Which User Research Technique Should I Use First?

More than 90% of apps fail within their first year of launch, and the biggest reason isn't poor coding or bad design—it's building something people don't actually want or need. After eight years of developing apps for startups and Fortune 500 companies, I've seen this pattern repeat itself over and over. Teams spend months building features they think users want, only to discover they've got it completely wrong.

The thing is, most app failures are preventable. Before writing a single line of code or designing a single screen, successful apps start with proper user research techniques. But here's where it gets tricky—there are loads of different research methods available, from user interviews to usability testing to competitor analysis, and choosing the wrong one at the wrong time can waste weeks of effort and thousands of pounds.

The best app developers I know spend more time talking to users than they do talking to developers

I've worked with clients who've jumped straight into usability testing before they even knew what problem they were solving; I've seen others get stuck in interview paralysis, talking to users for months without ever building anything. The key is knowing which user research technique to use first, and that's exactly what we'll cover in this guide.

Whether you're a startup founder with your first app idea or a product manager at an established company, understanding the right sequence of app research methods can mean the difference between building something people love and adding to that 90% failure statistic. Let's start by figuring out what you actually need to learn about your users first.

Understanding Your Research Goals

Before you jump into any research method, you need to ask yourself a pretty straightforward question: what exactly are you trying to find out? I know it sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how many app projects I've worked on where the team starts collecting data without really knowing what they're looking for. It's like going shopping without a list—you'll come back with stuff, but probably not what you actually needed!

Your research goals will completely change which method you should use first. Are you trying to understand why people aren't downloading your app? That's different from wanting to know why they delete it after one use. Are you curious about what features people want most? That requires a different approach than figuring out why your checkout process has such a high abandonment rate.

Common Research Questions and Their Focus

• Who are my users? Demographics, behaviours, preferences
• What problems does my app solve? User needs, pain points, motivations
• How do people use my app? User flows, feature usage, interaction patterns
• Why do users leave? Drop-off points, frustrations, unmet expectations
• What should I build next? Feature priorities, market gaps, user desires

Here's the thing—your goals will also depend on where your app is in its lifecycle. If you're still in the idea phase, you'll want to focus on validating whether people actually need what you're planning to build. If your app's already live but struggling with retention, you need to understand why people are leaving. And if you're doing well but want to grow? That's when you start looking at what additional features or improvements could drive more engagement.

The key is being specific about what you want to learn. "I want to understand my users better" isn't specific enough. "I want to know what stops people from completing their first purchase" is much more actionable.

User Interviews for Deep Insights

Right, let's talk about user interviews—probably the most underrated research technique in the mobile app world. I mean, when did we all decide that staring at spreadsheets was more valuable than actually talking to the people who use our apps? It's honestly a bit mad how many teams skip this step and wonder why their app feels disconnected from what users actually want.

User interviews are basically structured conversations with your target users. You sit down with someone (virtually or in person), ask them open-ended questions, and listen—really listen—to what they tell you. The goal isn't to validate your assumptions; its to understand how people think, what frustrates them, and what they're trying to accomplish in their daily lives.

Here's what makes interviews so powerful: they reveal the why behind user behaviour. Analytics might tell you that 70% of users drop off at your onboarding screen, but an interview will tell you that people find the signup process confusing because they dont understand why you need their phone number. That's the difference between knowing what's happening and understanding why its happening.

Start with just 5-8 interviews. You'll be surprised how much you learn from such a small group—and how many patterns start emerging after the third or fourth conversation.

When to Use User Interviews

User interviews work best when you need to understand motivations, pain points, or context around how people use apps in their daily lives. They're perfect for early-stage research when you're still figuring out what problem your app should solve, or when you're trying to understand why users behave in unexpected ways.

• Before you start building—to understand user needs and motivations
• When analytics show confusing patterns you can't explain
• After launching—to understand why people use (or don't use) specific features
• When exploring new market segments or user groups

The beauty of interviews is that they often uncover things you never thought to ask about. Users will mention workarounds they've created, problems they didn't know they had, or use cases you never considered. That's where the real gold is buried.

Surveys and Questionnaires for Scale

Right, let's talk about surveys—probably the most misused research method in the app world. I mean, everyone thinks they can just whip up a quick survey and get meaningful insights, but honestly? Most surveys I see are complete rubbish. They're either too long, ask leading questions, or try to get answers to things surveys just can't tell you.

