Why user research is everybody’s job
When there isn’t a UX or research team, or you’re working alone, it makes absolute sense for designers to conduct their own research. Even when a UX or research team exists, pairing designers with UXers and researchers can make for both better research and application of the findings. Relying on the client to do their own research means you’ll be further away from the problem and insights you’d gain from doing it yourself. If a client provides their own research, you’ll need to fully immerse yourself in it to get the most out of it.
Working in silos can really hinder a joined-up design process and the application of audience insights to create a unified user experience. As part of a team of seven at Mark Boulton Design, our preferred project workflow is something akin to ‘everything all the time’. There is no fixed part of the process when research, design and development take place. Research activities happen in-line with other project work and provide insight into design problems, or product development. We keep our processes fluid and have various methods and tools to hand.
