As Researchers gather experience and try to improvise their Research skills, the art of asking probing questions develops naturally. For the ones early into this profession, here is a summary of five types of Probes in UX Research which could be kept in mind while woking on a User Research project.
1. CLARIFY: People express themselves differently. For a researcher to be able to understand the real message, it is important to clarify what you hear from the participant. Clarify any expression or words that the participant used as a reaction. Also ensure you cross verify your summary of what has been expressed, with the participant.
2. DETAIL: Usually, a lot is left unsaid. Often because people think they have already said it. Or, the researcher might have fallen into the trap of thinking s/he understood it. Always ask the participant to detail out things which you feel slightly ambiguous. Ask for explanations, examples. Do not hesitate to ask participants sketch things out for you, if that helps. Some experienced Researchers have advocated using the Five WHYs technique to uncover the actual insight. Here is a supplementary article to gain a deeper understanding Why Is Not Enough: Overcoming Flaws of the Five Whys.
3. RATIONALIZE: Behind every action there are feelings and reasoning. Ask for prioritization of elements in terms of importance to the participant. Find out which Interface elements the participant can not live without and which elements can be dropped off. Ask for reasoning for each of the answers. You might not want the visual impression of an item as the sole reason behind it’s existence on the interface.
4. IMAGINATE: Context of use is very important. The way people Interact with a Mobile phone App in a train is different than at the time they are about to fall asleep. If it is important for the Interface to be used in different situations in the real world, ask your participants to imagine them being in that scenario. Then ask them probing questions and you would find a lot more this way.
5. IDEATE: Chances are rare that your participant is a designer, artist or a creative person. People generally remember the experience of the things they have been using to get their tasks done. Prompt them to tell you good things from those interactions and things that could have been done better. That would help you to figure out how the new interaction design you are researching can be made persuasive.
A lot of useful content is available on the topic of User research, example this one – Laddering: A Research Interview Technique for Uncovering Core Values. While this and similar literature might appear common sense to the uninitiated, it immensely helps Researchers to be explicitly aware of techniques and pitfalls.
As a User Experience researcher, always remember to effectively use three of your most important words “What”, “How” and “Why”. An absolute Don’t is to avoid leading your participant to an answer. There is always more there than meets the eye.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the different types of probes used in UX research?
The five key types are Clarify, Detail, Rationalize, Imagine, and Ideate, each helping uncover deeper user insights and refine UX research quality.
How can Clarify probes improve usability testing tools?
Clarify probes help usability testing tools notably remote usability testing software and usability analysis tools by ensuring researchers accurately understand participant expressions and reactions, leading to more actionable feedback.
Why is the Detail probe important in remote user testing tools?
The Detail probe prompts participants to elaborate on ambiguous responses. When combined with remote user testing tools or usertesting alternatives, this deepens insight from often brief or vague answers.
How does Rationalize help in evaluating user research platform features?
Rationalize probes shed light on why users prioritize certain features—like tree testing software, card sorting tools, or user research platform capabilities—helping product teams refine core functionality that matters most to users.
In what ways does Imagine enhance usability testing platforms and UX research software?
Imagine probes encourage participants to envision real-world contexts—crucial for evaluating mobile app usability testing, usability testing on mobile, and other mobile usability test scenarios within usability testing platforms.
How do Ideate probes tie into UX research questions and generative versus evaluative research?
Ideate probes invoke users’ past experiences to suggest improvements—a generative approach. This aligns with crafting effective UX research questions and situates the probe within generative vs evaluative research paradigms.
How can these probes optimise user surveys and usability testing software selection?
By integrating Clarify, Detail, Rationalize, Imagine, and Ideate into study design, researchers can elevate the efficacy of user surveys, usability testing software, and usability testing tool selection—improving depth, engagement, and actionable results.
What is a probe in UI/UX?
Probes for context mapping are exercises we give to a target group in a design project; from these, we can get an understanding about their lives. The purpose of probes is to inspire us as designers at the starting phases of a project and to sensitize users to their own context.
What are the 4 stages of UX research?
What is the pathway for UX research?
Discovery – Initial exploration of users, problems, and context.
Exploration – Deep dives into specific features, flows, or behaviors.
Testing – Usability evaluations and validation of design decisions.
Listening – Ongoing monitoring and feedback post-launch.
