ChatGPT in User Research

ChatGPT is a great starting point to analyze your competitors. For example, consider you are launching a new ridesharing service.

You can use ChatGPT to:

• Get a list of direct competitors in your specific market, such as the ridesharing industry in your city or region.
• Follow up by asking ChatGPT for market share data for each identified competitor. This helps you gauge the dominant players in your area.
• Find out what customers value in a ridesharing service, like promptness, driver behavior, or user-friendly interfaces.
• Outline common issues users face, like difficulties in finding convenient pickup points or fare estimation accuracy.^[2]

While ChatGPT can generate references for the information it provides you, it may not always be 100% accurate. So, always be sure to crosscheck the information it generates with authentic sources and only use it as a starting point to inform your competitive analysis.

Creating a user flow with ChatGPT can be a fairly straightforward process, provided you follow these steps:

• Define the scope: Begin by outlining the purpose and scope of the user flow. What specific user actions or tasks do you want to map? For example, you might want to generate a user flow for a user booking movie tickets on your app.
• Frame the start and end points: Clearly identify the starting and ending points of the user flow. For example, from app login to successful booking confirmation.
• Initiate the prompt: Prompt ChatGPT with a clear request. For instance, "Create a user flow that details the steps from user login to making a purchase on our movie ticket booking app."
• Structure the flow: Request ChatGPT to provide a step-by-step breakdown of the user's journey. This includes actions, decisions, and potential outcomes.
• Review and refine: Evaluate the generated user flow and make any necessary adjustments or refinements to ensure accuracy and completeness.

You can transform the textual user flow generated by ChatGPT into a visual representation using flowchart software or diagramming tools.

Information architecture dictates how content is organized, making it easier for users to find what they're looking for. ChatGPT can be a valuable tool in generating or validating information architecture.

To generate or validate information architecture using ChatGPT, follow these steps:

• Begin by clarifying the goals and purpose of your information architecture. Determine what you aim to achieve, such as improving website navigation or organizing content for a better user experience.
• Use a clear prompt to instruct ChatGPT. For example, "Please generate a suggested information architecture for our website" or "Validate our proposed information architecture."
• Briefly describe your website's content, user base, and any specific requirements or preferences for the information structure.
• Examine the output provided by ChatGPT. Evaluate how well it aligns with your objectives and if it effectively organizes the content. Make necessary adjustments or request further iterations if needed.

A prototype script is a written representation of the interactions between a user and a system, often used to visualize and test the functionality of a software or application. It outlines the flow of conversation, including user inputs and system responses.

Follow these steps to generate a prototype script using ChatGPT:

• Clearly state the purpose of the prototype script and the specific functionalities it should showcase. For instance, if designing a task management app, specify the key product features like task creation, assignment, and completion.
• Begin with a clear prompt like, "Create a prototype script for a task management app." Include relevant details such as the essential functionalities to be demonstrated.
• Examine the generated script to ensure it includes desired user interactions, system responses, and any conditional pathways. Edit or iterate as needed.
• Ask ChatGPT to integrate responses for handling unexpected user inputs or error scenarios. This will determine how the app manages mistakes or misunderstandings.

Usability tests are used to evaluate the effectiveness and user-friendliness of a digital product, such as a website or app. You can prompt ChatGPT to generate a usability test for an app or website.

Follow these steps to generate a usability test with ChatGPT:

• Start with a clear introduction. For example, "Please generate a usability test scenario for an app/website related to fitness."
• Specify the task if you have one. For example, "Imagine a user wants to track their daily exercise routine. Provide a scenario for testing this feature." If you don’t have a particular aspect you want to test, just ask ChatGPT to “generate 3-5 usability tests that should be conducted with potential users to validate the overall usability of the app.”
• Set user context. For example, "The user is moderately familiar with fitness apps and is looking for an easy-to-use tracking tool."
• Ask ChatGPT to generate a list of specific actions for users to take. It might generate actions such as adding a new exercise, setting a duration, and viewing their progress.

UX metrics, or user experience metrics, are quantifiable measures used to assess the quality of a user's interaction with a product or service. They help gauge how effective and enjoyable an experience is for users.

To generate a list of key user metrics from ChatGPT, simply draft a prompt explaining your context briefly. For example, you can say “I am designing an app that allows people to find travel buddies during their solo trips. What are some UX metrics that can help enhance the value for users?”

ChatGPT will then generate a list of metrics such as user engagement, retention rate, task completion rate, messaging activity, etc., that you can measure through usability testing, analytics tools, surveys, or interviews.

User stories are concise, user-centric descriptions of a system's functionality. They focus on what users need to accomplish a specific goal. They're used to capture requirements from an end user's perspective. By crafting user stories, you can prioritize features and functionalities that directly address these concerns, leading to a more user-friendly product.

To facilitate detailed and meaningful user stories, it's helpful to include specific user roles, their goals, and the tasks they wish to perform. For example, when seeking assistance from ChatGPT, you might enrich your request with the user's role, their desired outcome, and any notable constraints or preferences, like this: "Generate user stories for an e-commerce platform catering to tech-savvy shoppers seeking the latest tech deals with a user-friendly interface.”

Use cases are scenarios that describe how a product or service can be used to meet specific needs or solve particular problems for users. They outline the steps users take to achieve a goal using the product. Well-defined use cases help designers and developers understand user requirements, allowing them to create features and interfaces that align with users' expectations. This leads to a more intuitive and efficient product.

To generate the best use cases for a product, provide ChatGPT with a clear description of the product's purpose, target audience, and any unique features that it may have. Include specific scenarios or problems you want the product to address. For instance, if it's a meal-planning app for busy professionals, specify the key functionalities like recipe suggestions, grocery list creation, and time-saving tips. A good prompt could be: "Generate use cases for a meal planning app catering to busy professionals seeking quick, nutritious recipes and efficient grocery shopping assistance.”

User interviews are a qualitative research method where a researcher talks to users to gather insights about their experiences, preferences, and needs. They are invaluable for improving user experience by providing direct feedback from the target audience. To generate user interview questions tailored to your users, provide specific details such as the type of product or service, the target audience, and the goals of the user interview. For instance, if you're designing a fitness app, you could say, “Write 10 user interview questions that I can ask potential users of a fitness app to understand their problems and needs.”

In turn, ChatGPT will generate questions like:

• What features would make it easier for you to track your workouts?
• How do you prefer to receive notifications about your progress?
• Can you share any frustrations you've encountered with existing fitness apps?

These questions can be used to uncover user preferences and pain points, guiding you toward a more user-centric design.