Customer research
Customer research explores how people interact with products, services, and experiences. We use depth interviews, contextual inquiry, surveys, and journey mapping to understand what customers need, where they struggle, and what drives their decisions — turning what we learn into actionable evidence that shapes better products and services.
What customer research is and why it matters
Customer research is how you learn what the people using your products and services actually need — and where their experience falls short. It goes beyond satisfaction scores to reveal the behaviours, motivations, and pain points that shape how people engage with what you offer.
We combine qualitative depth with quantitative breadth to build that understanding:
- In-depth interviews and contextual inquiry in real-world settings
- Behavioural observation and journey mapping across touchpoints
- Surveys and analytics that quantify patterns at scale
- Usability testing that shows where experiences break down
The result is evidence that grounds product, service, and strategy decisions in what customers actually do — not what you assume they do.
How we approach customer research
We design research programs that get close to real customer behaviour — not just reported preferences. Our approach combines ethnographic depth with structured methods, so you understand both the "what" and the "why" behind how people use your products and services.
What makes our work distinctive is how we translate findings into action. We don't hand over transcripts. We produce:
- Journey maps that pinpoint friction, drop-off, and moments of delight
- Needs frameworks that prioritise what matters most to your customers
- Personas grounded in observed behaviour, not demographic stereotypes
- Strategic recommendations tied to specific product and service decisions
Every output is designed to move teams from assumption to evidence.
From global platforms to local services
We work across the full range of customer research — from startup products finding their first users to enterprise platforms serving millions. Whether it's a bank rethinking its small business experience, a SaaS company shaping a three-year roadmap, or a council redesigning how residents access services, we adapt our methods to match the complexity and scale of the question.
This range matters because customer contexts vary enormously. A contextual inquiry that works in a corporate office won't work in someone's home. A survey that reaches thousands can't replace watching someone struggle through a checkout flow. We choose and combine methods to match the context — and the stakes.
When Contentful needed to understand the largely uncharted world of content specialists, we designed a global research program across four countries — turning 900 voices into a product strategy that shaped their roadmap for the next three years.
Turning research into better experiences
Customer research is most powerful when it doesn't just identify problems — it reshapes how organisations respond to them. The insights we gather become the foundation for redesigned products, improved services, and experiences that genuinely work for the people using them.
This is especially true when you're serving customers with diverse needs and contexts. Research with people navigating complex products, accessibility barriers, or unfamiliar systems requires more than good questions. It requires methods built on empathy, careful recruitment, and a commitment to representing the full range of your customer base.
The City of Casey needed to know whether their new concierge service was improving customer experience. We designed the evaluation framework and measurement approach to answer that question with evidence, not assumptions.
Evidence that earns trust across the organisation
Our customer research has shaped multi-year product strategies, informed service redesigns, and given leadership teams the confidence to make bold investment decisions. The work produces evidence that product, design, and strategy teams can act on immediately — and reference points they return to as markets shift.
When research is done well, it doesn't sit in a slide deck. It becomes the shared understanding that aligns teams around what customers actually need. That's what we aim for: research that reveals what matters, builds organisational conviction, and creates a foundation for decisions that last.
ANZ wanted to understand their small business customers while simultaneously building internal design capability. We embedded alongside two new teams, delivering insights and teaching research skills through applied project work.
Research that moves the business forward
Customer research earns its place when it changes how organisations make decisions. The studies we run have shaped multi-year product roadmaps, redesigned government services, and given leadership teams the confidence to invest in what matters most.
Our clients come back to us because our research delivers:
- Strategic clarity — knowing where to focus and what to deprioritise
- Shared understanding — giving cross-functional teams a common evidence base
- Measurable impact — frameworks that track outcomes, not just outputs
When you understand your customers deeply, every decision gets easier.
Get in touch to discuss how customer research can inform your next strategic decision.
