How user research and testing can make or break your innovation strategy
User research is an important step in creating innovative products that people love. The process of research involves gathering data about user behavior, needs, and preferences, which can then be used to inform the ideation process.
We can talk all day and night about why user research is essential for the success of your company's innovation strategy, but it's best to back it up with stats.
Have you ever been in a situation where you've heard objections to conducting research? Well, we are here to change your mind:
Staples saw an 80% increase in visitors, a 45% reduction in drop-off rates, and a 67% increase in repeat customers after a research-driven site redesign. (HFI, Staples Case Study)
Developers spend 50% of their time on avoidable rework. (Amazon AWS)
Testing with just 5 users can uncover 85% of usability problems. (Nielsen Norman Group)
Even if you think you know your customers well, you might be surprised by what you can learn from research. For example, 91% of unsatisfied customers don’t complain about their bad experience—they simply leave without giving feedback. (CCC)
Plus, your competitors are likely investing in research too—according to The State of User Research, the percentage of companies with 5 or more UX researchers has doubled since 2019.
With this article, we are exploring the importance of user research in promoting creativity and innovation, as well as improving user experience.
”Why would creativity benefit me?”
In today’s world, being creative and innovative is a must for success in a company. And, as technology advances and people's expectations change, companies need to generate fresh ideas and adapt to new trends to stay ahead.
Encouraging creativity and innovation helps organizations find new opportunities, boost employee engagement, and achieve long-term growth. To foster this culture and improve problem-solving skills, design thinking is a powerful approach that focuses on empathy, collaboration, and experimentation.
By researching user´s needs and preferences, innovation teams can identify shortcomings in existing products and develop new solutions that incorporate the latest technologies.
Studying user behavior can also reveal emerging trends and patterns that inspire more innovative and cutting-edge designs.
“Why would user testing be worth the effort?”
Have you ever wondered how to come up with new innovative ideas that truly meet the needs and preferences of your customers? As simple as this sounds: Try to understand your customers. And the good news is - it doesn't have to be a daunting task that takes up all your resources. With the right techniques, you can collect valuable data and improve your product's quality.
And the benefits of doing so are enormous - a satisfied customer is a loyal customer, and a loyal customer is a brand ambassador.
One way to ensure that your new ideas will meet the needs of your customers is through user testing. By testing prototypes and designs with real users, you can identify any issues and make necessary improvements before launching a new idea or product.
User testing provides valuable feedback from users early in the design process, resulting in more intuitive and user-friendly product designs.
"Why would we invest in user research and user testing?"
Investing in user research and testing is like investing in yourself. It helps you level up your skills, knowledge, and expertise. You become a better problem-solver, listener, and communicator. You learn to empathize with your customers and understand human behavior and psychology, which can be applied to other areas of your life and work. Additionally, user research allows you to analyze trends and assess emerging technologies, enabling you to identify new opportunities for innovation. This aspect is particularly relevant to innovation teams within companies.
Furthermore, we have studied the benefits these processes have in a company, and apparently, they are very helpful, as they:
Reduce costs: Conducting user testing for your product can reduce product cost by knowing what the target audience is seeking in the market.
Increase the revenue: With appropriate and accurate data, you can understand your audiences’ behavior and provide them with a product that they need, thereby increasing revenue.
Save time: User testing reduces mistakes and errors, thus saving you a lot of time during production stages.
Product satisfaction: Focusing on the user experience while developing a product increases customer satisfaction and allows you to provide great products that impact your overall business goals and revenue.
“I’m convinced now. How should I plan my User Research”
When doing user research, it's important to use both qualitative and quantitative data to avoid the "value-action gap."
The "value-action gap" means that people often don't do what they say they will do. Just because someone says they will buy a product doesn't mean they actually will.
To get reliable data, it's essential to observe your users in action and ask unbiased questions. This requires empathy and good listening skills to challenge your assumptions and truly understand your users.
More than 60% of participants said they were “likely” or “very likely” to buy a kitchen appliance in the next 3 months. 8 months later, only 12% had. How Customers Think, Gerald Zaltman, 2003
Put yourself in someone else’s shoes!
As a result
When identifying and evaluating new ideas for innovation within your company, it's important to consider the needs and wants of the end-users as well as to understand market trends and emerging technologies, to ensure that your innovation projects become a success. This is where user research comes into play - by understanding the user's perspective, we can work on ideas that cater their needs and desires and create a WOW effect.
The benefits of conducting user research extend beyond just meeting user needs. By investing in user research, we can save costs, gain a competitive advantage, and become more efficient and effective innovators.
Incorporating user research allows us to create products that truly meet the needs and wants of our target audience, which opens up endless possibilities for user-centered innovation.
