> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://greatquestion.co/support/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# What is User Research?

> The process of gathering insights directly from the people who use your product, and why it matters.

User research is the process of gathering insights directly from the people who use
your product or service. It helps teams understand customer needs, motivations, and
pain points so they can design better solutions.

At its core, user research means asking questions, observing behaviors, and analyzing
feedback to guide product decisions. It can take many forms, from in-depth interviews
to large-scale surveys.

## Why it matters

User research is critical because it:

* **Keeps teams customer-focused** instead of guessing what users want
* **Validates ideas early** before investing time and resources into the wrong solution
* **Reveals unmet needs** that can inspire new features or improvements
* **Builds empathy** across the organization by connecting directly with real users

When done consistently, user research reduces risk, saves money, and increases the
chances of building products people love.

## Key methods of user research

User research can be qualitative (deep understanding) or quantitative (broad patterns),
and moderated (a researcher guides the session) or unmoderated (participants complete
it on their own). Some common approaches include:

* **Interviews** — one-on-one or group conversations to explore user needs and experiences
* **Surveys** — structured questions for larger groups to gather trends
* **Usability testing** — observing people as they interact with a product or prototype
* **Information architecture testing** — methods like card sorting and tree testing that
  reveal how people expect content and navigation to be organized

## Example use cases

User research comes to life in many ways:

* A product manager testing whether a new feature solves a real problem
* A designer observing how customers navigate an app to find friction points
* A research ops lead building a participant panel to make continuous research possible
* A marketer running surveys to understand buyer motivations

## What to do next

If you're new to user research, start simple:

* Run your first **interview study** to talk directly to a handful of customers.
* Send a quick **survey** to gather broader feedback.
* Explore the [Quickstart](/support/support/quickstart) guide in Great Question to learn how to set up
  your first research project.

***

**Still need help?** Contact us at [support@greatquestion.co](mailto:support@greatquestion.co) — median response time is 19 minutes during [support hours](https://greatquestion.co/features/about-our-support-team).