Do you mix user research methods to capture the full picture?

Relying on the same user research method like only running 1-on-1 interviews leads to blind spots. Interviews are great for depth, but they don’t reveal group dynamics, cross-team dependencies, or patterns that emerge at scale.

To design experiences that scale, you need insights that are qualitative and quantitative, attitudinal and behavioural, and drawn from both individuals and teams.

Different research methods

Attitudinal vs behavioral

Attitudinal research captures what users say — their opinions, preferences, and perceptions. E.g. User surveys saying a feature is confusing.

Behavioral research focuses on what users actually do during real interactions. E.g. Usability testing shows users skip the feature entirely.

Qualitative vs quantitative

Qualitative research helps you understand why something is happening by exploring deeper motivations and thought processes. E.g. Open-ended interviews reveal frustration with a checkout step.

Quantitative research measures how often something occurs through numbers and patterns. E.g. Analytics show a 60% drop-off rate on the same step.

Context of use

The way users are studied can vary by how closely it reflects real-world use. E.g. A team conducts in-person usability testing with real customers performing typical tasks in a production app (natural + scripted context).

Natural use observes users in their actual environment. E.g. Field study
Scripted tasks have users perform specific actions. E.g. Usability tests
Abstracted activities use remote or synthetic scenarios E.g. card sorting, A/B tests

Why mix research methods?

According to Nielsen Norman Group, no single method uncovers all UX insights. A mix of approaches leads to better understanding and fewer blind spots.

✅ Mixing research methods helps you:

Understand both individual workflows and systemic issues
Avoid designing for edge cases or only the loudest voices
Uncover hidden workarounds and friction between teams
Generate more reliable, well-rounded insights

Read the full article: When to Use Which User-Experience Research Methods.

Video: When to Use Which UX Research Method (5 min)

What methods should I combine?

Method	Use it to
1-on-1 interviews	Explore personal workflows and uncover pain points
Group workshops / focus groups	Reveal shared behaviors and team-level challenges
Observation / shadowing	Catch things users don’t say (but still do)
Surveys	Quantify trends or confirm emerging patterns across users

You don’t need to use every method on every project, but most projects benefit from using at least two.

Practical example

A UX designer begins by interviewing three Admins to understand how they use the system. Based on those findings, she runs a 60-minute group workshop with Admins and Technicians to map shared issues and uncover workflow gaps between teams.

Figure: Good example – Combines depth from interviews with breadth from group insight

Only interviewing one user and assuming their experience applies to everyone. Skipping group validation and relying on stakeholder assumptions.

Figure: Bad example – Designs based on limited or biased input