Week 4: Integrating Research Into the Design Process
Integrating Research Into the Design Process INTRODUCTION
This section of Coursera’s Google UX Design Professional Certificate focuses on the critical role of research in the design process. Incorporating research into your UX designs is vital for developing products and services that align with user needs, expectations, and preferences.
Throughout this course, you will learn the significance of research in UX design and how to effectively apply various research methods. You’ll also explore strategies for recognizing and addressing potential biases in the research process.
Upon completing this part of the program, you’ll be equipped to integrate research into the design process and create exceptional user experiences.
Learning Objectives:
- Recognize and manage biases in UX research
- Understand research methods applicable throughout the product development cycle
- Define the role of UX research in the design process
- Identify common UX research methods
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF UX RESEARCH
1. Why is UX research an important step in the product development lifecycle?
- It helps bridge the gap between what a business thinks the user needs and what the user actually needs. (CORRECT)
- It allows users to see the development of a product from beginning to end.
- It prioritizes what a business believes users want from their product.
Correct: Bridging the gap between a business’s perception of user needs and the actual needs of users is crucial for crafting positive user experiences. This alignment ensures that products and services meet real user expectations.
2. What is the goal of post-launch research?
- Inform the team on how a product should be built
- Define the problems the team needs to create a design solution for
- Understand how users experienced the product (CORRECT)
- Decide how to build the product
Correct: The purpose of post-launch research is to assess how users interacted with the product and determine whether their experience was positive or negative.
3. What question does foundational research answer, as part of user experience research?
- What should we build? (CORRECT)
- Was it easy to use?
- How should we build it?
- Did we succeed?
Correct: Foundational research asks: What should we build? The goal of foundational research is to help define the problem you would like to design a solution for.
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE ON UX RESEARCH METHODS
1. Which research method is best suited for the following scenario?
Team Donut is developing an app that allows users to navigate grocery stores and find in-stock items with ease. The demographic of users who use similar applications on the market will influence how Team Donut approaches the app’s interface design. Team Donut would like a large sample size of data.
- Interviews
- Journals
- Usability studies
- Surveys (CORRECT)
Correct: A survey is an activity where a large group of people is asked the same set of questions to gather insights on their opinions about a product. Surveys enable teams to collect data from a broader sample quickly and efficiently. They are generally more cost-effective and time-saving compared to methods like interviews.
2. Which of the following are benefits of secondary research?
- It provides for in-depth observation of users.
- It provides information on what users think and why, and allows researchers to ask participants follow-up questions.
- It saves time and money, it’s immediately accessible, and it’s used to back up primary research. (CORRECT)
- It provides first-hand user interaction data and in-depth feedback.
Correct: Secondary research saves time and money, is immediately accessible, and is used to back up primary research. These are just some of the benefits of secondary research.
3. Qualitative research gathers data by using which of the following methods?
- Observing (CORRECT)
- Measuring
- Counting
- Calculating
Correct: Qualitative research focuses on observations. This often includes interviews that ask how and why questions
WEEKLY CHALLENGE 4: RESEARCH IN THE DESIGN PROCESS
1. UX research focuses on understanding user behaviors, needs, and motivations through observation and feedback.
- True (CORRECT)
- False
Correct: The aim of user experience research is to put the user at the forefront. To achieve this, researchers must concentrate on understanding user behaviors, needs, and motivations.
2. There are three key qualities that UX researchers usually possess. Which of the following helps UX researchers understand someone else’s feelings or thoughts in a situation?
- Pragmatism
- Empathy (CORRECT)
- Collaboration
Correct: Empathy is the ability to understand someone else’s feelings or thoughts in a situation. It’s a good quality for UX researchers to have.
3. A design team wants to build an application for mobile users. They’ve noticed a lack of cat owner-related apps on the market and they want to create an app to fill that void. They want to figure out what they should build. At this stage, what kind of research in the product development lifecycle should they employ?
- Design research
- Foundational research (CORRECT)
- Post-launch research
Correct: Foundational research answers the question: What should we build? This helps designers assess what the user problems are and how they can be solved.
4. Which type of bias refers to the ease of remembering the last thing that was heard in an interview or conversation?
- Primacy bias
- Recency bias (CORRECT)
- Sunk cost fallacy
- False consensus bias
Correct: Recency bias refers to the ease of remembering the last thing that was heard in an interview or conversation.
