resonate with users' emotions and experiences.
Prompt Chaining
A method in natural language processing where multiple prompts are linked to generate more complex and contextually accurate responses. Essential for enhancing the capability and accuracy of AI models in digital products that rely on natural language understanding.
Usability
The degree to which a product or system can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction in a specified context of use. Essential for creating products that are easy to use and meet user needs effectively.
UI Design
The design of user interfaces for machines and software, such as computers, mobile devices, and other electronic devices, with the focus on maximizing usability and the user experience. Essential for ensuring that digital products are intuitive and easy to use.