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I hope you’re well and enjoying the first signs of spring – if you live in the Northern Hemisphere.
In the previous UX Under Microscope issue, we talked about the difference between qualitative and quantitative UX research. It is highly recommended that you check it out after reading this article.
Today, we're diving into primary and secondary UX research, both essential for creating impactful user experiences.
When I was a newbie and didn’t know anything about UX research, I assumed that primary and secondary research happened one after the other due to their names.
I couldn’t be further from the truth, though! 😃
Only later, I learned that they instead focus on the closeness and specificity of the source.
When we talk about primary research, we mean the original research carried out by a company (in this case, yourself) for its own use.
For example, a Canadian cosmetics company might conduct observational research combined with surveys and questionnaires targeted at middle-aged women to gain insights into their purchasing habits.
Then, the company would use the outcomes (data) to guide their packaging, product placement, and other marketing and design components.
Secondary research involves examining existing data or findings published by a third party (an external source) for a different objective.
For example, a travel and tourism company focusing on middle-aged women can enhance its offerings and marketing by leveraging secondary research on this group's travel preferences, which often include relaxation, cultural exploration, health, and adventure.
Tailoring travel packages to middle-aged women's evolving lifestyles and aspirations, the company can create appealing options such as spa visits, cultural tours, and wellness retreats. Understanding their interests ensures that the packages resonate with their specific needs and life transitions.
The company can use the cosmetics firm's brief from primary research as secondary research, a more affordable alternative to conducting individual interviews and surveys. Although the info would be relevant, cosmetics and travel packages are different products. While the participants share similarities in gender and age, they differ in other aspects.
One of my older videos on YouTube has suddenly taken off – I mean, by my channel’s standards. It’s about creating realistic mockups in Figma using 3 plugins:
You might find it useful, too, so check it out:
This is it for this newsletter.
I’ll see you next time! Happy researching!