Top UX Research books recommended by experts

At MentorCruise, we are all about making the most out of the experience of others. As part of that, we've connected and asked dozens of experts and professionals about their favourite UX Research books – and here are the answers.

Table of Contents

Fundamentals of UX Research

Understanding the concepts of UX Research starts with understanding the fundamentals. On your way to mastery, it's crucial for you to understand how certain concepts were derived, and why things work like they do. Starting with these resources is the best way to do so.

The User Experience Team of One

The User Experience Team of One

The User Experience Team of One prescribes a range of approaches that have big impact and take less time and fewer resources than the standard lineup of UX deliverables. Whether you want to cross over into user experience or you're a seasoned practitioner trying to drag your organization forward, this book gives you tools and insight for doing more with less.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Just Enough Research

Just Enough Research

Good research is about asking more and better questions, and thinking critically about the answers. Done well, it will save your team time and money by reducing unknowns and creating a solid foundation to build the right thing, in the most effective way.

Erika Hall distills her experience into a guidebook of trusted research methods you can implement right away, no matter what size team you're on or budget you're working with. Learn how to discover your competitive advantages, spot your own blind spots and biases, understand and harness your findings, and why you should never, ever hold a focus group. You’ll start doing good research faster than you can plan your next pitch.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

User Research: Improve Product and Service Design

User Research: Improve Product and Service Design

User experience research, also known as UX research, focuses on understanding user behaviours, needs and motivations through a range of observational techniques, task analysis and other methodologies. User Research is a practical guide that shows readers how to use the vast array of user research methods available. Written by one of the UK's leading UX research professionals, readers can benefit from in-depth knowledge that explores the fundamentals of user research.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

UX Research: Practical Techniques for Designing Better Products

UX Research: Practical Techniques for Designing Better Products

One key responsibility of product designers and UX practitioners is to conduct formal and informal research to clarify design decisions and business needs. But there’s often mystery around product research, with the feeling that you need to be a research Zen master to gather anything useful. Fact is, anyone can conduct product research. With this quick reference guide, you’ll learn a common language and set of tools to help you carry out research in an informed and productive manner.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Think Like a UX Researcher

Think Like a UX Researcher

Think Like a UX Researcher will challenge your preconceptions about user experience (UX) research and encourage you to think beyond the obvious. You’ll discover how to plan and conduct UX research, analyze data, persuade teams to take action on the results and build a career in UX. The book will help you take a more strategic view of product design so you can focus on optimizing the user’s experience. UX Researchers, Designers, Project Managers, Scrum Masters, Business Analysts and Marketing Managers will find tools, inspiration and ideas to rejuvenate their thinking, inspire their team and improve their craft.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Specializations and Deeper UX Research Knowledge

You've got your basics in order – time to move on to some advanced and specialized concepts. UX Research is evolving every day, these books can help you master it.

Building User Research Teams ( Advanced )

Building User Research Teams ( Advanced )

Starting or growing a research team? Upgrade your UX Research and make successful products. Successful products require good decisions. Good decisions need good information. User researchers run robust and repeatable studies to find that information, but they need some tools and support to get started.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Research Practice: Perspectives from UX researchers in a changing field ( Advanced )

Research Practice: Perspectives from UX researchers in a changing field ( Advanced )

While other research books offer standard operating procedures, this book provides something more durable in the real world. It’s a practical field guide that will give you the encouragement to get started, no matter what your background. Research Practice captures the day-to-day of the practice of user research—what it looks like to work with peers and stakeholders, to raise awareness of research, to make tradeoffs, and to build a larger team. This book takes you inside the field of applied user research through the stories and experiences of the people doing the work. Each chapter explores a specific theme:

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

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