5. Confirmation bias is defined as looking for evidence to prove a hypothesis you already have. Identify a method that can help overcome confirmation bias.
- Reflect on our own behaviors
- Segment your project into smaller, more manageable phases and outline stopping points
- Identify and articulate assumptions before interviews or conversations and survey large groups
- Practice active listening and ask open-ended questions
Correct: This approach lets interviewees provide answers freely and honestly.
6. Consider the following scenario:
To decide what type of fitness app to design, the research team designs a survey to learn about gaps in the marketplace. They survey a group of fitness enthusiasts, and ask users to rate—from 1 (strongly dislike) to 5 (strongly like)—the top fitness apps on the market. Using this numeric data, the researchers calculate the average likability rating for each app.
What type of research is the team conducting?
- Quantitative research (CORRECT)
- Qualitative research
- Usability research
- Secondary research
Correct: This is quantitative research, which emphasizes measurable outcomes presented as numerical data. Quantitative research answers the “what,” while qualitative research provides insight into the “why.”
7. When developing a product, what are the benefits a usability study provides for design teams? Select all that apply.
- Inexpensive to conduct
- Shows how users actually interact with a product in real life
- Receive in-depth user feedback about a product (CORRECT)
- Observe firsthand user interactions with a product (CORRECT)
Correct: Usability studies allow researchers to receive in-depth user feedback about a product. This helps researchers acknowledge the user’s actual experience, rather than relying on assumptions.
8. When developing a product, what benefits does interview research provide for design teams? Select all that apply.
- Uncover the preferences of a large group of users
- Observe how users interact with a product
- Understand what users think and why (CORRECT)
- Ask follow-up questions about the user’s experience (CORRECT)
In interviews, designers can ask a set of questions. This allows them to understand not only what users think but also why they think it.
In interviews, designers can ask follow-up questions. This enables them to explore further and gain a deeper understanding of the user’s experience.
9. Consider the following scenario:
Imagine that a UX designer creates an app for saving, organizing, and streaming podcasts. To learn about users’ experiences with their product, the designer conducts interviews with a select group of target users: podcast enthusiasts. The research team has a hypothesis that podcast enthusiasts prefer long-form, polished content—rather than talk radio and news—so they ask a series of questions about how users interact with this content.
How can the researcher avoid the impact of confirmation bias? Select all that apply.
- Hire an outside research team to conduct the interviews
- Conduct interviews several times in the product development lifecycle
- Interview a large group of users with diverse perspectives (CORRECT)
- Ask open-ended questions and actively listen to respondents (CORRECT)
The researcher should ensure a broad sample of users, rather than limiting the group to those who align with their preconceived notions. Open-ended questions are also valuable, as they allow the interviewee to respond freely instead of limiting them to “yes” or “no” answers.
One effective way to combat confirmation bias is by asking open-ended questions, enabling the interviewee to express their thoughts fully. Additionally, the researcher should include a diverse sample of users to gather varied perspectives.
10. A design team is developing a new product and they want to understand how to build it. Which type of research can best help the team answer their question?
- Foundational
- Design (CORRECT)
- Post-launch
Correct: In order to understand how to build the product, the design team needs to conduct design research.
11. Which of the following research methods evaluates a product by testing it on users?
- Surveys
- Interviews
- Secondary research
- Usability studies (CORRECT)
Correct: Usability studies are an example of a primary research method.
12. Which type of bias is an overestimation of the number of people who will agree with an idea or design?
- Confirmation bias
- Sunk cost fallacy
- Primacy bias
- False consensus bias (CORRECT)
Correct: The assumption that others will think the same way we do creates false consensus.
13. The recency bias refers to bias where it’s easier for a person to recall the last thing heard in an interview or conversation. Identify a method that can help overcome recency bias.
- Reflect on our own behaviors
- Practice active listening and ask open-ended questions
- Take detailed notes or recordings and interview each participant the same way (CORRECT)
- Identify and articulate assumptions before interviews or conversations and survey large groups
Correct: This approach allows designers to review information from various points of a conversation or interview.
