UX Research Methods for Design

User experience research can make or break a design. It is an essential way to better understand whether, and how, a given design meets intended needs and outcomes. This studio course explores the foundations of user research, appropriate for digital and analog products. Through projects, discussions, and readings, students will build an understanding of the role of research in interface design. Students will practice research methods including interviews, surveys, contextual inquiry, peer analysis, and heat mapping. Students will create artifacts that contextualize research within the broader UX design process, including personas, journey maps, affinity maps, and low-fidelity prototypes.