Every good researcher will eventually end up sweating over how to formulate “simple” questions.
Choose your words carefully to prevent users from going astray with their answers.
But there’s a fine line between caring and agonizing over what you ask. (As a recovering perfectionist, believe me — I get it…)
This blog post will show you how to get your questionnaires right and smoothen the entire research with:
- Effective strategies to write on-point questions
- Help from our AI-powered research assistant and repository
(Marvin can bring all your UX data in one place — centralized, searchable, and shareable. Sign up for a free account to see for yourself.)
Now, let’s dive into how to craft effective UX research questions that lead to answers you can instantly analyze with Marvin.
Benefits of UX Research in Design
UX research is what makes good design great.
It helps you bridge the gap between “looks cool” and “feels right” by revealing what users actually need, not what they (or you) think they need.
But other than keeping your process grounded in reality, here’s what other benefits UX research offers in design:
- Saves time and headaches: Asking the right questions from the first time prevents endless redesigns. Also, AI in UX research can speed up the entire process.
- Improves usability: You’ll create something users can navigate without hiccups, confusion, or rage quits.
- Makes stakeholders happy: You’ll leave gut feelings aside and back up your design decisions with data that get the buy-in.
- Boosts user satisfaction: Your users will be happier, complain less, and become more loyal.
- Inspires innovation: Insights can lead to creative solutions you’d never have imagined otherwise.
Different Types of UX Research Questions
User experience research questions are tools that help you drill down to get a specific type of information.
There are two different ways you can classify them:
| I. HOW You Ask the Question | II. WHAT You Focus On | |||||
| Open-ended | Closed-ended | Behavior | Attitude | Task | Problem | Product |
Let’s break them down to help you wield them like a pro.
1. Open-ended Questions
“What challenges did you face while using this feature?”
These let your users talk freely. Expect rich, detailed answers — sometimes a bit too much, but the data is gold.
2. Closed-Ended Questions
“On a scale of 1 to 10, how easy was it to navigate the site?”
Are you more into cold, hard numbers than epic tales? Use these questions for measurable, easy-to-compare data — then ask open-ended questions to explore deeper.
3. Behavioral Questions
“How do you typically use the search bar to find something?”
Want to know what users actually do (not what they think they do)? These questions help you document user actions and avoid guesswork.
4. Attitudinal Questions
“What do you enjoy about this feature?”
Now you’re asking about feelings. Dive into user satisfaction, preferences, and why they act as they do.
5. Task-Based Questions
“Can you easily locate the checkout button?”
Task-focused questions get down to business. Can users actually do the thing your product’s supposed to help with?
6. Problem-Focused Questions
“What’s the most annoying part of using this feature?”
Ask these questions to figure out what’s causing frustration for your users. You can’t make the pain go away without first putting your finger on it (users will thank you… eventually).
7. Product-Specific Questions
“What are your first impressions of the new dashboard design?”
Whether it’s a new design, a button, or a feature you’re irrationally proud of, use these questions to zoom in on a specific part of your product.
How to Craft Effective UX Research Questions
Ineffective UX questions can crumble the entire research. Here’s how to hit the nail on the head with your questions:
1. Combine Question Types
We’ve seen that UX research questions differ by formulation (open or closed-ended) and focus (behavior, attitude, task, problem, product). To create a variety of well-rounded questions that lead to valuable insights, combine these types, as shown in the examples below:
- Open-ended behavioral questions: “How do you typically interact with this feature throughout your day?“
- Closed-ended attitudinal questions: “On a scale of 1-10, how satisfied are you with this feature?“
2. Be Specific
The more specific your questions, the more actionable the insights.
Instead of asking, “Do you like our product?” try, “What part of the product helps you accomplish your tasks easily?”
3. Avoid Leading Questions
Leading questions nudge users toward a particular answer, which is a big no. Instead of asking, “How much do you love this new feature?” ask, “How does this new feature compare to what you’ve used before?”
4. Consider the User’s Mental State
People can get tired, especially during long research sessions. Start with broad, easier questions to warm them up, but save a few easy ones for the end. Dive into specifics once they’re more comfortable and engaged.
5. Mix It Up
A good blend of open-ended and closed-ended questions keeps things interesting for both you and the users.
