Tips for writing UX research reports
The UX research process is extremely important for the user experience, as the results will inform the direction of design decisions.
Research reports are the data recorded by UX researchers, transformed into useful information by analysing it. The aim is to convey details about the study, so that they can be incorporated into the UX design and digital product strategy.
Presenting research results is crucial in the design process, especially when they need to be presented to audiences outside the UX team but with decision-making power, such as stakeholders.
Elements of a UX research report
The sections of a UX research report are:
- Summary
- Introduction
- Implementation methods
- Results based on the analysis
- Deliberation
- Conclusion
The parts of a UX research report need to collect all the information necessary for the organisation to make informed, data-driven decisions.
Learn how to create and write UX research reports in our Advanced Research Specialisation Programme (this training is in Spanish):
Summary of the UX research report
The first section of the UX research report should include the full objective and an overview of the research. This section should be concise and interesting enough to capture the attention of the readers. The length of the first section should not exceed one page.
Introduction to UX research
In this section the main objectives are explained in detail, and related answers are covered. In addition, it should be established whether sufficient data has been obtained after the research or whether further research is needed.
UX research methodology
This section is very important, as it is the section where you will find the most relevant information. In this section you have to specify whether quantitative or qualitative research has been used.
If the intended audience of the report does not understand the method used, they will not be able to understand why certain decisions are made. This section needs to explain the what, how and why of the method used.
UX research results
This section summarises all the data obtained in the research, and explains the calculations or analyses that have been carried out to arrive at these results.
The results should be arranged in a way that makes logical sense to the audience, and each finding should be presented, justified, illustrated and analysed with possible solutions or improvements.
Discussion of the UX research
Here the results are discussed and analysed in depth. In addition, it is important to explain how the data obtained can be extrapolated to the real world.
What will be done with the results obtained and when it will be done must be established, creating an actionable plan.
UX research conclusions and references
Finally, all the findings of the research are stated, and each author is mentioned and references are correctly indicated.
Tips for writing UX research reports
We have seen the general structure of a UX research report, but there are also a number of tips we can follow to make reports better and present UX findings:
- Establish a working model. Each study is tailored to the specific needs of each project, so each will follow its own logic, which has to be reflected in the report.
- Prepare the context. One of the first steps before starting to write a UX research report is to organise the information and know what to talk about in each section. Ideally, deal with the broadest topics first and then move on to the more specific topics.
- Start writing from the beginning. Creating a report can seem like a tedious task, and you may feel overwhelmed when you start. It is best to start at the same time as the project, and gradually document your findings, rather than doing it all at the end. If you follow this methodology, at the end of the research you will only need to write the overall conclusion.
- Be careful with formatting. This may seem like a simple tip, but it is very important to maintain consistency throughout the project. If you are a regular report writer, it is normal to create a template that serves as the basis for all projects.
- Know the audience. It is also important to know who is going to read the UX research report, and tailor it to that audience.
- Keep the objectives in mind. The data presented in the report has to respond to the objectives that were set at the beginning.
- Make sure the graphics are clear. Graphs need to be understandable and easy to interpret.
Writing UX research reports takes practice. In addition, UX research reports help you understand the strategic value this area has for the rest of the organisation.
This article is a translation of one published in our corporate website:
