Reference table
User research vs UX research vs usability testing vs market research
A plain comparison of four terms that often get used as if they meant the same thing: user research, UX research, usability testing and market research. For each it shows the focus and when teams use it, from broad product strategy work to task-based tests of a single interface. Use it to settle what kind of study a team is actually asking for before anyone picks a method.
Where this appears
What's in this reference table
| Focus | When used | |
|---|---|---|
| User research | Who users are, what they need, how they behave | Broad discipline, from product strategy through design |
| UX research | The experience of specific products or interfaces | Design teams, more focused on interaction |
| Usability testing | Can users complete tasks in your product? | A subset of UX research, task-based and evaluative |
| Market research | Market size, competitors, pricing, positioning | Business strategy, mostly surveys and analytics |
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<a href="https://www.koji.so/visuals/user-research-vs-ux-research-vs-usability-testing-vs-market-research"><img src="https://www.koji.so/visuals/user-research-vs-ux-research-vs-usability-testing-vs-market-research/user-research-vs-ux-research-vs-usability-testing-vs-market-research.png" alt="Table comparing user research, UX research, usability testing and market research by what each focuses on and when teams use it." width="1200" height="719" /></a>
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.koji.so/visuals/user-research-vs-ux-research-vs-usability-testing-vs-market-research">User research vs UX research vs usability testing vs market research</a>, Koji</p>
