Sir Francis Bacon once said that knowledge is power. He would have made a great product owner. That said, manufacturing knowledge in the modern tech landscape is no easy feat. Oftentimes, the best way to empower your product decisions with data is to delegate research to external experts.
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Download nowIn this article, we've shortlisted 10 UX research firms in different geographies, specialties, and budget ranges, so that you can pick what suits your needs best.
N.B.:
All information we've gathered is publicly available online.
The firms are listed in no particular order.
Adam Fard UX Studio
Adam Fard Studio stands out as a distinguished UX research and design firm, specializing in navigating the intricacies of FinTech, SaaS, and Enterprise Applications.
Renowned for its expertise in complex B2B products, this team brings to the table an extensive range of UX research methodologies and experience ensuring every design not only meets but surpasses the demands of sophisticated digital landscapes.
Core Services:
UX Research and Design: Specializing in complex B2B products, providing deep insights and actionable design strategies.
Product Design: Expertise in FinTech, SaaS, and Enterprise Apps, ensuring designs exceed sophisticated digital product requirements.
Adam Fard's dedicated team delivers insights and strategies to surpass digital product challenges, ensuring your vision meets excellence. With global operations and specialized services, we empower CEOs and startups with UX solutions that help them navigate their industry confidently.
đ Location: Globally Distributed
đ„ Company Size: 10-49
đ° Pricing: minimum project size â $4,900 (DesignStream Package)
đŒ Industry Focus: complex B2B products, SaaS, Fintech & enterprise.
Discover the game-changing power of UX design with Adam Fard Studio. Check out this case study and Book a FREE CONSULTATION to speak with us.
Nielsen Norman Group
Nielsen Norman Group is a UX consultancy, whose expertise earned the company a global name. Founded by Don Norman and Jakob Nielsen are among the UX pioneers, who have been honing their expertise since the early days of UX.
The company is famous for preparing industry UX reports, its educational content, training events, and certifications. On top of that, the consultancy boasts a wide range of A-tier clients.
đ Location: United States
đ„ Company Size: 10-49
đ° Pricing: Single Platform (website, intranet, or application) â $38K, can vary depending on complexity Multi-Platform (2-3 screen sizes): $45,000-65,000. Competitive Review (Your website + 3 competitors): $75,000
Visit Nielsen Norman Group's website here.
ath Power
Founded in 1997, ath Power has undertaken the task of improving retention, building brand loyalty, and advocacy, while ultimately driving profitability. On top of offering consultancy in UX for digital products, the company works with physical goods.
Another vertical, to which the firm caters its services, is government bodies. This line of work helps institutions improve metrics such as improve customer, employee/stakeholder/citizen/patient experience, etc.
đ Location: United States
đ„ Company Size: 51-200
đ° Pricing: undisclosed.
Visit Ath Power's website here.
Answer Lab
Since its inception in 2004, Answer Lab has been committed to providing insights into user behavior for user interfaces, wearables, AR/VR, and other digital products.
The company boasts of having more than 250 researchers ready to generate insights into digital experiences. On top of that, the company offers numerous educational materials such as webinars, trainings, articles and other resources.
đ Location: United States
đ„ Company Size: 101-250
đ° Pricing: undisclosed.
Visit Answer Lab's website here.
Phase 5
Phase 5 is a market research, user and customer experience, innovation, and design studio that helps clients realize customer value.
The firm empowers clients on their journey to customer-centricity by focusing on Innovation and Experience and bringing together expertise in marketing research, user and customer experience, innovation and design, and advanced analytics
đ Location: United States, Canada
đ„ Company Size: 10-49
đ° Pricing: undisclosed.
Visit Phase 5's website here.
UX Studio
The UX Studio is a group of 40 UX design and research specialists passionate about what they do. They focus predominantly on working with tech startups and enterprises in the FinTech, fashion, travel, education, and healthcare industries.Â
Aside from providing their clients with end-to-end design solutions, they also create their own products. They find that it gives them a deeper, more hands-on understanding of the industry as a whole, as well as plenty of actionable insight into the latest tech and design trends.Â
đ Location: Hungary
đ„ Company Size: 10-49
đ° Pricing: Minimum project size â $50,000. Hourly rates â $100-149.
