User experience (UX) research is the study of target customers and their requirements for software or mobile applications. UX research is closely related to the broader field of user research, which usability.gov defines as research focused on “understanding user behaviors, needs, and motivations through observation techniques, task analysis, and other feedback methodologies.” This feedback is important for ensuring that user experience design (UXD) meets the needs of users and leads to the creation of a successful product.

There are several methods commonly used in UX research, and a typical project will use more than one to develop an accurate understanding of how users interact with your product. One of the most important is conducting one-on-one user tests (in-person or remotely) to closely observe them using a product to see what works and what doesn’t. A/B testing is a related technique, which evaluates how different users interact with two distinct variations on a product in order to determine which design meets their needs most effectively. User surveys can also yield important insights by tapping into feedback from a wider range of opinions.

A key step for putting UX research into action is often the creation of user personas, which harness findings from research to build fictional characters who represent the different user types that might use your product. Personas can help focus the work of UX designers by distilling all of these different types of research insights into a few target archetypes whose needs and attitudes should be prioritized when revising product designs.

UX research is an important skill for many careers in UX or user interface (UI) design, as the findings of this research are critical for informing the creation of successful products. Top designers must be able to take insights from user testing, A/B testing, surveys, personas, and other UX research methods, use rapid prototyping to create new versions of the product based on this feedback, and repeat and iterate the process over and over until the best design for your target customers emerges.

In larger tech companies, UX researcher may even be a separate job, with specialized researchers working alongside UX design teams. According to Glassdoor, UX researchers earn an average annual salary of $94,765 in the U.S.

Yes! Coursera offers lots of courses to help you learn about every stage of the digital product design process, including UX research, UX design, user interface (UI) design, and the closely-related field of interaction design. You can take courses and Specializations spanning multiple courses from top-ranked schools like the University of Michigan, the University of California San Diego, and the University of Minnesota. Or, you can learn by completing step-by-step tutorials on UX research presented by experienced instructors with the Coursera Project Network.