---
name: asgard-ai-platform/soc-user-research
source: https://app.decimal.ai/s/asgard-ai-platform-soc-user-research@1/SKILL.md
source_sha256: 2da44351d0e3
---

# User Research Methods

## Overview

User research uncovers what people need, want, and do — through direct observation and conversation, not assumptions. This skill covers four core methods: depth interviews, focus groups, surveys, and field observation, plus when to use each.

## Framework

```
IRON LAW: Method Follows Question

Choose the method based on what you need to learn, not what's convenient.
"Why" questions → Interviews/Observation (qualitative)
"How many" questions → Surveys (quantitative)
"What do they really do" → Observation (behavioral)

Running a survey to answer "why" produces misleading data.
```

### Method Selection

| Method | Best For | Sample | Depth | Cost |
|--------|---------|--------|-------|------|
| **Depth Interview** | Understanding motivations, pain points, mental models | 8-15 people | Very high | Medium |
| **Focus Group** | Exploring reactions, generating ideas, social dynamics | 6-10 per group, 2-3 groups | Medium | Medium |
| **Survey** | Measuring prevalence, preferences, demographics at scale | 100+ responses | Low | Low-Med |
| **Field Observation** | Understanding actual behavior in context (not self-reported) | 5-10 sessions | Very high | High |

### Depth Interview Guide

1. **Warm-up**: Build rapport (2 min) — "Tell me about your role/day"
2. **Context**: Understand their world (5 min) — "Walk me through the last time you..."
3. **Core questions**: Explore the topic (20 min) — Open-ended, no leading questions
4. **Probing**: Go deeper on interesting threads — "Tell me more about that", "Why?"
5. **Wrap-up**: Summarize and confirm (3 min) — "Did I understand correctly that...?"

**Rules**:
- Ask about past behavior, not hypothetical future ("What did you do?" not "What would you do?")
- Never ask "Would you use this?" — people are terrible at predicting their own behavior
- Silence is a tool — let them fill the gap

### Survey Design

1. Start with screening questions (qualify respondents)
2. Move from general to specific
3. Put sensitive/demographic questions last
4. Limit to 15-20 questions (5-7 min completion)
5. Use validated scales where possible (Likert, NPS, SUS)

**Question types to avoid**:
- Double-barreled: "Is the product fast and reliable?" (which one?)
- Leading: "Don't you think our app is easy to use?"
- Hypothetical: "Would you pay $10/month for this feature?"

### Analysis

**Qualitative** (interviews, observation):
- Affinity mapping: Group observations into themes
- Look for patterns across 5+ participants
- Quote verbatim — don't paraphrase

**Quantitative** (surveys):
- Descriptive stats first (means, distributions)
- Cross-tabulate by segments
- Statistical significance for comparisons (p < 0.05)

## Output Format

```markdown
# User Research Plan: {Project}

## Research Questions
1. {what we need to learn}

## Method
- Type: {interview / focus group / survey / observation}
- Rationale: {why this method for this question}
- Sample: {who, how many, recruitment criteria}
- Timeline: {duration}

## Discussion Guide / Survey Instrument
{Key questions or survey structure}

## Analysis Plan
{How findings will be synthesized}
```

## Examples

### Correct Application
**Scenario:** Understanding why users abandon a food delivery app at checkout
- **Method**: Depth interviews (need to understand "why", not "how many")
- **Sample**: 10 users who abandoned in the last 30 days (recruit via in-app data)
- **Key question**: "Walk me through your last order that you didn't complete. What happened?" (behavioral, past-tense, open-ended ✓)

### Incorrect Application
- Survey asking "Would you complete your order if we removed the delivery fee?" → Hypothetical. Users will say yes but behavior may not change. Should observe actual behavior or test with a real experiment.

## Gotchas

- **5 users find 85% of usability problems** (Nielsen): For usability testing, diminishing returns after 5. For understanding motivations, need 8-15.
- **Self-reported behavior ≠ actual behavior**: People overestimate how healthy they eat, how often they exercise, and how much they'd pay. Observation and behavioral data > self-report.
- **Recruitment bias**: If you recruit "users of our app", you miss non-users and churned users. Define the population carefully.
- **Interviewer bias**: The interviewer's reactions (nodding, "great!") influence responses. Stay neutral.
- **Surveys measure what you ask, not what matters**: If you didn't think to ask about a pain point, the survey won't reveal it. Use qualitative research first to discover the right questions.

## References

- For interview script templates, see `references/interview-templates.md`
- For survey design best practices, see `references/survey-design.md`