User Research
Since day one, we’ve built our work on one core belief – great digital starts with knowing your users. Skip the research, and you’re guessing. We dig into how people think, behave and interact online, so you can create digital experiences that truly work.
Not-for-profits exist to serve and support, but you can’t do that without truly understanding people’s needs. Assumptions don’t cut it. That’s why user research is core to our work—ensuring digital services are accessible, engaging and built to make a real impact.
Good user research uncovers real barriers, motivations and behaviours, ensuring digital services are accessible, impactful and drive meaningful action. Without it, charities risk wasting time and resources on solutions that miss the mark.
We don’t do ‘off the shelf’, and that applies to our research. We work with you to understand which insights will drive your project and then tailor the research approach to your needs.
User research
We use a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods to uncover user needs, test ideas and ensure digital experiences are intuitive, accessible and impactful. These include:
- Surveys – we use surveys to gather quantitative insights from a broad audience, helping us identify trends, behaviours and common challenges.
- One-to-one interviews – speaking directly to users gives us rich, qualitative insights, uncovering motivations, frustrations and needs that data alone can’t reveal.
- Workshops – facilitated discussions with users to dive deep into behaviours, motivations and pain points, uncovering insights that shape digital strategy and design.
- Prototype testing – we test prototypes with real users to see what works and what doesn’t, refining digital experiences before full development.
- Usability testing – by observing users as they navigate a website, app or tool, we identify pain points and barriers to improve functionality and accessibility.
- Card sorting and tree testing – users help structure website content by grouping and labelling information, followed by testing how easily they can navigate and find content in a proposed site structure.
Experience maps
For organisations focused on long-term engagement, a digital experience map is a game-changer. It gives you a clear, research-driven view of how people interact with your organisation over time – so you can provide the right content, services and support at key moments.
People’s needs change over time—whether it’s a student qualifying, a patient navigating a diagnosis or a member progressing in their career. Our digital experience maps use research and real user insights to track key moments in their journey, uncovering pain points, behaviours and opportunities to strengthen engagement.
We’ve created experience maps for MS Society, Institute of Physics and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists—helping them anticipate user needs and drive deeper engagement. Get in touch to see how we can help.
Information architecture
By conducting user research methods such as card sorting and tree testing, we design information architectures that reflect actual user behaviors and expectations. This approach leads to intuitive navigation systems, enhancing accessibility and user satisfaction. We’ve successfully implemented these strategies for organiations like Muscular Dystrophy UK, Versus Arthritis and Hospice UK, refining their digital platforms to better serve their communities.
Wireframes
We create wireframes that bring user needs to life, turning research into intuitive, user-friendly designs. For the MS Society, we developed wireframes featuring personalised user journeys, ensuring tailored experiences for different audiences. To help organisations maintain and scale their UX, we deliver our designs as a component library, providing a sustainable, flexible framework for future development.
Usability testing
We run usability testing to see how real users interact with digital products, uncovering pain points, accessibility barriers and areas for improvement. Through testing prototypes and live platforms, we help organisations refine their navigation, content and design, ensuring a seamless, user-friendly experience that truly meets audience needs.
User research is the foundation of great digital experiences. It helps organisations design services that are clear, accessible and built around real user needs—whether it’s refining navigation, testing usability or shaping content. We’ve worked with RNID, Bowel Cancer UK, Hospice UK, Institute of Physics, MS Society UK, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, SSAFA and Versus Arthritis to do just that. Get in touch to find out how we can help you too.
Case Studies
MS Society UK
Alzheimer’s Society
