Understanding how users behave is key to designing products that truly meet their needs. Behavioral methods in UX research focus on observing and analyzing what users do, rather than what they say. This approach uncovers real patterns, frustrations, and motivations that might not emerge through interviews or surveys alone. Here are ten effective behavioral methods that can help you gather valuable insights and improve user experience. Behavioral Methods in UX Research 1. Usab

When users interact with a product, they bring their own expectations and assumptions about how things should work. These expectations come from mental models—internal representations of how people believe systems operate. Understanding mental models is crucial for UX researchers because it helps them design experiences that align with users’ thinking, making products easier and more intuitive to use. Mental models shape how users approach tasks, solve problems, and interpret

When I first started working in user experience design, I struggled to clearly define what I wanted to test and why. I often found myself guessing what might improve the user journey without a solid plan. That changed when I discovered the power of a well-crafted UX hypothesis. It gave me a clear framework to state assumptions, test ideas, and measure results. If you want to improve your design process and make data-driven decisions, understanding how to build a UX hypothesis

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader In UX research, it’s not enough to know what users say — we need to understand what they actually do. That’s where behavioral analytics  comes in. By tracking clicks, navigation paths, drop-offs, and interactions, behavioral analytics helps researchers uncover hidden friction, validate qualitative findings, and quantify the real impact of design decisions. What Is Behavioral Analytics? Behavioral analytics is the process of collecting an