Visit UX Studio's website here.
Loop UX
Loop UX is a full-cycle UX research agency with an impressive global reach. Loop UXâs expertise areas are user experience of technologies such as medical and mobile devices as well as consumer electronics and web.
Having been founded in 2011, the agency does UX studies both locally and internationally. Loop UX boasts of having completed research projects in 26 countries.
đ Location: Denmark
đ„ Company Size: 10-49
đ° Pricing: undisclosed
Visit Loop UX's website here.
Experience UX
Experience UX is a team of researchers and consultants committed to simplifying digital experiences by understanding user behavior. The company specifically focuses on usability testing, user research, and UX architecture.
đ Location: United Kingdom
đ„ Company Size: 1-9
đ° Pricing: undisclosed
Visit Experience UX's website here.
Blink
Blink is a product design and UX research company that creates meaningful digital products, experiences, and brands. Having established studios in multiple cities across the US, the firm brings over two decades of experience to clients of the highest caliber such as Microsoft, Amazon, and Starbucks.
đ Location: United States
đ„ Company Size: 51-200
đ° Pricing: Minimum project size â $25,000. Hourly rate: $200-300.
Visit Blink's website here.
Gartner
Gartner is a world-renowned consultancy that empowers executives with business insight. The company boasts of having completed more than 14,000 projects in more than 100 countries, which earned the firm a global name.
Gartner offers its clients a wide spectrum of services ranging from audit & risk to supply chains for a variety of industries.
đ Location: United States
đ„ Company Size: 10,000-20,000
đ° Pricing: Minimum project size: $30,000.
Visit Gartner's website here.
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Contact usWhat Is UX Research?
User experience research (UXR), also known as user research, is an integral component of creating successful digital products. For example, if you're launching an app; wouldn't you want to know exactly what your users think?
UX research allows businesses and developers to gain insight into user behaviours, needs and motivations by conducting customer observation and feedback studies.
And how exactly do we get a look at what the numbers are saying to understand users' requirements? These 3 methods of gaining insight are not to be missed:
User Behavior Analysis: By closely observing how users engage with your product, understanding their journey allows you to improve the user experience.
Needs Assessment: Taking feedback through surveys or interviews allows you to better pinpoint what users require from it.
Motivation Insights: Uncovering why users make certain decisions will enable you to tailor features specifically to their expectations.
Utilizing UX research, design teams can craft products that provide users with engaging experiences, leading to higher satisfaction and usability - creating products they enjoy using and recommend to others.
Why Is UX Research Essential?
Understanding the significance of UX research is integral for any startup founder or product manager striving for product success. Launching without knowing whether your product meets user needs would be like shooting in the dark; UX research provides clarity by helping startup founders understand:
User Satisfaction: UX research ensures the product meets user expectations, leading to satisfied users who become loyal customers and advocates.
UX Research Can Increase Usability: By addressing usability issues, UX research makes products easier for their users, reducing frustration and increasing retention rates.
Market Success: Products that satisfy user needs are more likely to succeed in the market. Investing in UX research can make your product stand out from competitors and bring in additional users.
Implementing user experience research into your product development process is integral to creating products that not only meet but exceed user expectations. UX research drives user satisfaction, usability and market success.
How Do You Pick the Right UX Research Firm?
Finding a UX research firm may seem like a daunting task, but breaking it down into manageable steps will make the experience simpler. Imagine this is like searching for treasure; these 5 steps serve as your map!
1. Evaluate Expertise: Evaluate each firm's experience within your industry to gauge its expertise. Companies with relevant experience will understand your challenges and needs better, offering more tailored support.
2. Check Methodologies: Ensure they use robust and relevant research methods. Diverse methodologies like user interviews, usability testing, and surveys provide comprehensive insights.
3. Read Client Testimonials: Client feedback provides valuable insight into reliability and effectiveness, so keep an eye out for testimonials which highlight successful project results.
4. Review Case Studies: Evaluate past projects to see if they have solved problems similar to yours, using case studies as evidence of their ability to deliver results.
5. Assess Communication: An ideal UX research firm will communicate clearly and be responsive. Effective communication ensures the project stays on schedule.
