Qualitative Research

What is Qualitative Research?

Qualitative Research is a method that helps us deeply understand the emotions, motivations, expectations, and behaviors of users. It is not about collecting statistical data, but about listening to users tell their stories to explore why they behave the way they do.

Instead of asking, “How many people clicked this button?”, you would ask, “Why don’t you want to click this button?” – that is the spirit of qualitative research.

Some common methods:

• In-depth interviews: one-on-one conversations to understand perspectives and behaviors

• Shadowing: observing users performing a task

• User diary: users recording daily experiences

• Think-aloud testing: users sharing their thoughts while using the product

These methods help designers build true empathy with users.

When should you use Qualitative Research?

• When you want to explore user insights that are not yet known

• When you need to understand the context of product use

• Before building a solution, to accurately understand the problem

It is often used in the early stages of the design process as in Design Thinking (especially the Empathize and Define steps).

Example

You are redesigning the payment system for a retail app. After interviewing a few elderly users, you discover they do not trust online payment methods, even though the interface has been optimized.

As a result, you propose adding a “step-by-step guide” and customer support by phone, which quantitative surveys could not inform you about.

Conclusion

Qualitative Research does not provide you with “right or wrong” answers, but helps you deeply understand why users behave the way they do.
It is the compass that guides designers in navigating emotions, expectations, and real-world contexts – the core elements that create a good user experience.