Qualitative research

Qualitative research is primarily collected through observations and conversations. Qualitative research is based on understanding users’ needs and aims to answer questions like “why” or “how did this happen?”

Why it matters

It answers the question numbers cannot: why. Five conversations can overturn a dashboard of metrics by revealing what the metric was actually measuring. Its risk is projection — rigour comes from method, not sample size.

Related terms

Quantitative research
Research
UX Research
Design Research
Foundational Research

Go deeper in Learn UX

Introduction to UX Research UX Research
Foundational Research UX Research
Design Research UX Research

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