UX research tools on a budget. A comprehensive list.
While we have a lot of SaaS tools like UsabilityHub and Userzoom, they cost a lot of money. Introducing new subscription-based software inside a large enterprise organization is a difficult task.
Here are some tools (free and a bit more expensive) to do UX research. If you have any tips for some other cool stuff, let me know!
If you have the option to get a budget inside your organization, aim for € 2000,-. This budget gives you great options for a good headset, mic, phone, and any software you want to buy.
Recording / Streaming
OBS
If you need recording software, OBS is king. You can record audio, video and you have plenty of settings to tinker with. It’s worth your time to look up some tutorials on how to use OBS.
An alternative is Streamlabs. I do not use streaming labs. However, some websites are saying there are benefits.
Streaming phone screens
I’m using Apowermirror. The website looks dodgy, but the software works pretty well. An alternative is Reflector 4.With Reflector 4 you can stream-mirror; however, this can be blocked by companies. Apowermirror allows me to plug in a phone and stream this with OBS.
Streaming platform
I prefer youtube live. I create an unlisted stream and give it to stakeholders to view the session. Afterward, I can download the stream and edit the video. An alternative is Vimeo live. However, this has a subscription fee.
Microsoft teams
For remote research, I use Microsoft Teams. I will make a virtual room in my agenda and e-mail that link to participants. Nobody from the company joins the meeting; they all watch a livestream.
In the past, I had two rooms, so participants could not interrupt my sessions. This caused some headaches by sending people the wrong link and being confused about what link participants would use. My biggest tip is to schedule a fifteen-minute break after each session, so you have plenty of time to wrap up a session. For example, I will plan participant one from 13:00 to 14:00, and the second participant will be planned for 14:15 to 15:15.
Hardware
This shopping list is excellent, but I made some modifications to make it even more flexible.
Headphones / Mics
Buy wired headphones. Bluetooth headsets gave me problems with shutting down and people not hearing me. Avoid this hassle and buy wired gear.
1 ) A over ear lightweight headset. I use the Audio Technica ATH-m50x. A comfy over-ear headset for long sessions.
2) A good microphone. I use the HyperX quadcast because I can change it to stereo, omni- and bidirectional recording, as well as cardioid recording.
Phone
I’m using a Samsung a33 mobile phone for testing. This is because I can make touch events visible, something that’s not possible on an iPhone. On Android , go to settings, developer options, under input you can find “show touches”.
Laptop
For a laptop, use a Windows laptop. It’s way easier to configure Windows for UX research. When using OBS on a MacBook, you have to use stuff like Blackhole to enable recording desktop audio.
Eye-tracking
For eye-tracking, I’m using a tobii-eye tracker 5. However, it’s not really eye-tracking because the tobii-eye tracker 5 is very limited. With OBS you can set up an overlay so that during a livestream, people can see what the participant is looking at.
While useful, you cannot generate heatmaps or other cool stuff. When you download the Tobii research software, you will see that the Tobii 5 eye tracker is blocked. Tobii actually wants you to buy the more expensive Eye tracker 5l or Pro Nano
Webcam
The logitech C920 HD Pro remains a great webcam. Buy and use that one. I tried using the Razer Kiyo, but it’s a horrible webcam because of software issues.
I can also vouch for the iPevo VZ-R. One big advantage is that it has a better camera and is excellent for mobile testing. I also use the wider lens to see more of the participant. It is easier to see hand movements and body language.
Power strip
I learned this the hard way: A power bank is not enough. Once, I had to do an interview in a room with only one outlet. This made things complicated and difficult. Buy a power strip so you can sit where you want without stress.
Frequent issues
Multiple webcams on one computer can cause issues.
One of the issues you can run into is that you cannot connect multiple cameras to your computer. This is because of the limitations of bandwidth. Do not add multiple cameras to the same USB port; simply put one camera on the left USB port and the other on the right.
Avoid awkwardness by connecting two mice.
Sometimes during the session, I have to interrupt the participant. I noticed it’s kind of awkward to grab the participant’s mouse. I bought an extra Bluetooth mouse, so I can use my mouse if I have to switch prototypes or click somewhere in the prototype.
