Design

Minimum Viable Research, how to conduct user research without the frustration

Paula Fregenal
Designer
March 5, 2025
10 min read
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Do you have clarity on how users perceive your product? As designers or developers, we face this question at some point, whether implementing new functionality or iterating on an existing product. However, we know that tight deadlines and limited resources can make user research seem like a difficult challenge to tackle because of the time and investment involved.

To answer this question, at Nareia we have designed an agile approach we call Minimum Viable Research (MVR). This method allows us to obtain valuable insights, validate the product quickly and efficiently, without compromising deadlines or inflating costs.

In this article we share with you what MVR consists of and how we carry it out in our client projects.

What does an MVR involve?

This is a small research stage with users that does not compromise the roadmap or the resources available for the project, but it does serve to validate hypotheses and make new discoveries.

The research phase gives design projects exceptional value. It is a research tool where the true potential of the product is discovered, the impact it will have on users, the market opportunities that exist and mitigates the risk of building something that users do not want to use, in short, it is a key piece to make the right decisions and innovate.

We know that this phase of research is often perceived as costly and that many times it is not clear what to do with the results obtained. At Nareia our intention is to try to change that perception by carrying out a minimum viable research that focuses on obtaining the most relevant insights quickly and efficiently, ensuring that design and development decisions are based on the real needs and expectations of users.

MVR requires design time spent on research, allowing us to optimize when making design decisions. Instead of working on assumptions that could lead us to explore multiple options that are irrelevant to the user and cause us to develop a product that needs to be corrected once it is on the market, we design and develop based on research findings, ensuring that our work is more efficient and focused on what really matters.

How do we do it?

Our Minimum Viable Research (MVR) approach combines agility, creativity and experience to obtain actionable insights without compromising timelines or budget.

1. Agile planning

Before we started, we sat down to define a simple and straightforward plan. We identified:

  • The main objectives of the project.
  • The key questions we want to answer.
  • The tools or methods we’ll use to gather quick insights.

This step ensures that every minute spent is aligned with business priorities.

2. Defining the problem

Rather than jumping straight to solutions, we focus on understanding the “why” behind each challenge. We validate our hypotheses with the business to ensure we investigate what really matters.

3. Identifying the target audience

We make sure we know the users who represent the market and we make sure we are spending time studying this audience and not wasting time gathering information on profiles of people who are not relevant to the product.

4. Fast and effective methods

Depending on the needs of the business, we apply specific tactics that require little time and resources:

  • Social media and online reviews: We explore what the users (and your competitors’ users) are saying about the product.
  • Metrics and prior studies: If the product already has metrics or previous studies, we incorporate them into the research to avoid starting from scratch.
  • Guerrilla research: We engage with the users in their usual environments to observe and ask questions.
  • Customer support insights: We analyze frequent inquiries and complaints to identify key areas for improvement.
  • Recruitment allies: We collaborate with the client’s team members who interact with customers to facilitate user interviews.

5. Continuous feedback and iteration

We integrate strategic points in the design where users can give us feedback, either through forms or in-app feedback.

This continuous cycle ensures that design evolves based on real data.

6. Developing metrics

To understand how users interact with the final product,  we can establish measurement points within the experience to evaluate the different paths users take within the experience. These points are selected based on their relevance to the business and the hypotheses defined during the research.

In this way, we can identify which aspects are working correctly and which ones need improvement, allowing us to iterate and adjust the design according to the results obtained.

7. Unlimited adaptability

We know that not everything always goes as planned, so we are flexible. If a method is not viable, we find creative alternatives to continue obtaining relevant insights.

Additionally, not all steps are necessary for every process, some can be swapped or replaced depending on your needs, budget, and objectives.

What results will you get from driving an MVR?

Minimum Viable Research is not only about fast research, but also about obtaining practical and above all actionable information that drives product success. Through this approach we help the business to achieve concrete results such as:

  1. Identification of key needs and problems users face with the product.
  2. Early validation of hypotheses. It allows us to know if the users understand and value the product proposal.
  3. Concrete design recommendations. The data collected is transformed into clear and practical suggestions for both the UX/UI and development teams.
  4. Prioritization of improvements with impact. This ensures that resources are optimized by focusing on what really matters.
  5. Risk reduction before launch. Avoid Costs associated with redesigns or corrections after release to production and reduce negative reviews.
  6. Insights for future decisions. Research generates lasting learnings about users and their behaviors that can be applied in future iterations of the product.

Time and resources

While every project is unique, our experience has shown that we can achieve reliable results and actionable outcomes with the following investment:

  • Two designers
  • 20 hours per designer
  • 5 to 6 user interviews

This means that within a one-week period, it’s possible to conduct research that doesn’t compromise the roadmap while ensuring efforts and resources are focused on adding value to the product.

Here is a use case

With one of the clients with whom we performed a MVR, we executed a usability test for a week in order to change the design of the main screen of the application, the home screen.

This redesign involved a big risk because we went from a very simple home screen with only one information, to a more complex home screen where we included access to different services of the product and a big change in the navigation to access the information.

The effort made was of: 

  • 1 designer 
  • 19 hours
  • 6 usability tests with users

During this MVR we were able to prove that most of the changes had been positive but we needed to adjust some affordances, such as horizontal navigation for users to discover some of the content that had been hidden. We also discovered other deeper problems that affected the brand identity of the product.

In a nutshell

MVR aims to conduct fast and effective research, using only the necessary resources to avoid affecting project timelines while adding value to the final product.

Its main strength lies in its flexibility, as it can be applied during discovery phases to identify user problems and needs, or in validation stages before development to confirm whether a proposed solution meets user expectations.

By prioritizing key hypotheses, simplifying processes, and fostering feedback cycles, MVR enables informed decision-making, ensuring that the design aligns with users’ real needs without compromising project timelines.

At Nareia we find it important to include research stages even in projects with a tight budget. Thanks to the insights we discover during the research we help us to streamline the design and development process focusing on investing in what the user really needs and gives greater value to the business.

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