An exploratory study of the contemporary practice of UX research among UX professionals in Swedish organizations.

Abstract: Conducting UX research has beneficial effects on product development and results in a successful user experience [24,30], [27]. By involving the end-users simultaneously, the usability and the usefulness of the product increase, as well as the user satisfaction [14], [19]. Previous studies have shown that despite the importance of UX research and user involvement, a coherent setup of UX research methods and knowledge about user involvement is currently lacking among UX professionals [21], [26]. This study was therefore conducted to explore further the contemporary practice of UX research among UX professionals in Swedish organizations, in order to gain insights into the current practice among UX professionals in Sweden. Hence, the aim of this study was to gain knowledge of the incorporated UX research methods used among UX professionals within Swedish organizations, how the UX research activities are practiced in relation to other work-related activities, and to what extent the UX professionals conduct UX research involving end-users. By using a mixed-method approach, semi-structured interviews and an online survey were conducted in order to explore this subject. 10 UX professionals participated in the semi-structured interviews that consisted of 10 questions regarding their practice of UX research and user involvement. The online survey was distributed on different social media platforms and was based on the results from the semi-structured interviews. The survey got 53 individual answers, with 24 completed answers and 29 partly completed answers. The results from both data gatherings established that the most common UX research methods incorporated in the present work of UX professionals in Swedish organizations were interviews, user testing, and heuristic evaluations. The amount of time spent on UX research activities, in relation to other activities, varied between the UX professionals and what they stated in the semi-structured interviews and the online survey. The survey established that UX professionals spend a total of 51 hours on different UX research activities, whilst the semi-structured interviews established that the hours spent on the UX research depends on the project cycle, with a variation from no work per week at all, to working full time per week. The most common UX research method to involve end-users was when conducting interviews, as established in both the semi-structured interviews and the online survey. The majority of the UX professionals stated in both the interviews and the online survey that they would like to involve end-users more but were limited to different aspects such as time constraints, the size of the UX team, and the difficulties of recruiting.