User Research Methods Quiz :User Research and Design (User Interface Design Specialization) Answers 2026

Question 1

Weaknesses of interview methods (select all that apply)

• ✅ People’s recall of events and reflection on past events may be biased

• ❌ You don’t need to have any hypotheses about the domain before starting the interview study.

• ❌ You get data about WHAT people do but not WHY they do it or their thoughts, opinions, or preferences.

• ✅ They require a lot of time spent with a small number of users

Explanation:
Interviews are time-intensive and subject to recall bias, but they are specifically good at uncovering why people do things.

Question 2

Strengths of interview methods (select all that apply)

• ❌ Interviews don’t require a lot of preparation

• ✅ Participants can reflect on events that are otherwise hard to observe

• ✅ They can help participants share invisible aspects like feelings, opinions, and thoughts

• ✅ Participants can give nuanced, complex answers

Explanation:
Interviews are powerful for reflection, depth, and nuance, but they do require preparation.

Question 3

While conducting an interview, you should… (select all that apply)

• ❌ Repeat or reword a question after 5 seconds of silence

• ❌ Laugh along without questioning why the participant laughs

• ✅ Allow the participant to sit in silence while considering a response

• ❌ Focus on taking detailed verbatim notes

Explanation:
Silence is valuable. Interviewers should listen deeply, not rush or over-document at the cost of engagement.

Question 4

Preparing note structure for an observation study (select all that apply)

• ❌ You should always take notes on paper

• ❌ Simply noting things of interest is enough

• ❌ All studies have the same time/note structure

• ✅ Consider other evidence beyond written notes (photo/video)

• ✅ Consider the granularity of data needed for analysis

Explanation:
Observation notes must be intentional and structured based on research goals.

Question 5

Necessary steps after an observation study (select all that apply)

• ❌ Contact the participant and get consent (this happens before)

• ✅ Analyze your data using qualitative and/or quantitative methods

• ❌ Observation means the study is done

• ✅ Review observation notes and take field notes

Explanation:
Observation is only the beginning—analysis and reflection are critical.

Question 6

When are digital tools acceptable for formative work?

• ❌ Never

• ✅ Sometimes: video chat/screensharing can help reach remote participants

• ❌ Email-based interviews due to time constraints

• ❌ Always use high-tech solutions

Explanation:
Digital tools are acceptable when they support access, not convenience alone.

Question 7

True statements about contextual inquiry

• ✅ It is a partnership between observer and participant

• ❌ It introduces recall bias

• ❌ It is typically conducted in a lab

• ✅ It allows observing “what” and asking in-context “why” questions

Explanation:
Contextual inquiry combines observation + inquiry in real settings.

Question 8

Why develop a research protocol ahead of time? (select all that apply)

• ✅ Practice and refine your approach

• ✅ Ensure consistency across sessions and researchers

• ❌ Match MySQL database models

• ✅ Estimate how long each part of the study will take

Explanation:
Protocols improve quality, consistency, and time management.

Question 9

True statements about log analysis (select all that apply)

• ✅ Provides insight into real user behavior people may not self-report

• ❌ Can understand people’s underlying intent

• ❌ Can tell people’s beliefs

• ❌ Can draw causal relationships

Explanation:
Logs show what happened, not why or what people believe.

Question 10

True statements about surveys (select all that apply)

• ✅ Defining the target population is the most important step

• ✅ Provide a concise description of the survey goal at the beginning

• ✅ Start with an easy, interesting, visible question

• ✅ A survey is a list of questions aimed at extracting specific data

Explanation:
Good surveys depend on clear goals, audience definition, and careful structure.

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