No research is (often) better than “some” research

Not anyone can just do research, but they can learn to

TL;DR: In our era of “data-driven” everything, mantras like “if it’s not tested it’s just another opinion” and “some research is better than no research” can be dangerously misleading, but have led many organizations to “democratize” research by “empowering” inexperienced non-researchers to conduct user studies and tests. However, not all research is created equal, and “some” research, if riddled with methodological flaws, is often worse than no research at all. True research democratization isn’t about letting anyone conduct studies, but about educating non-researchers on rigorous methodologies. The goal is to create an inclusive environment where quality research — whether by professionals or trained colleagues — leads to better business decisions, recognizing that some design principles are already proven and innovative concepts require more nuanced, long-term testing approaches.

When it comes to user (or UX) research, everybody seems to be talking about “democratization” or “empowerment” nowadays. And for very good reasons. While it’s not unusual for many businesses to have limited resources for user research—in terms of budget and/or people—at the same time they increasingly embrace data-driven and evidence-based approaches, which leads to a higher demand for user insights and corresponding research activities. This makes quite some sense as, not least since the pandemic and like many other things, a lot of user research is being conducted online now. Researchers are increasingly relying on remote asynchronous methods to conduct high-quality studies quickly and efficiently rather than running costly and cumbersome in-house labs or focus groups. The landscape of user research SaaS platforms is blooming accordingly.

In his wonderful article “The Future of UX Research,” Monty Hammontree, Partner Director of User Experience Research at Microsoft, writes:

• “The future of UX research is to function as a ‘multiplier’”
• “we should actively build new pathways to learning and create innovative ways for our product teams to connect with and learn directly from their customers”
• “The answer does not lie in adding more researchers…