14. Consider the following scenario:
Imagine that a UX designer creates an app for saving, organizing, and streaming podcasts. To learn about user experiences with their product, the designer conducts interviews with a select group of target users: podcast enthusiasts. The researcher interviews 10 respondents and remembers the end of the last interview most clearly. The researcher uses this final interview to guide their thinking.
What are some methods the researcher can use to avoid the impact of their recency bias? Select all that apply.
- Hire an outside research team to conduct the interviews
- Survey large groups of people to supplement the interviews
- Take detailed notes during interview (CORRECT)
- Record each interview that they conduct (CORRECT)
Correct: To overcome the recency bias, the researcher can take detailed notes or recordings for each interview or conversation. That way, they can review what people said at the start of the conversation.
15. A design team finished developing a product and successfully pushed it to the market! Now they want to know what users think. Which type of research can best help the team answer their question?
- Post-launch (CORRECT)
- Design
- Scientific
Correct: The goal of post-launch research is to evaluate how users interacted with the product and determine whether their experience was positive or negative. Essentially, it helps assess whether the design team achieved their objectives.
16. Which of the following is a primary UX research method?
- Books
- Journals
- Articles
- Interviews (CORRECT)
Correct: Interviews are an example of a primary research method.
17. A design team wants to build an application for mobile users. They’ve noticed a lack of cat owner-related apps on the market and they want to create an app to fill that void. They want to figure out what they should build. At this stage, what kind of research in the product development lifecycle should they employ?
- Foundational research (CORRECT)
- Post-launch research
- Design research
Correct: Foundational research answers the question: What should we build? This helps designers assess what the user problems are and how they can be solved.
18. Which research method allows in-depth feedback and firsthand interaction, but only measures how easy it is to use a product?
- Usability study (CORRECT)
- Exams
- Interviews
- Surveys
Correct; Usability studies provide the design and research team with the opportunity to observe users interacting with a product and gather detailed feedback. However, like any research method, usability studies have limitations. They can be expensive to conduct, primarily assess the ease of use, and may not accurately represent how users engage with the product in real-world scenarios.
19. Consider the following scenario:
Imagine that a UX designer creates an app for saving, organizing, and streaming podcasts. After conducting interviews, the designer learns that users lack interest in an app feature that lets them add custom podcast tags. The designer has invested dozens of hours in this feature’s design. They continue to refine it, even though other user-identified issues are pending resolution.
What can the researcher do to avoid impacts of the sunk cost fallacy? Select all that apply.
- Hire an outside consulting firm to map project deliverables
- Conduct new interviews with a different group of users
- Outline designated points to decide whether to continue or stop (CORRECT)
- Break down the project into smaller phases (CORRECT)
Correct: The term “sunk cost” refers to time or resources that have already been invested in a project or activity. For UX designers, while they may feel compelled to continue working on a design, it’s important to prioritize efforts that will have a positive impact on the user experience rather than focusing on past investments.
20. How does UX research fit into the development of a product?
- It only take place during the design phase.
- It is a continuous part of the product development life cycle. (CORRECT)
- It should take place at the beginning of the product development life cycle
Correct: UX research takes place before, during, and after the design phase.
21. What is a usability study?
- A research method used to collect in-depth information on people’s opinions, thoughts, experiences, and feelings.
- A technique for evaluating a product by testing it with users. (CORRECT)
- An activity where many people are asked to respond to a questionnaire in order to understand what they think about a product.
- A critical measure of progress toward an end goal.
Correct: Usability studies are a technique that helps UX designers evaluate a product by testing it with users.
22. What is a drawback to conducting surveys?
- Slow data collection
- Lack of in-depth feedback (CORRECT)
- Expensive
- Smaller sample size
Correct: A drawback of surveys is that they don’t allow for in-depth feedback.
23. What type of bias involves the collection of attitudes and stereotypes associated with people without conscious knowledge?
- Primacy bias
- Implicit bias (CORRECT)
- Recency bias
- Sunk cost fallacy
Correct; A bias is favoring or having prejudice against something based on limited information. One of the most common forms of implicit bias in UX is when we only interview people within a limited set of identity profiles, such as race, age, gender, socioeconomic status, and ability.
24. What does UX research focus on?
- Understanding user behaviors, needs, and motivations through observation and feedback (CORRECT)
- Prioritizing what a business believes users want from a product
- Following the process that takes a product from an idea to reality
Correct: The goal of user experience research is to prioritize the user. In order to do so, researchers must focus on understanding user behaviors, needs, and motivations.
