This guide covers the basics of user research. Read on to better understand what user research is, how it supports product discovery, and why both are essential for building better products.
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What is user research?
User research is the process of understanding users through direct observation or inquiry — to base product decisions on evidence rather than assumptions. This work is sometimes led by dedicated researchers. But when those roles do not exist, product managers (and often designers) step in. Either way, PMs cannot be hands-off. You need direct exposure to users to make sound decisions.
Doing user research could mean interviewing customers, running usability tests, sending surveys, or watching someone navigate your onboarding flow. The methodology varies, and so does the depth. Sometimes, a product manager runs a few quick conversations. Other times, a research team runs structured studies across hundreds (or even thousands) of users. Both ends of the spectrum matter. What counts is gathering real evidence to inform discovery.
User research vs. customer research
You might hear people use user research and customer research interchangeably. The distinction is subtle, but worth noting. Customer research is broader. It often covers the entire journey, including actual users, but also buyers and decision makers. With customer research, you are listening for business goals, challenges, and the motivation behind why someone chose your product over others.
User research narrows the lens to the people who actually interact with your product. Think power users, casual dabblers, free-trial explorers, or even your own colleagues. The goal is practical: What do they enjoy? Where do they struggle? What would make them more successful in their day-to-day use?
Each has its place, but user research is what most directly fuels product discovery. More on that in a moment.
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Why does user research matter?
Because your gut is not good enough.
Even experienced product teams make the mistake of assuming they already know what users want. But without real input from the people you are building for, you risk working on the wrong problems — or solving the right ones the wrong way.
Good user research brings clarity in ways other inputs cannot. It:
Reveals the "why" behind customer behavior, something analytics alone cannot explain
Surfaces pain points and unmet needs users may not articulate otherwise
Highlights mismatches between what you designed and how people really use it
Connects discovery work directly to user context, grounding strategy in lived experience
Other inputs (like analytics, support tickets, and market research) matter too. But user research delivers the firsthand perspective you need to truly understand your product in action.
Related: The surprise costs of skipping research and customer discovery
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How does user research fit into product discovery?
Treat product discovery as a system for deciding what is worth building. User research is one input — a powerful one, but not the only one.
Product discovery pulls in a mix of inputs:
User research Proactively designed studies (e.g., interviews or usability tests) that reveal why people behave the way they do
Customer feedback Ongoing signals from the field (support tickets, reviews, submitted ideas, and customer satisfaction scores) that highlight what customers say they need
Product analytics Usage data that shows how people actually interact with your product
Market and competitive insights What is happening in the product landscape around you
Internal perspectives Knowledge from sales, support, or engineering teams that are close to customer conversations and technical realities
For example, you might interview users to understand why a feature is underused. That is user research, a method for gathering direct insight. You then zoom out to explore the opportunity. Is this the right problem to solve? What else are users trying to do? What could deliver more value? That broader exploration — connecting patterns, reframing the need, deciding what is worth pursuing — is product discovery.
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What are the different types of user research?
User research is not one-size-fits-all. Different methods serve different purposes, and the best product teams know when to use each.
The two broad categories to keep in mind are generative and evaluative research.
Type | Purpose | Common methods | When to use it |
Generative | Explore problems and uncover opportunities | User interviews, diary studies, and field observations | Early — when you are trying to understand user needs, pain points, or new areas to invest in |
Evaluative | Test solutions and validate decisions | Usability tests, surveys, A/B testing, and concept reviews | Later — when you want to see if something works or solves the right problem |
Generative research helps you figure out what to build. Evaluative research helps you see if you are building well.
For example, you could use Aha! Discovery to capture generative research themes as you interview users about unmet needs. When a potential solution emerges, run an evaluative test — like a usability study — to see if the new design solves the problem. Linking both types of research directly to the relevant activities and initiatives in Aha! Roadmaps means evidence and decisions stay connected.
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How do product managers do user research well?
Product managers cannot sit out on user research. Even if you are lucky enough to have a dedicated research team, you still need firsthand exposure to customers. It sharpens your instincts and grounds your decisions in reality.
Here is a simple structure to follow:
Define your goal: What are you trying to learn? Be specific. "Why aren't trial users more active?" is too broad. Instead, pinpoint the moment or action you want to examine. ("Why do users abandon onboarding at step three?")
Select participants strategically: Talk to the people who actually experience the problem. With Aha! Discovery, you can build a participant database, tag and segment customers, and quickly pull the right group for each study.
Choose the right method: Generative or evaluative? Interview or survey? Match your method to the question you need to answer.
Capture and synthesize insights: Take detailed notes and summarize what you learn. In Aha! Discovery, you can upload videos and transcripts, centralize insights, tag recurring themes, and link them directly to product work.
Connect insights to decisions: Research only matters if it changes what you do next. Link your findings to product initiatives or activities in Aha! Discovery so evidence stays connected to strategy.
