Hire UX Researchers — Evidence-Based Design

Usability testing is one method within UX research — it evaluates how easily users complete tasks on a specific interface. UX research is broader: it includes discovery research (understanding user needs, motivations, and mental models before anything is built), evaluative research (assessing existing solutions), and quantitative research (measuring behaviour at scale). Kultrix researchers apply the right method for the research question, not just the most familiar one.

Standard start time is 48 hours from contract signing for most research engagements. Studies that require participant recruitment panels may need a one-week setup window to ensure the right users are represented. We configure recruitment through our existing panels or your existing user base.

We can handle participant recruitment through Respondent, User Interviews, or Maze Panel for B2C audiences. For B2B products with specialist user profiles (e.g., enterprise software administrators, specific industry professionals), recruitment from your own user base or CRM typically yields higher-quality participants. We advise on the best approach during scoping and manage consent, scheduling, and incentives either way.

For moderated usability studies, five participants per distinct user segment is sufficient to identify the majority of usability issues — this is well-established in the literature. For unmoderated tests, fifteen to thirty participants produce stable quantitative metrics. Survey research requires sample sizes calibrated to the desired statistical confidence and the variance in the population. We recommend the right number for your specific question, not a fixed default.

Yes. Our researchers are fluent in Figma and can run prototype usability tests directly in Figma using interactive prototypes. They join Figma files, comment on designs, share annotated findings overlays, and participate in design critiques — functioning as an embedded research partner, not a separate waterfall step.

Both. Remote moderated studies are conducted via Lookback, UserTesting, or Zoom with screen sharing and recording. In-person studies (lab-based or contextual inquiry at user workplaces) are available for clients in major cities or when the research question requires observing users in their natural environment. Most research questions are well-served by remote studies, which are faster to organise and allow access to wider geographic samples.

We deliver a written research report with an executive summary, detailed findings, evidence (quotes, video clips, screen recordings), severity or opportunity ratings, and specific, actionable recommendations. We present findings to your team in a live readout session and are available for follow-up questions. Findings are also indexed in a research repository for long-term reference.

Yes. Continuous discovery research — short, frequent studies run every sprint — is one of the most effective ways to reduce product risk. We design lightweight research formats (five-user unmoderated prototype tests, rapid concept validation surveys) that return findings within a sprint, keeping research in pace with product development rather than preceding it by months.

Qualitative research (interviews, moderated usability studies, diary studies) uncovers the why — user motivations, mental models, and the reasons behind behaviour. Quantitative research (surveys, analytics, unmoderated click testing) tells you the what and how many — rates, frequencies, and statistical significance. The most useful research programmes combine both: qualitative research to form hypotheses, quantitative to validate them at scale.

Yes. We run Kano model surveys, opportunity scoring exercises, and Jobs-to-be-Done workshops that translate user needs directly into a prioritisation framework for product management. Research that drives roadmap decisions — rather than just validating designs — is one of the highest-return investments a product team can make.

Yes. We recruit participants with disabilities when the product is used by a broad population, conduct accessibility-focused usability testing, and assess findings against WCAG criteria. Including users with disabilities in research typically reveals usability improvements that benefit all users, not just those with specific needs.

We offer project-based engagements (a defined research study with a fixed scope and deliverable) and ongoing retainer research (embedded researcher available monthly for continuous discovery). Both models include a research plan, participant recruitment, data collection, analysis, and a final findings report. Minimum project engagement is two weeks from kick-off to delivery.