Learn when and why to use post-task and post-test questionnaires in quantitative usability testing – and how combining both can help you pinpoint issues and improve UX.
When creating screener surveys, use fake answer options – called foils – to spot misrecruits before they join your study. Learn how to craft foils that protect your data and catch cheaters early.
In UX surveys, semantic differential scales help measure user attitudes with nuance. This video covers what they are, their pros and cons, and how to write clear, balanced adjective pairs for UX research studies.
Likert scales measure user opinions by asking participants to rate statements. They capture nuanced feedback but can face biases. To improve accuracy, use clear questions and techniques to reduce bias.
Use inclusive language for demographic questions. Ask about gender with multiple options, use ranges for age and income, differentiate race and ethnicity, and prioritize respectful, person-first language for disabilities.
Surveys are great for gathering quantitative, self-reported data but shouldn't replace behavioral methods like usability testing, qualitative interviews, or data you already have through analytics.
Test your survey with three methods: Cognitive Walkthroughs check question clarity with target users, Mechanical Tests ensure software functions like skip logic, and Usability Tests observe real user interaction.
Pair qualitative methods with quantitative metrics like the System Usability Scale (SUS) for benchmarking and the Single Ease Question (SEQ) for task-level insights. Use both carefully with qualitative data.
Explore the difference between attitudinal and behavioral UX research. Learn how combining these methods offers a complete view of user interactions and perceptions.
Confounding variables can affect the validity of data collected during research studies. It's important for researchers to know what they are and how to identify them.
The Net Promoter Score (NPS) can be gamed, and its definition loses information and precision by treating fairly dissimilar responses in the same way. It should be used together with other UX metrics rather than in isolation.
The SUS is a well-established 10-question survey administered at the end of a user test; it gives you a measure of the perceived usability of your product and enables you to compare it with others.
To gain a holistic picture of your users, exchange data with the non-UX teams in your company who are collecting other forms of customer data, besides the user research you do yourself. You gain; they gain.
Users' answers to survey questions are often biased and not the literal truth. Examples include acquiescence bias, social desirability bias, and recency bias. Knowing about response biases will help you interpret survey data with more validity for any design decisions based on the findings.
