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.
Frequently asked questions
What are the different types of probes used in UX research?
The main types of probes in UX research are:
Elaboration: “Can you tell me more?”
Clarification: “What do you mean by that?”
Why: “Why did you choose this?”
Example: “Can you give me an example?”
Experience: “What happened next?”
Emotion: “How did that make you feel?”
Expectation: “What did you expect to happen?”
Contrast: “How is this different from your usual experience?”
How can Clarify probes improve usability testing tools?
Clarifying probes improve usability testing by helping researchers understand exactly what participants mean, uncover confusion, and identify specific usability issues without leading them toward an answer.
Why is the Detail probe important in remote user testing tools?
Detail probes help uncover specific information about a participant’s experience, making it easier to identify usability issues, understand behaviors, and gather actionable insights during remote testing.
How does Rationalize help in evaluating user research platform features?
Rationalize probes help researchers understand the reasoning behind a participant’s actions or choices, making it easier to evaluate whether a user research platform’s features meet user needs and expectations.
In what ways does Imagine enhance usability testing platforms and UX research software?
Imagine probes encourage participants to describe what they would do or expect in a hypothetical situation, helping researchers uncover needs, expectations, and potential improvements for UX platforms.
How do Ideate probes tie into UX research questions and generative versus evaluative research?
Ideate probes encourage participants to suggest new ideas, features, or improvements. They are especially useful in generative research because they help discover needs and opportunities, while in evaluative research they can identify potential improvements to an existing product.
How can these probes optimise user surveys and usability testing software selection?
These probes help optimise surveys and usability testing tools by revealing user needs, motivations, expectations, pain points, and improvement ideas. This helps researchers choose tools that support deeper insights, better questioning, and more actionable results.
What is a probe in UI/UX?
A probe in UI/UX research is a follow-up question or prompt used to encourage participants to explain their thoughts, feelings, behaviours, or reasons in more detail. It helps researchers uncover deeper user insights.
What are the 4 stages of UX research?
The 4 common stages of UX research are:
Plan – Define research goals, questions, and methodology.
Recruit – Find and select the right participants.
Conduct – Run interviews, usability tests, surveys, or other research.
Analyze & Report – Analyze findings and share actionable insights.