Open-ended questions let them share stories and give you unexpected gems. At the same time, the closed-ended ones are great for clear, quick insights you can easily analyze.
6. Keep It Simple
Confused users give confused answers. Use simple, everyday language to ensure respondents understand exactly what you’re asking.
7. Test Your Questions
Before going live with your research, try your questions on a few people (even colleagues). If they look confused, or if their answers don’t make sense, revise.
Comprehensive List of UX Research Question Examples
Whether you’re a UX researcher, designer, or product manager, the following question examples will come in handy. Use them to set the right foundation for your research and make your future qualitative data analysis easier.
Open-Ended Question Examples
This type of question is great when you need rich, detailed feedback:
- “How do you feel about the overall layout of the product?”
- “What surprised you the most when using this product for the first time?”
- “What’s something you wish this product could do that it currently doesn’t?”
- “Tell me about a time when you got frustrated while completing a task in the app.”
- “Can you describe a recent experience where this feature helped solve a problem for you?”
Closed-Ended Question Examples
Questions such as these lead to measurable, easy-to-compare data:
- “How satisfied are you with the onboarding process? (Very satisfied, Satisfied, Neutral, Unsatisfied, Very unsatisfied)”
- “Which of the following best describes your experience using the search function? (Smooth, Average, Frustrating)”
- “How often do you use this feature: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or Rarely?”
- “Would you recommend this product to a colleague? (Yes/No)”
- “On a scale of 1 to 5, how intuitive is this feature?”
Behavioral Question Examples
Try the following when you want to understand what users actually do:
- “How do you typically search for information within this app?”
- “What’s the first action you take when you log into the product?”
- “When was the last time you used this feature, and what prompted you to use it?”
- “How long does it usually take you to complete [specific task] using this product?”
- “What alternative tools or methods do you use if this feature doesn’t work as you expect?”
Attitudinal Question Examples
Here’s how to explore your users’ feelings, opinions, and motivations:
- “What emotions do you feel when you complete a task successfully using this app?”
- “What makes this feature stand out compared to similar products you’ve used?”
- “How would you describe your overall satisfaction with this product?”
- “What’s your favorite part of the user experience, and why?”
- “Why do you prefer using this product over competitors?”
Task-Based Question Examples
These questions help evaluate whether users can successfully complete key tasks:
- “How quickly can you add a new contact to your address book?”
- “Can you complete the task of finding and saving your favorite items?”
- “Were you able to locate the help section when you needed assistance?”
- “Please walk us through how you would create a new project within the app.”
- “Can you successfully change your account settings? If so, how easy is it?”
Problem-Focused Question Examples
To identify areas where users are hitting friction or encountering issues, ask such questions:
- “Have you ever encountered a bug or issue while using this feature? What happened?”
- “What frustrates you the most when completing [specific task]?”
- “Which part of the process tends to slow you down the most?”
- “What’s the most confusing aspect of this product for you?”
- “What do you feel is missing from the onboarding process?”
Product-Specific Question Examples
If you need to go deep into user experience with specific parts of your product, try these:
- “What’s your experience with the new notifications feature?”
- “How do you feel about the recent changes to the navigation menu?”
- “Which part of the redesign works best, and which needs improvement?”
- “What are your thoughts on the new color scheme in the latest update?”
- “Do you find the new search functionality more effective than the previous version?”
Best Tools for Gathering and Analyzing UX Feedback
Data collection and analysis are two big tasks that can easily spiral into overwhelm. Luckily, AI research tools will help you make the most of both without your head exploding. Below are your three best options.
1. Marvin
Marvin is your research assistant who never sleeps. Built to streamline every part of your UX research process, it uses AI to easily:
- Centralize research files, survey responses, and even Zoom recordings into one easy-to-access hub.
- Automate tedious tasks such as note-taking, transcription, and tagging.
- Run quantitative and qualitative analyses to identify trends, emotions, and themes in your user experience feedback.
In short, Marvin makes complex data easy to understand. Need to analyze thousands of survey responses? Or perhaps you are planning to conduct live user interviews? With this AI research assistant, you’ll quickly have ALL your data:
- Organized and analyzed (yes, Marvin does cross-project analysis).
