In any scientific context, the power of an interview is clear. We use them to understand our product from multiple vantage points and to reveal complexity. What are the frames of reference? What are the metaphors and models people project onto the product or service? This is the context in which our design lives, and we must understand it.

Usability isn’t a given, even if best practice is followed. We must find validation for users and their context. Studies of human perception show that individuals have a unique view of common objects and language. To develop a more suitable experience, we must test and observe. This is the value of usability.

Surveys allow us to do what the name implies. But they aren’t just about asking questions, they’re about posing the right questions to extract responses that can help us develop characteristics and habits. We’re looking for commonalities. We’re trying to understand traits. We’re extracting invaluable user insights.

Prototyping is about finding the ideal starting point to craft a product or a feature. Here, we progress the idea from imagination to the physical form. We draw out our thoughts. We question their value, and we invite others to do the same.

We also believe in the value and untapped potential of studying existing data. Here, we review research articles, published reports and relevant secondary sources to widen our understanding of the problem or the potential solution. This is not about data. It’s about findings and gaining a broader, wider view that can confirm or challenge our primary research findings.