User Research & Testing

User research and testing that gives you real insights from real users. Understand needs, validate designs, and make decisions based on evidence. Read about user testing basics for small sites.

Who this suits

• You're planning a new site or major changes and want to understand user needs first
• You have designs or prototypes and want to test them before build
• You have an existing site with usability issues you want to identify
• You want to make decisions based on user evidence, not assumptions

Usability Testing

Test your site or designs with real users to find usability issues. You get session recordings, findings, and recommendations.

• Remote moderated sessions: Typically 45-60 minutes per participant
• Key journeys: Test up to 3 important user flows
• Findings report: Issues, priorities, and recommendations
• Video highlights: Key moments from sessions

User Research

Understand user needs, goals, and behaviours through interviews and surveys. You get personas, journey maps, and insights to inform design.

• User interviews: One-on-one conversations to understand needs and goals
• Surveys: Quantitative research to validate patterns
• Analysis: Thematic analysis, personas, and journey mapping
• Recommendations: Insights to inform design and content decisions

Full Research & Testing

Complete cycle: research user needs, then validate designs with testing. You get combined insights and a prioritised action plan.

• Research phase: Understand user needs through interviews or surveys
• Design phase: You create designs based on research (or I can help)
• Testing phase: Test designs with users to validate solutions
• Synthesis: Combined insights and recommendations

How it works

1. You share your goals, key user journeys, and what you want to learn
2. I confirm scope, participant numbers, and research questions
3. For research: I conduct interviews or surveys, then analyse findings
4. For testing: I run moderated sessions, then compile findings
5. You get reports, recordings (where applicable), and recommendations
6. We have a review call to discuss findings and next steps

Participant Recruitment

I can help with participant recruitment, or you can provide participants. Recruitment and incentives are billed separately.

• Recruitment: I can arrange recruitment through panels, or you provide participants
• Incentives: Typically £25-£50 per participant, billed separately
• Screening: We agree participant criteria upfront
• Remote testing: Standard format unless in-person is agreed

What you provide

• Your goals and what you want to learn
• Key user journeys or pages to test
• Access to your site, designs, or prototypes
• Participant recruitment (or I can arrange)
• Any existing research, personas, or user data

Deliverables

• Research reports with findings and insights
• User personas and journey maps
• Usability testing reports with priorities
• Session recordings and video highlights
• Recommendations for design and content
• Prioritised action plans

When to use research vs testing

• Use research when: You're planning something new, want to understand user needs, or need to validate assumptions
• Use testing when: You have designs or a site to test, want to find usability issues, or need to validate solutions
• Use both when: You want to understand needs first, then validate your solutions

Get in touch with your goals and I'll recommend the right approach.

Want the full terms?

Here's everything laid out clearly: User Research & Testing Service Terms & Conditions.

FAQs

How many participants do I need?

For usability testing, 5 participants typically find 80% of issues. For user research, 5-8 participants usually give good insights. More participants help with quantitative surveys.

Do you recruit participants?

Yes, I can arrange recruitment through panels, or you can provide participants. Recruitment and incentives are billed separately.

How much do participant incentives cost?

Typically £25-£50 per participant depending on session length and participant type. This is billed separately from the service fee.

Can testing be done in-person?

Remote testing is standard, but in-person can be arranged for Yorkshire area. In-person may have additional costs for venue or travel.

How long does research take?

Usability testing typically takes 1-2 weeks. User research takes 2-3 weeks. Full research and testing packages take 4-6 weeks.

What if I already have personas?

Great! I can use existing personas to inform research questions or test designs. I can also help refine or validate existing personas.