Competitive Analysis

A research approach where UX professionals evaluate other products that meet the same need or solve the same problem. During competitive analysis, you may identify the strengths and weaknesses of other designs in your space to identify opportunities to create something even better.

Contextual Inquiry

This research approach allows UX professionals to gain a deep, holistic understanding of users' pain points and workflows by combining observation and interviewing. Contextual inquiry is often conducted on-site in users' homes or workplaces so researchers can learn about their environment.

Focus Group

A research approach that brings several users together for a facilitated discussion on a specific topic. Focus groups help UX researchers understand users' beliefs, feelings, and ideas. While focus groups are powerful for exploring differing opinions among users, group dynamics and flawed anecdotes can influence the data.

Mental Model

A mental model is a person's beliefs about how a system works. Mental models are informed by many factors, including a person's culture, past experiences, and domain knowledge. Bridging the gap between the designer's and the user's mental models is essential for creating successful user-system interactions.

User Interview

User interviews are a common qualitative UX research method. Designers conduct interviews to better understand users' motivations, beliefs, and pain points.