25. A team is in the early stages of developing a product and needs to define the problem in order to create the solution. Which type of research can best help the team answer their question?
- Foundational (CORRECT)
- Post-launch
- Design
Correct: At the early stages of developing a product, the design team needs to define the problem they’re trying to create a solution for. This is done with foundational research.
26. There are three key qualities that UX researchers usually possess. Which of these qualities helps UX researchers practically solve problems and reach goals?
- Empathy
- Pragmatism (CORRECT)
- Collaboration
Correct: Pragmatism is a practical, results-oriented approach to problem-solving and is an essential quality of a strong UX researcher. Pragmatic individuals are usually focused on achieving their goals efficiently and effectively.
27. A design team is looking to build an application for mobile users who own cats. They did research and decided to build a cat sitting app to address a gap in the market. The design team needs to know how they should build the app. At this stage, what kind of research in the product development lifecycle should they employ?
- Design research (CORRECT)
- Foundational research
- Post-launch research
Correct: In order to answer questions about how a design team should build an app, they need to conduct design research.
28. Imagine that a design firm’s research team knows about their users’ pain points, but they need to answer a few specific questions before proceeding. To learn more, they decide to collect in-depth information on a handful of users’ opinions. What is the most appropriate research method?
- Usability study
- Surveys
- Interviews (CORRECT)
- Key performance indicator
Correct: Interviews help researchers collect in-depth information on people’s opinions, thoughts, experiences, and feelings.
29. A design team decides to conduct interviews to learn more about users’ experiences with their product. Although this is a valuable method of primary research, why might the design team be concerned about conducting interviews? Select all that apply.
- Designers need to identify a large group of potential respondents
- Designers can only ask about how easy it is to use a product
- Interviews require a significant investment of time and money (CORRECT)
- Interviews collect information from only a small sample of users (CORRECT)
The primary drawback of interviews is that they require significant time and resources to conduct. As a result, designers usually interview only a small group of users, and making decisions based on such small sample sizes can be a risky approach.
Interviews are generally carried out with a limited number of users. This results in a small sample size, and making decisions based on such small samples can be risky.
30. There are three key qualities that UX researchers usually possess. Which of these three qualities helps UX researchers adapt to working in teams with a range of people, personalities, and work styles?
- Empathy
- Pragmatism
- Collaboration (CORRECT)
Correct: The ability to work with a range of people, personalities, and work styles is a good quality to have as a UX researcher.
31. There are three key qualities that UX researchers usually possess. Which of these three qualities helps UX researchers practically solve problems?
- Empathy
- Pragmatism (CORRECT)
- Collaboration
32. There are three key qualities that UX researchers usually possess. Which of these three qualities helps UX researchers understand someone else’s feelings or thoughts in a situation?
- Empathy (CORRECT)
- Pragmatism
- Collaboration
33. Consider the following scenario:
A: After launching their mobile app, a design team learns that users are experiencing glitches with the product. To solve the problem, the design and engineering teams collaborate to release a software update. Now, they want to understand if this changed user engagement with the app. They collect data on the monthly install rate, uninstall rate, and download count. They compare the data.
What type of research is the team conducting?
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research (CORRECT)
- Survey research
- Secondary research
Correct: This is quantitative research, which focuses on measurable results shared as numerical answers. Quantitative research gives you the “what,” and qualitative research gives you the “why.”
34. A design team wants to conduct research about a product in development. They face two constraints: 1) they have a limited budget; and 2) because of a rapid project timeline, they need to complete a quick product development cycle. Which research method should they use?
- Surveys (CORRECT)
- Key performance indicators
- Interviews
- Usability studies
Correct: Given these project constraints, surveys are the optimal choice. They are quick, cost-effective, and enable researchers to gather data from a larger sample size.
35. Consider the following scenario:
Imagine that a UX designer creates an app for saving, organizing, and streaming podcasts. To learn about users’ experiences with their product, the designer conducts interviews with a select group of target users: podcast enthusiasts. The research team has a hypothesis that podcast enthusiasts prefer long-form, polished content—rather than talk radio and news—so they ask a series of questions about how users interact with this content.
How can the researcher avoid the impact of confirmation bias? Select all that apply.
