Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Start your free trial
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
User Research summary
Stephanie Marsh
A Practical Guide to Designing Better Products and Services
19 mins
Brief summary
User Research by Stephanie Marsh is a guide to conducting effective research on users to inform the design of digital products. It covers methods such as interviews, surveys, and analytics to gain insights into user behavior and preferences.
Table of Contents
User Research
Summary of 8 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 8
User research is a key business strategy, but make sure it’s above board.
Being a natural-born number cruncher probably didn’t do much for your popularity in the playground, but it does set you up for success in the job market. Today’s data-driven world is mad about numbers. The folks who know how to collect and analyze them are ideally placed to help companies conduct user research.
User research is key in any business strategy, and there’s never a bad time to do it. Let’s say you’re developing a new product. The first thing you’ll want to find out is straightforward – will folks like it enough to reach for their wallets? Well, you’ll only know if you ask them – that’s user research. When you’re still in the early stages of product development, it’s enough to sketch your idea on a piece of paper and see how people react to it.
This way, you gain a sense of whether your product addresses a common problem. If you get positive feedback, you might be onto something. Now’s the time to start investing time and money. Your aim now is to perfect your product. If you’re working on something that already exists, user research will help you beat the competition.
Like all experimental trials, user research should be carried out according to legal and ethical requirements. The key here is transparency. Make sure participants know what they’re taking part in and be upfront about your objectives and methods. In practice, that means using your first research session to explain everything and ask participants for legal consent to have their data collected, saved and used.
It’s also important to tell them whether you’re recording their data. If you’re using video or audio equipment, point that out. You should also make sure you’re clear about whether or not you’ll use their data for other research purposes. Once you’ve explained all that, you need to explicitly ask for their consent. If they withhold it, end the research session immediately and destroy the information you’ve collected so far.
Want more?
Read or listen to the key ideas
from 7,500+ titles
Read or listen to the key ideas
from 7,500+ titles
Key ideas in User Research
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is User Research about?
User Research (2018) is a practical how-to guide for entrepreneurs, researchers and managers interested in answering the most important question in business – does your product meet your customers’ needs? Drawing on author Stephanie Marsh’s years of experience in user research, these blinks present the most commonly used methods, clearly describing the advantages and disadvantages of each.
User Research Review
User Research by Stephanie Marsh (2021) is a valuable resource for anyone looking to understand the importance of user research in designing products or services. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- The book provides practical tips and techniques for conducting effective user research, helping readers gain insights into user behavior and preferences.
- By highlighting real-life case studies, the book demonstrates the impact of user research on successful product development, making it relevant and inspiring.
- With its accessible writing style and engaging examples, the book ensures that user research is not just another mundane topic but an intriguing and valuable endeavor.
Best quote from User Research
Make sure the research participants have understood what you have told them, and that they are happy to go ahead with the research.
—Stephanie Marsh
Who should read User Research?
- Entrepreneurs working on the next big thing
- Managers looking to optimize their business strategy
- Researchers investigating user experience testing
Categories with User Research
Book summaries like User Research
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
34 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
User Research FAQs
What is the main message of User Research?
The main message of User Research is the importance of understanding users and their needs for creating successful products and services.
How long does it take to read User Research?
The estimated reading time for User Research is several hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is User Research a good book? Is it worth reading?
User Research is a valuable read for anyone interested in user-centered design. It provides practical insights and techniques for conducting effective user research.
Who is the author of User Research?
The author of User Research is Stephanie Marsh.
What to read after User Research?
If you're wondering what to read next after User Research, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- UX Strategy by Jaime Levy
- 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People by Susan M. Weinschenk
- Laws of UX by Jon Yablonski
- Inspired by Marty Cagan
- How We Learn by Stanislas Dehaene
- Think Like a UX Researcher by David Travis
- The Power of Not Thinking by Simon Roberts
- Stop Self-Sabotage by Dr. Judy Ho
- Do Design by Alan Moore
- On Palestine by Noam Chomsky