UX Research Methods: Running Studies That Actually Influence Decisions

Why research findings get ignored

Most UX research problems are not methodological — they are communicative. A well-run study with poorly framed findings gets shelved. This course addresses both sides: how to conduct rigorous research and how to present it in a way that shapes product decisions.

Methods covered, and why each one exists

The curriculum covers six research methods in depth. Each is taught with a clear sense of when it fits and when it does not. Diary studies, for instance, are excellent for understanding long-term behaviour but poor for answering quick directional questions — that distinction matters when you are deciding what to run under deadline pressure.

• Semi-structured interviews
• Contextual inquiry
• Diary studies
• Concept testing
• Tree testing and card sorting
• Unmoderated usability testing at scale

The analysis problem

Data collection is often where research effort stops. This course spends three full sessions on analysis: affinity mapping, thematic coding, and turning a wall of sticky notes into a two-page summary a PM will actually read before a sprint planning meeting.

Live research practicum

Each student runs one complete research study during the course — from research question to final readout. The subject is a real digital product (not a fictional brief), and the readout is presented to a small group that includes the instructor and two working product designers who give feedback from a stakeholder perspective.

The course is led by Anouk Verhagen, who spent four years running user research at a healthcare technology company before transitioning to research consulting. She has facilitated over 300 research sessions across mobile, web, and physical product contexts.

Format and pace

Eight weeks with two live sessions per week. One session is instruction and discussion; the other is workshop format where students work on their practicum study with instructor support in the room.