Summary
Research has to come together somewhere, happen somewhere, live somewhere, and—in order for it to have an impact on product—it has to be effectively shared somewhere. There are more user research tools than ever, and choosing among them can be overwhelming. That’s why the team at User Interviews created the UXR Tools Map, along with a searchable database of over 200 user research tools. We’ll talk about the process behind creating the map, plus share insights and examples of how to create the best stack for your team, regardless of budget.
Key Insights
-
•
The UX Research Tools Map categorizes over 100 curated tools into five main research functions: research ops, passive insights, active research, insight management, and design tools.
-
•
A significant portion of UX researchers (44%) are uncertain about their research budgets, and only 8% report stakeholders frequently access research results.
-
•
Many UX research tools have expanded their scope, becoming multifunctional, complicating how they fit into research workflows.
-
•
The visual subway map metaphor helps users understand tools as single-function 'stations' or multifunctional 'interchanges' connecting multiple research tasks.
-
•
The tools map intentionally balances well-known products, enterprise-grade options, and innovative or lesser-known tools to avoid overwhelming users.
-
•
Design and curation are critical as new tools appear or existing ones evolve, requiring continuous updates and balancing complexity with usability.
-
•
There’s value in assembling tool stacks tailored to needs ranging from fully free DIY solutions to large enterprise setups integrating multiple platforms.
-
•
Qualitative data management remains a persistent challenge in UX research, requiring effective insight storage, organization, and analysis tools.
-
•
Some tools offer recruiting, scheduling, and incentives only through proprietary panels, leading to potential limitations in participant diversity and flexibility.
-
•
Collaborative tools like Figma, Miro, and Whimsical play key roles in prototyping and brainstorming during UX research to generate early feedback efficiently.
Notable Quotes
"User research is interdisciplinary; only two thirds of people who do research describe their job as primarily research."
"Only 8% of people we talk to said their stakeholders know how to access results and do so often."
"Choosing among all these research tools can be really overwhelming and intimidating."
"We took a little bit more of an editorial approach and kind of trimmed down the tools to keep it legible and usable."
"Our subway lines are tool functions, and stations are where single-function tools live."
"Multifunctional tools are interchange stations connecting several research activities."
"Sometimes we had to add bus lines simply because some tools couldn’t fit into the existing grid."
"Tools are getting much more complex and have more crossover, which made redesigning the map a challenge."
"Simple, low-fi prototyping tools can get you tons of feedback without much upfront design work."
"We’re always taking suggestions for new apps to add to the tools map for later iterations."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"The best we do should be open to improvement and evolution to better serve clients' target audiences."
Megan CamposWhat Did I Miss? The Hidden Costs of Deprioritizing Diversity in User Research
March 12, 2021
"They walked. The locals were most likely right."
Brendan JarvisFraming Tomorrow by Questioning Today
June 8, 2022
"We had passed through this awkward moment. I felt I had rudely probed into this open wound."
Susan Simon-DanielsWar Stories LIVE! Susan Simon-Daniels
March 30, 2020
"By starting to categorize risk in detail, you naturally lead to better prompts and better evals."
Peter Van DijckHands-on AI #2: Understanding evals: LLM as a Judge
October 15, 2025
"Our research practice was perceived largely as design testers, empathy vehicles, and policing functions — a narrow, reactive role."
Nalini KotamrajuResearch After UX
March 25, 2024
"Mastery is achievable, whether you have 10,000 hours or not—it’s about building that portfolio and case studies."
Liam ThurstonWhy Your Design Team Is Quitting, And How To Fix It
June 10, 2022
"Using modules or templates in co-design helps participants remix and add, making it easier to surface rich insights."
Nidhi Singh Rathore Amber DavisEmbracing participation to unlock deeper truths in commercial research
March 12, 2025
"All the product teams had done perfect work in their own silo but they weren’t able to bundle and sell services together."
Andy Polaine Lavrans LøvlieWhat is the role of service design in product-led organizations?
December 3, 2024
"Voice control on mobile was developed primarily to support people with disabilities."
Sam ProulxMobile Accessibility: Why Moving Accessibility Beyond the Desktop is Critical in a Mobile-first World
September 8, 2022
Latest Books All books
Dig deeper with the Rosenbot
What challenges do organizations face when trying to connect product silos using service design?
What are effective low-touch experiments that media organizations can run to test new service approaches?
What practical practices can make accessibility a sustainable part of daily design and development workflows?