Why Better Questions Lead to Better Products
In this summer throwback episode, UX researcher Amy Chess (Amazon) unpacks what makes a great research question—and why it’s not about asking users what they want. From aligning on definitions to uncovering hidden risks, she shares practical ways to shape questions that drive real insight.
🎧 Listen in to learn why your next best answer starts with the right question.
🎙️ Key Takeaways: Amy Chess on Asking Better Research Questions
Good research reveals the unknown — it should leave you with better, more impactful questions than you started with.
Research questions ≠ interview questions:
The questions that a stakeholder may ask do not always relate to the aspects that would be the most impactful to learn from your users.
Start with the question, not the method — method comes after.
Co-create questions by asking:
“What decision are you stuck on?”
“What are you worried about getting wrong?”
Avoid bad questions:
Tied to features or preferences
Not linked to a real decision
Good questions focus on:
How users define key concepts
What they’re trying to achieve
What their process looks like today both with the tool(s) and manually
What breaks down when tools don’t work
