Understand before you build
Design with evidence, not guesses.
Great products start with understanding people, not guessing at them. We talk to your users, watch how they actually behave, and map where they get stuck — then hand your team clear, evidence-backed direction so every design decision has a reason behind it.
100% in-house. Every part of your project is handled by our own team — no outsourcing, no middlemen.
Why it matters
Research pays for itself.
Getting the experience right isn't a nicety — it's one of the clearest links to growth there is. The numbers back it up.
- 32%
higher revenue growth for the most design-led companies
McKinsey, The Business Value of Design
- $100
returned for every $1 invested in UX, on average
Forrester Research
- 1 in 3
customers walk away from a brand after one bad experience
PwC, Future of Customer Experience
The idea
What UX research actually answers.
UX research is the practice of understanding your users — what they need, how they behave, and where they struggle — so design decisions rest on evidence instead of assumptions.
It works along two simple lines: what people say versus what they do, and the qualitative “why” versus the quantitative “how many.” The best answers usually come from combining them — pairing the story with the scale.
Methods
How we find the answers.
We pick the method to fit the question — not the other way around. A typical engagement combines a few of these.
User interviews
One-to-one conversations that surface the goals, motivations, and frustrations behind the clicks.
Usability testing
We watch real people attempt real tasks — moderated or unmoderated — to see exactly where your product helps or trips them up.
Surveys at scale
Structured questions that quantify attitudes and reveal patterns across a large audience.
Card sorting & tree testing
How people group and find information, so your navigation matches their mental model.
Heuristic evaluation
An expert audit against established usability principles to catch issues quickly.
Contextual inquiry
Observing people in their real environment — where the messy truth lives, not a lab.
Diary studies
Capturing experiences in the moment, over days or weeks, for journeys that unfold over time.
Analytics review
Reading the behavioral trail your users already leave to understand what they actually do.
Concept & preference testing
Putting directions in front of users before you invest in building the wrong one.
What you get
Clear, usable outputs.
Research plan
The questions, methods, and participants — agreed with you before we begin.
Personas
Evidence-based profiles of who you're really designing for.
Journey maps
The steps, emotions, and pain points across the whole experience.
Usability findings
Prioritized issues with severity and supporting clips — not just opinions.
Research repository
Tagged, searchable findings your team can return to long after the project.
Prioritized recommendations
A ranked, practical list your team can act on immediately.
How we work
From open question to clear direction.
- 01
Plan
We pin down the decision you're trying to make, the questions worth answering, and the right methods to answer them.
- 02
Recruit
We find and schedule participants who genuinely reflect your audience — and screen out those who don't.
- 03
Conduct
We run the sessions — interviews, tests, or studies — capturing what people say and, more telling, what they do.
- 04
Synthesize
We turn hours of raw input into clear themes and evidence, free of guesswork and bias.
- 05
Recommend
We hand over prioritized recommendations — and walk your team through what to do next.
When to call us
Signs it's time for research.
- You're about to invest in a redesign and want to get it right the first time.
- Users drop off or churn, and your analytics show what's happening but not why.
- Stakeholders disagree on direction and you need evidence to settle it.
- You're entering a new market or audience you don't fully understand yet.
- You're validating a new product or feature before committing to build it.
- Support tickets and reviews keep surfacing the same confusion.
Ways to work together
Engagements that fit the question.
Timelines below are typical — we'll tailor the scope to your goals and deadline.
- ≈ 1–2 weeks
UX Audit
An expert review of your existing product against usability best practice — fast, with prioritized quick wins.
- ≈ 2–4 weeks
Research Sprint
A focused study to answer one pressing question, from plan to findings.
- ≈ 4–8 weeks
End-to-end Study
Generative and evaluative research with a full report, personas, and a roadmap of recommendations.
- Ongoing
Embedded researcher
A researcher woven into your team to keep a steady stream of insight flowing.
The payoff
What changes when you know.
- Decisions backed by evidence, not the loudest opinion in the room.
- Less expensive rework — problems caught before they're built.
- Higher conversion, satisfaction, and retention.
- A shared, honest picture of your users across the whole team.
- A roadmap prioritized by real user need.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
How long does UX research take?
It depends on the question. A heuristic audit can take about a week; a focused research sprint runs two to four weeks; an end-to-end study with recruitment, sessions, and synthesis usually takes four to eight. We scope it with you up front.
How many participants do you need?
For qualitative usability testing, five to eight participants per audience usually surface the majority of major issues. Quantitative methods like surveys need larger numbers to be reliable. We match the sample to the method and the decision.
We already have analytics. Do we still need research?
Analytics tell you what is happening and how often — they rarely tell you why. UX research explains the behavior behind the numbers, so you fix the cause rather than guess at it. The two work best together.
What's the difference between moderated and unmoderated testing?
In moderated testing a researcher guides the session live and can probe deeper. Unmoderated testing lets participants complete tasks on their own time, which is faster and cheaper at scale. We recommend whichever fits your question and timeline.
Can you do research if we're pre-launch with no users yet?
Yes. Generative methods — interviews, concept tests, and competitive research — help you understand needs and validate direction before you have a product or an audience.
Do you recruit the participants?
Yes. We define a screener, source participants who genuinely match your audience, schedule them, and handle incentives — so the right people are in the room.
How do you deliver the findings?
You get a clear, prioritized report with the evidence behind each finding, plus a walkthrough with your team so the insights get used, not shelved.
Do you work alongside our existing team?
Always. We can run research independently or embed with your designers, PMs, and engineers — and we hand over everything in a repository your team can keep using.
Keep exploring
More from the studio
Stop guessing. Start knowing.
Tell us the decision you're trying to make and we'll suggest the right research to get you there.