People are complex. That makes User Experience (UX) design complex and challenging. In recent years designers are recognizing that they can get a fuller picture and a much more robust understanding of what motivates and moves people by blending research methods. User Experience Design Principal Matthew Weprin (@mweprin) describes how Qualitative and Quantitative research is being mashed up for better resolution, insight and understanding.

“QUALITATIVE RESEARCH:
Working with unfamiliar subjects
When data is complex ambiguous or unclear
When you wish to understand meaning
When you require flexibility
For studying issues in detail”

“QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS
Text/Image data
Coding
Themes
Description
Interrelated themes”

“QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
When the data is clearly de?ned
When metrics are known When detailed numerical data is required
When repeatability is important
When generalizable across populations is needed”

“QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
Numeric data
Descriptive trend analysis
Hypothesis testing, effect size”

“…Collins, Onwuegbuzie, and Sutton (2006) identified four reasons for conducting mixed research:
1. Participant enrichment (e.g., mixing quantitative and qualitative research to optimize the sample using techniques that include recruiting participants)
2. Instrument Fidelity (e.g., assessing the appropriateness and/ or utility of existing instruments, creating new instruments, monitoring performance of human instruments)
3. Treatment integrity (e.g., assessing fidelity of intervention)
4. Significance enhancement (e.g., facilitating thickness and richness of data)”

Read the whole article here: Design Thinking: Mixed Method Research