- Beautifully visualized with charts and graphs.
Want to see Marvin in action? Book a demo and find out exactly how its features can be tailored to your workflow.
2. Hotjar
Hotjar focuses on heatmaps and screen recordings, giving you a detailed look at user behavior in real-time. This means it’s ideal for analyzing where users click, scroll, and linger on a page.
Specializing in behavior analytics, this tool focuses less on qualitative research but offers you awesome visual representations of user interaction.
3. Mixpanel
While officially a product/event analytics tool, Mixpanel tracks user behavior across your web or mobile products.
Unlike Hotjar, which focuses on heatmaps, this one provides detailed data on conversions and drop-offs.
You can use it to understand what actions drive engagement. Those insights will come in handy when optimizing the user journey for a much better experience.
How to Use ChatGPT for UX Research Questions
Using ChatGPT for UX research questions is an excellent idea. This tool relies on a large language model and can understand patterns and context. It will make your questions clear, engaging, and user-friendly. Here’s exactly how it can help you:
- Brainstorm new ideas: “Give me five open-ended UX research questions for a new mobile app.”
- Refine your phrasing: “Reword this question to make it clearer: ‘How do you feel about our recent navigation tweaks?’”
- Explore new angles: “Write an attitudinal question about user satisfaction with our search function.”
- Create follow-ups: “Based on a user’s frustration with the checkout, what follow-up questions should I ask?”
- Customize for audiences: “Can you tailor this UX question for first-time users versus experienced users?”
Pro Tip: To get the best UX research interview questions, make your prompt as detailed as possible. The more specifics you provide about your product, audience, and research goals, the more focused and relevant the suggestions will be.
And a Pro Warning: Never use ChatGPT to store confidential data. It’s a great brainstorming partner, but you’ll want a dedicated AI research assistant who abides by strict privacy guidelines for your more complex user information.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid in Crafting UX Research Questions
Even seasoned pros treat UX research questions with attention. Why? Because the wrong type of question can lead to misleading or shallow data, leaving you scratching your head.
Watch out for these pitfalls that can get you unusable feedback:
- Being too vague: Ambiguous questions lead to equally vague answers that lack useful insights.
- Asking leading questions: Don’t guide users toward a specific answer — you want their genuine opinions!
- Overloading questions: One question at a time! Double-barreled questions only cause confusion.
- Ignoring context: Make sure users have actually experienced what you’re asking about — context matters!
- Skipping a test run: Always test questions beforehand to avoid any unexpected confusion.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here’s the lowdown on some common UX research questions:
How Do UX Research Questions Differ From General Research Questions?
UX research survey questions are more niche and focus on user experience — how folks behave, interact, and feel. They’re a great way to uncover users’ needs, improve design, and avoid awkward user experience moments. General research questions? They tackle the big-picture details. For example – demographics or market trends.
How Often Should UX Research Questions Be Revisited?
Do it whenever your product has had a glow-up. New features? Yes. Big updates? Definitely. Or if users start sending confused vibes. Keep those questions fresh and relevant to how your product and your users’ needs evolve.
How Do We Validate Our UX Research Questions?
First, test your questions with a small group to see if they’re clear. Then, check if the answers give useful insights. If they don’t, tweak and refine your questions based on what worked and what didn’t. The goal is to make sure they drive your research forward.
How Can We Align UX Research Questions With Business Objectives?
Begin by figuring out your company’s big goals (the ones that keep the stakeholders happy). Then, create questions that explore how user behaviors impact those goals. Your mission is to find common ground between what users need and what the company wants.
Conclusion – UX Research Questionnaire
Writing an effective UX research questionnaire comes down to three things:
- Always focus on the user experience
- Ask clear questions that don’t imply answers
- Validate and update your questions before going live
Once you’ve launched your questions into the wild? Glad you asked! That’s where Marvin steps in. This AI-powered research assistant will import your customer surveys (and even Excel spreadsheets or support tickets) for:
- Automated NPS analysis
- Correlation identification between responses
Sign up with Marvin today and enjoy the free trial (no credit card details required). Discover how you can save thousands of dollars in analysis outsourcing and reduce by days the time spent on insights.