But here's the thing—when done properly, surveys are bloody brilliant for getting quantitative data at scale. You can reach hundreds or thousands of users and get statistically significant results that actually mean something. The key is knowing when to use them and how to structure them properly.

When Surveys Actually Work

Surveys work best when you need to validate something you already suspect or when you want to measure specific behaviours across your user base. Let's say your analytics show people are dropping off at a particular screen—a survey can help you understand the why behind those numbers. Or maybe you want to know which features your users value most; that's perfect survey territory.

I always tell clients to keep surveys short and focused. Five to seven questions maximum. Any longer and your completion rates will tank. And please, for the love of all that's holy, test your survey with real people before sending it out. The number of times I've seen surveys with confusing questions or missing answer options is frankly embarrassing.

Getting People to Actually Respond

The biggest challenge with surveys isn't creating them—it's getting people to complete them. In-app surveys typically get better response rates than email ones, but timing is everything. Don't interrupt someone mid-task; wait for natural break points in your app flow. And always explain why their feedback matters and what you'll do with it.

Usability Testing in Practice

Right, let's talk about usability testing—the method that shows you exactly where your app falls down in real-world use. I've watched countless app ideas look brilliant on paper, only to see users struggle with the most basic tasks when we actually put the thing in front of them. It's a bit humbling really, but that's precisely why usability testing is so valuable.

The beauty of usability testing is its simplicity. You give someone a specific task—like "try to book a session for next Tuesday"—and then you shut up and watch. No leading questions, no helping them along when they get stuck. Just observe where they click, where they pause, and listen to what they mutter under their breath when something doesnt work as expected.

Setting Up Your First Test

You don't need a fancy lab or expensive equipment to get started. I've run effective usability tests using nothing more than a phone, a screen recording app, and five willing participants. The key is testing early and often—even rough wireframes can reveal major usability issues that would cost thousands to fix later in development.

The most eye-opening moment in any usability test is when users completely ignore the feature you spent months perfecting and instead try to accomplish their goal in a way you never considered

Here's what I've learned after years of running these sessions: users will always surprise you. They'll tap things that aren't buttons, skip steps you thought were obvious, and find workarounds for problems you didn't know existed. That's not user error—that's valuable insight into how real people actually behave when using your app. The goal isn't to prove your design works; it's to discover where it doesn't and fix those issues before launch.

Analytics and App Data Review

Here's something most people don't realise—your app is already doing user research for you every single day. Every tap, swipe, and abandoned session tells a story about how people actually use your product. The trick is knowing how to listen to what the data is saying.

I've seen too many teams ignore their existing data and jump straight into expensive user interviews or surveys. Don't get me wrong, those methods have their place, but your analytics can answer fundamental questions about user behaviour patterns before you spend a penny on additional research. It's like having a 24/7 focus group that never lies.

What Your Data Can Tell You

Your analytics reveal where users drop off, which features they actually use (versus the ones you think they use), and how different user segments behave. I always look at the user journey first—where do people enter your app? Where do they get stuck? Which screens have the highest bounce rates?

But here's the thing; raw numbers only tell half the story. You need to dig deeper into the why behind the patterns. If users are abandoning your checkout process at step three, thats a clear signal something needs fixing, but it doesnt tell you whether its confusing copy, a technical bug, or just too many form fields.

Getting Started with Data Analysis

• Set up event tracking for key user actions (button clicks, form completions, feature usage)
• Monitor user flow reports to identify common paths and drop-off points
• Segment users by behaviour patterns, not just demographics
• Track retention metrics over different time periods (1 day, 7 days, 30 days)
• Compare performance across different user acquisition channels

The beauty of starting with analytics? You can identify your biggest problems quickly and then use other research methods to understand the root causes. It's efficient, cost-effective, and gives you a solid foundation for making informed decisions about where to focus your research efforts next.

Competitor Research Methods

Right, let's talk about something that's honestly quite fun—stalking your competition! I mean that in the nicest possible way, of course. Understanding what other apps in your space are doing can save you months of trial and error, plus it helps you spot gaps in the market that you can fill.

Start with the basics: download your competitors apps and use them like a real user would. Don't just poke around for five minutes—actually try to complete tasks that your target users would want to do. Pay attention to their onboarding flow, navigation patterns, and how they handle key features. I always keep notes on what works well and what makes me want to throw my phone across the room!