- Hire an outside research team to conduct the interviews
- Interview a large group of users with diverse perspectives (CORRECT)
- Conduct interviews several times in the product development lifecycle
- Ask open-ended questions and actively listen to respondents (CORRECT)
The researcher should include a diverse sample of users, not just those who align with their preconceived notions. Asking open-ended questions is also effective, as it allows the interviewee to respond freely instead of limiting them to “yes” or “no” answers.
One effective way to overcome confirmation bias is by asking open-ended questions, which allows the interviewee to respond openly rather than with a simple “yes” or “no.” Additionally, the researcher should include a large, diverse sample of users to gather varied perspectives.
36. Sunk cost fallacy bias refers to the idea that the deeper a designer invests their time into a project, the harder it is to change course without feeling like the project failed. Identify a method that can help overcome the sunk cost fallacy bias.
- Identify and articulate assumptions before interviews or conversations
- Practice active listening and ask open-ended questions
- Take detailed notes or recordings and interview each participant the same way
- Segment your project into smaller, more manageable phases (CORRECT)
Correct: Segmenting your project into smaller, more manageable phases allows a designer to designate points where they can decide to continue or stop.
37. Imagine that a design firm’s research team has a basic understanding of their users’ pain points. To learn more, they decide to investigate further with a large group of people. What is the most appropriate research method?
- Usability study
- Surveys (CORRECT)
- Interviews
- Key performance indicator
38. What is the goal of UX research?
- Prioritizing the user (CORRECT)
- Projecting the success of a product
- Defining the outcome for the design solution
- Understanding what the business wants
Correct: The goal of user experience research is to prioritize the user. In order to do so, researchers must focus on understanding user behaviors, needs, and motivations.
39. Consider the following scenario:
The research team designs and fields a survey that asks users to rate—on a numeric scale—their favorite fitness apps. They also conduct targeted interviews with fitness enthusiasts, to understand their needs. The research team uses their findings to inform design and marketing decisions.
What type of research is the team conducting? Select all that apply.
- Quantitative research (CORRECT)
- Secondary research
- Primary research (CORRECT)
- Qualitative research (CORRECT)
Primary research is research that the team conducts directly. This could involve interviewing users, surveying them, or performing a usability study.
The interviews are qualitative research, which helps researchers explore the “why” behind user behaviors and opinions.
The survey is quantitative research, which focuses on measurable data presented as numerical answers, helping researchers understand the “what.”
40. Imagine that a design team needs to evaluate a mobile app prototype before the next design iteration. They want to learn about user pain points and fix any problems before the product launches. What is the most appropriate research method?
- Interviews
- Usability study (CORRECT)
- Key performance indicator
- Surveys
Correct: Usability studies help designers evaluate a product by testing it on users. Though testing, designers identify pain points, and prioritize key issues to fix before the product launches.
41. In a usability study, how does the user interact with a product?
- investigation
- incident
- event (CORRECT)
- analysis
An event is a form of observable occurrence in a network, a system, or a device. All incidents are events but not all events will be incidents.
42. Which type of bias is the collection of attitudes and stereotypes associated with people?
- Recency bias
- Confirmation bias
- Implicit bias (CORRECT)
- Primacy bias
Correct: Implicit bias is the collection of attitudes and stereotypes associated with people.
43. Which of the following research methods is defined as an activity where many people are asked the same questions in order to understand what most people think about a product?
- Journals
- Usability studies
- Surveys (CORRECT)
- Articles
Correct: Surveys are an example of a primary research method. With surveys, many people are asked the same questions in order to understand what most people think about a product.
44. Which of the following are areas that a UX researcher focuses on? Select all that apply.
- Client behaviors (CORRECT)
- User needs
- User behaviors
- User motivations
45. A UX researcher is working with designers on a mobile app and wants to answer the question, “How should we build it?” Which type of research can best help the researcher answer this question?
- Foundational
- Design (CORRECT)
- Post-launch
46. Why is the ability to collaborate an important trait for a UX researcher?
- It helps researchers understand someone else’s feelings or thoughts in a situation.
- It helps UX researchers stay focused on the goal of the project and solve problems practically.
