Combine qualitative and quantitative reveals

Quantitative data tells you what users do. Qualitative research reveals why they do it. The most powerful insights come from connecting these two types of information. Numbers point you toward areas worth exploring, while conversations help you understand the reasons behind them.

Use your data to identify who to talk to. Look for users who represent interesting patterns, such as those who almost converted but didn’t, power users who suddenly stopped engaging, or new users who quickly became strong advocates. These edge cases often reveal more than average users. Let data inform, not dictate, your interview questions. Instead of relying on broad satisfaction questions, ask users to walk you through their most recent experience with a feature or action. As they describe what happened, listen for moments of hesitation, confusion, or frustration. This approach feels natural to users and surfaces the real reasons behind their behavior.

After gathering qualitative insights, return to your data to validate what you heard. If users describe a feature as confusing, check whether the usage data shows high drop-off or low adoption. Sometimes what people say and what they do do not match, and that disconnect itself can be a powerful finding.^[1]