App store research is your next goldmine. Read through competitor reviews (especially the negative ones) because users will tell you exactly what's missing or broken. Look at their screenshots, descriptions, and how they position themselves. What keywords are they targeting? How do they explain their value proposition?

Tools That Actually Help

For deeper insights, tools like App Annie or Sensor Tower can show you download numbers, revenue estimates, and user demographics—though the free versions are quite limited. Social media monitoring is cheaper and often more revealing; see what people are saying about these apps on Twitter, Reddit, or industry forums.

Create a simple spreadsheet tracking 3-5 key competitors. Note their strengths, weaknesses, pricing models, and user complaints. Update it monthly because the mobile world moves fast.

The goal isn't to copy what others are doing—it's to understand the landscape so you can do something different or better. Sometimes the biggest opportunities come from seeing what everyone else is getting wrong.

Right, so you've got all these research techniques at your disposal—but which one should you actually use first? This is the question I get asked most often, and honestly, it depends entirely on where you are in your app's journey and what you're trying to achieve.

If you're still in the early stages and haven't built anything yet, start with user interviews. I can't stress this enough. You need to understand your potential users' problems before you try to solve them. Skip this step and you'll end up building something nobody actually wants—I've seen it happen countless times.

Once you've got a prototype or early version, usability testing becomes your best friend. Watch people try to use your app; the insights you'll get are pure gold. After that, surveys can help you validate what you've learned at scale.

Quick Decision Framework

• Pre-development: Start with user interviews, then competitor research
• Early prototype: Usability testing with 5-8 users
• Launched app: Analytics review first, then surveys for broader insights
• Struggling app: User interviews to understand why people aren't engaging
• Growing app: Mix of analytics and usability testing to optimise

Here's the thing though—you don't need to do everything at once. Pick one technique, do it properly, learn from it, then move on to the next. Too many people try to run surveys, interviews, and usability tests simultaneously and end up with a mess of conflicting data they can't make sense of.

The key is starting somewhere. Even basic user interviews with five people will teach you more about your users than months of guessing. Trust me on this one—I've built apps both ways, and there's no comparison.

Common Research Mistakes to Avoid

Right, let's talk about the mistakes I see people making with user research techniques all the time. And honestly, I've made most of these myself over the years! The biggest one? Jumping straight into usability testing without understanding what you're actually trying to learn. I mean, it sounds logical—you want to know if your app works, so you test it, right? But if you don't know who your users are or what problems they're trying to solve, you're basically testing in the dark.

Another massive mistake is asking leading questions during user interviews. You know when you say something like "Don't you think this feature would be really helpful?" You've just ruined your data. Users want to please you, so they'll agree even if they think your idea is terrible. Keep your questions neutral and open-ended—let them tell you what they actually think, not what you want to hear.

Sample Size Confusion

Here's something that drives me mad: people either test with way too few users or think they need hundreds for every technique. For usability testing, five to eight users will uncover most major issues; for surveys, you need much more. Match your sample size to your research technique and goals, not some arbitrary number you found online.

The worst research mistake isn't getting imperfect data—it's making decisions without any data at all

And please, don't cherry-pick your results. I've seen teams ignore feedback that doesn't match their assumptions. If three out of five users struggle with your navigation, that's not a coincidence—it's a problem you need to fix, even if you personally love the design.

Look, I'll be honest with you—there's no magic formula for picking the perfect user research technique straight away. After years of building apps and watching some succeed brilliantly while others crash and burn, I've learned that the best research approach is the one you actually do.

Sure, we've covered all the different methods in this guide, from user interviews to analytics deep-dives. But here's what really matters: start with whatever technique feels most manageable for your situation right now. Got five minutes? Check your app analytics. Have a bit more time? Send out a quick survey to your existing users. Can spare an afternoon? Set up some user interviews.

The biggest mistake I see app developers make isn't choosing the wrong research method—it's not doing any research at all because they're paralysed by trying to pick the "perfect" approach. That's just daft really.

What I've noticed is that one piece of user research almost always leads to another. You might start with analytics, spot something odd in your user behaviour, then decide you need interviews to understand why its happening. Or you could begin with competitor research, realise you're missing a key feature, then test it with your users before building anything.

The mobile app world moves fast, and user expectations change constantly. The research techniques that worked perfectly for a project two years ago might need tweaking for today's users. But the fundamental principle remains the same: talk to your users, understand their problems, and build solutions that actually help them.

So stop overthinking it and just start somewhere. Your users are waiting to tell you exactly what they need—you just need to ask them.