User research

User research informs the development of effective websites.

WUP undertakes user research to inform the development of effective web sites – at all stages from early concept testing through to established site redesign. This includes:

User goal research – to understand user goals on a web site
Organisational research – to understand an organisation’s aims and objectives
Concept testing – to test new concepts and ideas
Information architecture research

The appropriate research approach will depend on the question you’re trying to answer but we offer:

Face-to-face interviews
Paired depth interviews (2 respondents)
Focus Groups
Telephone research
Self reporting journals
Surveys and questionnaires – online and offline

Our approach

The approach we adopt to user research ensures the right research is undertaken to achieve client’s aims combined with a process to produce agreed and actionable results.

Strategic

In order to recommend the appropriate research approach we look at your ‘broader’ strategic picture. What is the purpose of the research, what are you trying to achieve, how will outputs be used. With our extensive user research experience we see it as our role is to challenge client’s views about their requirements and research methodologies to ensure all projects deliver useful outputs and provide value for money – we won’t undertake a project if we disagree with the proposed approach.

Action Oriented Process

When the research methodology permits, a key element of our approach is to encourage all those in an organisation who can influence the implementation of the research to observe some of the research and participate in a discussion facilitated by WUP. During the sessions, observers are asked to record issues using cognitive mapping techniques for subsequent discussion, in order to capture their immediate reactions to respondents’ feedback. Subsequently, a WUP consultant facilitates a discussion to identify the key issues. This discussion means that the client takes ownership of the research results, and develops a collective view of the issues that enables the identification of actionable results.

WUP consultants bring to these discussions our many years experience of strategic consulting in the private and public sectors. As the situation demands, we draw on this experience to ensure the discussions are guided by this knowledge.

How we do it

How projects are undertaken depends on the research objectives and methodologies but typically there are three elements:

Project preparation
Recruitment
Conducting the research

Project preparation

We plan the research in consultation with the client so the client gets the ‘right’ solution – not an ‘off the shelf’ one. We agree with the client’s project manager the key aims of the research, research methodologies, respondent profiles, research locations, timescales etc. We prepare a discussion guide or questionnaires for the research for approval by the client’s project manager in advance of the research.

Recruitment

When required, we undertake our own recruitment – we do not use third parties. We believe this allows us to recruit more accurately to our client’s specification, provide greater flexibility, and treat respondents in a decent and ethical way. We are experienced at recruiting respondents from a wide range of backgrounds and occupations, and with a range of experience, including respondents with visual, motor or cognitive impairment. All potential respondents undergo a detailed screening to ensure they match the respondent profile – a profile of the respondents is sent to the client project manager prior to the research session for approval. Respondents are paid a fee for their participation in the research: this ensures their participation and demonstrates appreciation of the value of their involvement.