Learning
from your
users

Understanding your users and their needs is the basis of our user-centred approach to designing and delivering digital solutions. We don’t assume you know what your users think, or how they behave. We use a variety of user research methods to discover who they are and what they need.

User research will help you understand user needs

We use user research to uncover and validate user needs and validate design ideas through iterative testing.

  • Surveys
  • Analytics and heatmap reviews
  • In-depth interviews
  • Stakeholder engagement
  • Small group workshops
  • Moderated usability testing

Mixd helped us create an accessible and user-friendly NHS website which looks great on all devices.

Marie Levy Communications Manager – South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

FAQs

Is user research expensive?

Proper consideration should always be given to user research when planning a project and that includes time and an appropriate budget, but that doesn’t mean user research has to be expensive. There are plenty of ways to get in touch with your users that cost very little, or even nothing at all.

How do we recruit participants for user research?

For your research to be effective, your participants must be actual or likely users of your website. It’s also important to do research with all the different kinds of people who may need your service, including those who are disabled or use assistive technologies. To recruit participants, you can invite existing users of your service to take part, find people at a venue on the day, work with a community group or engage with colleagues to recruit relevant users.

How should we share the findings?

You should invite the project team, stakeholders and people in your organisation who manage the website to our ‘show and tells’ and other activities where we share what we’ve learned from the research. Involving more people in user research helps your team make better decisions.

What is a heatmap?

A heatmap is a graphical representation of data where values are depicted by colour. Heatmaps are a powerful way to understand what users do on your website pages i.e. where users click, how far they scroll and what they look at or ignore. They are useful in detecting what does or doesn’t work on a website or page and which parts and elements of a page users engage with.

Making time for research

People rely on public sector websites to do important things. If they cannot do so, it can cause significant problems (for example with a NHS Trust website, users might not be able to cancel an appointment or simply find out where to park their car).

  • Inclusive design:

    Making your website inclusive means making sure it can be used by as many people as possible. Research will help identify the barriers users might face when trying to use your service.

  • Web accessibility:

    Public sector websites must adhere to strict accessibility standards. User research can help identify accessibility issues and test the effectiveness of accessibility features.

  • Effective communication:

    User research can help determine how well a website communicates critical information and whether users can easily find the services and resources they need.

  • User satisfaction:

    When users have a positive experience with a public sector website, they are more likely to trust the organisation and be satisfied with the services provided.