- It helps UX researchers adapt to working with a range of people, personalities, and work styles. (CORRECT)
47. What is the purpose of an interview?
- Understanding what most people think about a product by asking many people the same questions
- Observing people doing an activity in the user’s context
- Collecting in-depth information on people’s opinions, thoughts, experiences, and feelings (CORRECT)
- Evaluating a product by testing it on users
48. A startup company tasks its design team to build a website for novice home cooks interested in making multi-course meals. The team needs to figure out what the structure and basic website details should be. At this stage, what kind of research in the product development lifecycle should the team employ?
- Foundational research (CORRECT)
- Design research
- Post-launch research
49. The recency bias refers to how it’s easier for a person to recall the last thing heard in an interview or conversation. Identify a method that can help overcome recency bias.
- Practice active listening and ask open-ended questions.
- Reflect on our own behaviors
- Take detailed notes or recordings and interview each participant the same way. (CORRECT)
- Identify and articulate assumptions before interviews or conversations, and survey large groups.
50. Consider the following scenario:
The research team designs and fields a survey that asks users to rate—on a numeric scale—their favorite fitness apps. They also conduct targeted interviews with fitness enthusiasts to understand the enthusiasts’ needs. The research team uses their findings to inform design and marketing decisions.
What type of research is the team conducting? Select all that apply.
- Secondary research
- Qualitative research (CORRECT)
- Primary research (CORRECT)
- Quantitative research (CORRECT)
51. When developing a product, what are the benefits a usability study provides for design teams? Select all that apply.
- Spend less—it’s inexpensive to conduct
- See how users actually interact with a product in real life
- Observe firsthand user interactions with a product (CORRECT)
- Receive in-depth user feedback about a product (CORRECT)
52. What does UX research focus on?
- Analyzing market trends and competitor strategies for product development
- Prioritizing what a business believes users want from a product
- Following the process that takes a product from an idea to reality
- Understanding user behaviors, needs, and motivations through observation and feedback (CORRECT)
53. A UX research team already has a good understanding of what they’re going to build. They now want to answer the question, “How do we build it?” Which type of research can best help the team answer their question?
- Design (CORRECT)
- Post-launch
- Foundational
54. There are three key qualities that UX researchers usually possess. Which of these three qualities helps UX researchers adapt to working with a range of people, personalities, and work styles?
- Collaboration (CORRECT)
- Pragmatism
- Empathy
55. What is the purpose of a survey?
- Evaluating a product by testing it on users
- Understanding what most people think about a product by asking many people the same questions (CORRECT)
- Collecting in-depth information on people’s opinions, thoughts, experiences, and feelings
- Observing people doing an activity in the user’s context
56. Which type of bias refers to remembering the first participant most strongly?
- Confirmation bias
- Sunk cost fallacy
- False consensus bias
- Primacy bias (CORRECT)
57. The primacy bias refers to remembering the first participant most strongly. Identify a method that can help overcome primacy bias.
- Practice active listening and ask open-ended questions.
- Reflect on our own behaviors.
- Interview each participant the same way and take detailed notes or recordings. (CORRECT)
- Identify and articulate assumptions before interviews or conversations, and survey large groups.
58. Imagine that a design team needs to evaluate a mobile app prototype before the next design iteration. They want to learn about user pain points and fix any problems before the product launches. What is the most appropriate research method?
- Usability study (CORRECT)
- Key performance indicator
- Surveys
- Interviews
59. When conducting usability studies, is it a benefit or a drawback that they need to be conducted in a controlled, lab environment?
- Neither
- Benefit
- Drawback (CORRECT)
60. You are a designer getting ready to gather some user feedback. You are leaning toward using a survey to gather your data. What is the main drawback of using surveys you should be aware of?
- Survey data is difficult to analyze.
- Survey questions don’t allow for in-depth feedback. (CORRECT)
- Surveys are expensive.
- Surveys take a long time to set up.
61. Consider the following scenario:
Imagine that a UX designer creates an app for saving, organizing, and streaming podcasts. The designer begins to work on a tagging feature they’ve often struggled to find in other apps. The new feature is beneficial to the internal testers, and the designer believes that everyone they interview will appreciate the feature too. When a few users are confused about the new feature, the designer dismisses these findings.
How can the researcher avoid the impact of false consensus bias? Select all that apply.
