It‘s not unheard of that tensions sometimes arise between UX Designers and Researchers due to different perspectives and priorities in the design process. UX Designers focus on creating visually appealing and user-friendly designs, while Researchers prioritize understanding user needs and pain points through data and research. These differing priorities can lead to disagreements on design decisions and the importance of incorporating research into the design process. However, it is important to remember that both roles are essential for creating successful and user-centred products. By understanding and valuing each other’s perspectives, UX Designers and Researchers can collaborate effectively to achieve a common goal of creating the best possible user experience.
- UX designers may have a more narrow focus on creating a specific design solution, while researchers may have a broader focus on understanding user needs and pain points. This can lead to disagreements about which aspects of the research are most relevant to the design process.
- There may be confusion about the roles of UX designers and researchers, which can lead to disagreements about who is responsible for certain aspects of the project. Researchers may want to conduct research before a design solution is created, while designers may want to start creating a design solution before research is completed. This can lead to disagreements about the appropriate timing of research and design.
- Researchers may want to present findings objectively, while UX designers may want to present findings in a way that is more likely to be accepted by stakeholders. This can lead to disagreements about how to present research findings.
Design research is critical in understanding user needs, goals, and pain points. It is the foundation of user-centred design and helps to ensure that design solutions align with what users actually need and want. By highlighting research within designs, UX designers can better communicate their design decisions to stakeholders, and stakeholders can better understand how the design addresses user needs.
Collaboration between UX designers and researchers is essential for utilising research effectively. Researchers can provide designers with valuable insights and user data, while designers can interpret that data and apply it to their designs. One way to aid this collaboration is to use channels such as Jira and Figma. By linking research findings to specific design elements in Figma, designers can easily reference research as they work and stakeholders can easily see how research informed the design.
There are a few ways that UX Designers can reference research within Figma:
- Using annotations: Designers can use annotations to add notes, comments, and links to research findings directly on the design. This allows stakeholders to easily access the research and understand how it informs the design.
- Creating Research Libraries: Designers can create a research library within Figma to store and organise research documents, images, and videos. This makes it easy for designers and stakeholders to find and reference research throughout the design process.
- Creating Research Boards: Designers can create research boards within Figma to present research findings in a visual format. This allows stakeholders to easily understand the research and see how it informs the design.
- Utilising Figma plugins: There are several Figma plugins that allow designers to embed research directly into the design such as UserTesting.com and Optimal Workshop.
- Another way to aid collaboration is through regular check-ins and feedback loops between designers and researchers. This can help to ensure that research is being effectively integrated into designs and that any new insights or data are being taken into account.
Highlighting research within designs is important for communicating design decisions to stakeholders and ensuring that designs align with user needs. Collaboration between UX designers and researchers is key to effectively utilising research in the design process. By utilising channels such as Jira and Figma, and implementing regular check-ins and feedback loops, UX designers and researchers can work together to create designs that truly meet the needs of users.