Selecting an effective UX research firm requires careful evaluation of their expertise, methodologies, client feedback, case studies and communication skills. By following these steps you can find an invaluable partner that can assist in creating user-centric products.
What Services Do UX Research Firms Provide?
UX research firms offer a range of services designed to enhance user experiences for digital products. Here are some services that are peculiar to UX research firms including Adam Fard.
User Interviews: Collecting qualitative data directly from users in order to understand their needs and preferences.
Usability Testing: Observing users as they interact with your product to identify usability issues. Adam Fard offers comprehensive usability testing services.
Surveys: Gathering quantitative data to gauge user satisfaction and identify trends.
Ethnographic Studies: Carefully observing users in their natural environments to gain insights into their behaviours and context.
Persona Development: Crafting detailed user personas can help guide design decisions and ensure products meet user needs.
UX research firms can help your company gain a comprehensive understanding of user needs and behaviours to create products that resonate with its target audience.
How Much Does UX Research Cost Typically?
Understanding the factors affecting pricing can help you budget effectively for UX research. It's almost like planning a vacation - different destinations and activities have different costs attached. Below are some fail-proof steps to follow.
1. Project Scope: Projects that encompass comprehensive research needs will typically cost more.
2. Research Methods: Your choice of research methods affects costs; complex methods like ethnographic studies may incur higher expenses.
3. Expertise of the Firm: Experienced firms often charge higher rates but provide greater reliability and expertise.
4. Duration: Longer projects which require extensive research will incur higher costs.
5. Geographical Location: The geographical location of both research firms and participants can affect costs.
Talking through your needs and budget with potential UX research firms will enable you to obtain accurate quotes. It is key that costs are balanced against the value gained from conducting UX research studies.
What Are the Main Methods Used in UX Research?
Understanding the key methods utilized in UX research allows you to better appreciate their potential effects on product improvement. Imagine being a detective - each method serves as one more tool in your investigative arsenal.
User interviews: Engage directly with users to gain in-depth insight about their experiences and expectations.
Surveys: Collect quantitative data in order to detect patterns and gauge satisfaction with services provided to customers.
Usability Testing: Watching users as they perform tasks to identify any usability issues and potential improvement areas.
A/B Testing: Comparing two versions of a product to determine which performs better.
Field Studies: To observe users in their natural environments to gain contextual insights. 6. Diary Studies: To gather long-term usage patterns by asking users to record interactions with a product over time.
Each method offers its own advantages and should be chosen based on research goals. Combining multiple techniques can give us a clear picture of user needs and behaviours.
How Long Will the UX Research Project Take to Complete?
UX research projects may vary in duration and timeline, so knowing an indicative timetable will help in setting expectations and managing plans. Similar to baking a cake, some recipes require longer than others for complete perfection. Here is a rough idea of the steps to follow to determine the completion of UX Research.
1. Project Scope: Shorter projects may take only weeks, while longer, complex ones could span months.
2. Research Methods: Quick methods such as surveys can usually be completed quickly while longer-term studies like ethnographic research may require longer to finish.
3. Time Analysis: Collecting data and compiling actionable insights also impacts project duration.
4. Iteration and Testing: As new findings may need further refinement, testing iteratively could increase the project timeline.
5. Client Collaboration: Ongoing feedback and collaboration between the client and project ensure that it stays on schedule while potentially expanding its timeline.
Planned UX research projects must consider scope, methods and collaboration to ensure comprehensive yet actionable insights. Discussing timelines with your chosen UX research firm will set realistic expectations.
Looking to Hire a Competent UX Research Firm?
Can I guess you probably found yourself on this page because you are ready to take your product's user experience to the next level? Right? At Adam Fard, we specialize in creating user-friendly, efficient, and innovative UX designs.
Our proven track record, with successful projects ranging from startups like Startling,  Morecast and Ciphy to corporations like Samsung and T-Mobile, shows that we are a globally trusted and reliable agency you can rely on.
Book a FREE CONSULTATION call with us today and let us help you create a product that becomes a favorite among users. Don't miss the opportunity to enhance your UX or startup products.
Schedule the call now and let's discuss your UX goals and transformation!