- Conduct interviews several times in the product development lifecycle
- Hire an outside research team to conduct the interviews
- Survey a large group of users with diverse perspectives (CORRECT)
- Identify assumptions (CORRECT)
62. What is the goal of UX research?
- Understanding what the business wants
- Projecting the success of a product
- Prioritizing the user (CORRECT)
- Defining the outcome for the design solution
63. A UX researcher is starting a new project for a mobile app and wants to answer the question, “What should we build?” Which type of research can best help the researcher answer this question?
- Post-launch
- User testing
- Foundational (CORRECT)
- Design
64. Why is empathy an important trait for a UX researcher?
- It helps researchers understand someone else’s feelings or thoughts in a situation. (CORRECT)
- It helps UX researchers adapt to working with a range of people, personalities, and work styles.
- It helps UX researchers stay focused on the goal of the project and solve problems practically.
65. Which type of bias is an overestimation of the number of people who will agree with an idea or design?
- Sunk cost fallacy
- Primacy bias
- Confirmation bias
- False consensus bias (CORRECT)
66. False consensus bias is defined as the assumption that others will think the same way as you do. Identify a method that can help overcome false consensus bias.
- Identify and articulate assumptions before interviews or conversations, and survey large groups. (CORRECT)
- Reflect on our own behaviors.
- Segment your project into smaller, more manageable phases, and outline stopping points.
- Practice active listening and ask open-ended questions.
67. Consider the following scenario:
A design team is designing a mobile app for a client. This client is in an industry the team is not familiar with. To better understand the industry, they do research in trade magazines and journals.
What type of research is the design team conducting?
- Secondary research (CORRECT)
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- Survey research
68. Which of the following best describes how a researcher keeps a business’s needs in mind when conducting UX research?
- By aligning user insights with the business’s goals and objectives (CORRECT)
- By solely focusing on user preferences and disregarding the business’s needs
- By prioritizing the business’s opinions over user feedback
- By minimizing the impact of user research on the business’s decisions
69. A design team is building a website for home cooks looking to make an impressive meal for friends and family. They did research and decided on a website that helps users plan and cook a multi-course meal. The design team needs to know how they should build the website. At this stage, what kind of research in the product development lifecycle should they employ?
- Foundational research
- Post-launch research
- Design research (CORRECT)
70. Sunk cost fallacy bias refers to the idea that the deeper a designer invests their time into a project, the harder it is to change course without feeling like the project has failed. Identify a method that can help overcome the sunk cost fallacy bias.
- Identify and articulate assumptions before interviews or conversations.
- Practice active listening and ask open-ended questions,
- Take detailed notes or recordings, and interview each participant the same way.
- Segment your project into smaller, more manageable phases. (CORRECT)
71. Which of the following are areas that a UX researcher focuses on? Select all that apply.
- Client behaviors
- User needs (CORRECT)
- User behaviors (CORRECT)
- User motivations (CORRECT)
72. A UX researcher is gathering information about a previously completed website and wants to answer the question, “Did we succeed?” Which type of research can best help the researcher answer this question?
- Market
- Foundational
- Post-launch (CORRECT)
- Design
73. Imagine that a design firm’s research team has a basic understanding of their users’ pain points. To learn more, they decide to investigate further with a large group of people. What is the most appropriate research method?
- Surveys
- Usability study
- Interviews (CORRECT)
- Key performance indicator
74. A design team finished developing a product and successfully pushed it to the market! Now, they want to know what users think. Which type of research can best help the team answer their question?
- Foundational
- Design
- Post-launch (CORRECT)
75. A design team has finished developing a website that helps home cooks make impressive multi-course meals, and the site is now live. After multiple rounds of testing and prototypes, the team wants to see how real users have interacted with their product. At this stage, what kind of research in the product development lifecycle should they employ?
- Design research
- Foundational research
- Post-launch research (CORRECT)
Integrating Research Into the Design Process CONCLUSION
As a UX designer, it’s essential to prioritize the user throughout the design process. Research is one of the most effective ways to gain empathy for users and better understand their needs. However, research comes with its own set of challenges, including potential biases. In this section of the course, we explored common research methods used in UX design, examining both the benefits and limitations of each. We also discussed various biases that can emerge during research and how to minimize them.
Now that you’ve completed this section, you should have a solid understanding of how to leverage research to guide your designs. Don’t wait any longer—join Coursera today and apply your new skills!