RESEARCH LIBRARY
Good writing on doing research well.
Articles, essays, and talks we re-read. Not ours — theirs. Credit where due.
Foundations
Classics and essays we re-read when we forget why we do this work.
- How to Conduct a Heuristic Evaluation
Jakob Nielsen · Nielsen Norman Group · 8 min
The original 10-heuristic evaluation method. Still the fastest way to catch usability issues without a formal test.
- Why You Only Need to Test with 5 Users
Jakob Nielsen · Nielsen Norman Group · 6 min
The math behind small-n usability research. Every designer debating sample size should read this once and settle the matter.
- The Discipline of Finishing: Conversations with Tim Brown
Tim Brown · Harvard Business Review · 12 min
A foundational essay on design thinking — worth reading for the framing, not the process. The 'discipline of finishing' line is the one that stays.
- Just Enough Research
Erika Hall · A Book Apart · book
Short, opinionated, and the book we give to every new designer who thinks research is someone else's job.
Methods deep-dives
Concrete techniques for running specific study types.
- Continuous Discovery Habits (Book)
Teresa Torres · Product Talk · book
The most practical book on weekly user interviews. The opportunity-solution tree alone is worth the read.
- Tree Testing 101
Kate Moran · Nielsen Norman Group · 9 min
Clear walk-through of tree testing for IA validation. Includes common pitfalls and how to write tasks.
- Card Sorting: Uncover Users' Mental Models
Kim Salazar · Nielsen Norman Group · 7 min
Open vs. closed, hybrid approaches, sample sizes — everything you need for a first card sort without drowning in theory.
- 5-Second Usability Test Guide
Maze team · Maze · 11 min
Competitor's guide, but the best short explanation of when five-second tests help and when they mislead.
- Fake Door Tests: Measuring Demand Before You Build
UXPin team · UXPin · 8 min
Ethical considerations, actual setup steps, and how to read intent signal vs. noise in fake-door data.
- The UX Research Methods Cheat Sheet
Christian Rohrer · Nielsen Norman Group · 10 min
The classic 2D map of 20 UX research methods by attitudinal/behavioral and qualitative/quantitative axes.
Qualitative practice
Craft and discipline for interviews, synthesis, and storytelling.
- The Mom Test
Rob Fitzpatrick · Independent · book
How to talk to customers without lying to yourself. Short, brutal, the book every founder needs for user-testing an idea.
- Interviewing Users: How to Uncover Compelling Insights
Steve Portigal · Rosenfeld Media · book
The definitive book on interview craft. His follow-up tip — "That's interesting, tell me more" — is worth $100 alone.
- Living in Information: Responsible Design for Digital Places
Jorge Arango · Rosenfeld Media · book
IA as place-making. The shift in framing makes navigation research feel less like a chore.
- IDEO Methods Cards
IDEO · IDEO · 51 cards
Quick reference for when you know the research question but not the method. Physical cards also excellent for team workshops.
- What We Talk About When We Talk About Research
Erika Hall · Medium · 9 min
A sharp essay on what "research" means in modern product teams — and what gets lost when everyone claims to be doing it.