Getting value from user research

usability test in progressWhat are your favourite ways to learn about your users?’ was the topic in the August Ask UXMatters column.

It was an opportunity for me to point out that there is value in learning about users only if our colleagues can share in that knowledge.

Here’s the full text of my contribution:

“I’m increasingly of the view,” answers Caroline, “that we are often at risk of what I call the ‘user researcher’s fallacy’—the belief that if, as user researchers, we learn something about our users, there is value in that. However, on any project where we have colleagues, there is value in learning about users only if our colleagues can share in that knowledge. So my favorite way of learning about users is: whatever way means that the team can share that knowledge.”