User Experience Research
Conducting Task-Based User Experience Research
This prompt helps teams design and conduct task-based user experience (UX) research to observe how users interact with a product or feature. It focuses on identifying pain points, improving workflows, and gathering insights into usability.
Responsible:
Product Design
Accountable, Informed or Consulted:
Design, Product, Engineering, Customer Success
THE PREP
Creating effective prompts involves tailoring them with detailed, relevant information and uploading documents that provide the best context. Prompts act as a framework to guide the response, but specificity and customization ensure the most accurate and helpful results. Use these prep tips to get the most out of this prompt:
Define the key tasks users are expected to perform with the product.
Identify the target audience and prepare a recruitment plan.
Create prototypes or live versions of the product to use during the research sessions.
THE PROMPT
Help design a task-based UX research study for [specific product, feature, or user interface]. Focus on:
Objective Setting: Defining specific goals for the study, such as identifying usability bottlenecks or understanding how users complete key tasks.
Task Design: Creating realistic tasks that reflect common user workflows, such as [example task: signing up, completing a purchase, or navigating a dashboard].
Participant Recruitment: Identifying and recruiting participants who match the target audience or user personas.
Observation Methods: Choosing techniques to observe user interactions, such as screen recordings, think-aloud protocols, or in-person observation.
Data Collection: Establishing methods for capturing insights, such as error rates, task completion times, and qualitative feedback.
Provide specific recommendations for structuring the study, including tools (e.g., UserTesting, Lookback, Hotjar) and techniques for analyzing results. If additional context about the product, audience, or tasks is needed, ask clarifying questions to refine the suggestions.
Bonus Add-On Prompts
Suggest strategies for designing tasks that reveal hidden usability issues.
Propose methods for analyzing user behaviors to improve task flow efficiency.
Highlight ways to measure user confidence and satisfaction during task completion.
Use AI responsibly by verifying its outputs, as it may occasionally generate inaccurate or incomplete information. Treat AI as a tool to support your decision-making, ensuring human oversight and professional judgment for critical or sensitive use cases.
SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE
Focus the study on specific user goals, such as onboarding or advanced feature use.
Include accessibility testing for tasks to ensure inclusivity.
Propose remote options for task-based research to increase participant diversity.
Highlight strategies for integrating task-based insights into iterative design cycles.
Add follow-up surveys to capture post-task reflections and satisfaction.
WHEN TO USE
During the design phase to test and refine workflows.
To identify usability issues that impede task completion.
When introducing new features or improving existing ones.
WHEN NOT TO USE
If the product is not ready for hands-on user testing.
When focusing on abstract concepts or high-level strategy rather than interaction details.