# user research

CEFR B2 · Compound

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/user-research
Updated: 2026-07-22

## Definition

the process of studying how people use a product or service to find out what they need and like. You do this to make sure the things you build actually work well for the people using them.

For teachers: the systematic study of target users and their requirements to add realistic contexts and insights to design processes. It employs various qualitative and quantitative methods to identify problems and verify design solutions.

## Examples

- We are doing user research to improve our new app.
- Before designing the new dashboard, the team conducted extensive user research to understand the daily workflows of office administrators.
- Effective user research moves beyond mere preference polling, instead utilizing ethnographic observation and usability testing to uncover latent needs that participants might not be able to articulate themselves.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.