Goal vs Objective in User Research

An explanation between goals and objectives to create a better research plan and why it’s important.

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The first time I created a professional research plan was when I worked as a Product Designer in one of Indonesia's tech-startup. Back then, I had to test my design explorations to better understand which one of those designs have the best usability.

At that time I mixed goals with objectives. I thought it was the same thing because I often found some research plans or UX Research portfolios that mix those things. Later on, I realized that it was different. Moreover, I also realized that it is important to differentiate goals and objectives especially when I was working on a project. By doing this thing, I could set a clearer research plan that also affected the whole research process.

So, what is a goal? and what is an objective?

In a general, a goal is an achievable outcome that is generally broad and long term while an objective is a shorter term and defines measurable actions to achieve an overall goal.

image source: Asana

In a simple word, a goal is a destination, meanwhile an objective is an actionable step to reach that destination.

As in a research process, a research goal is the overall aim or purpose of your research, and what you want to achieve through your research. Plus, it’s more abstract and unmeasurable than a research objective.

A research objective, on the other hand, is actionable steps or milestones that need to be accomplished to meet the research goals. It is specific, measurable, and time-bound targets that help to achieve the goal.

Example

Research goal: To understand the user needs for a new product or feature.

Research objectives:

1. To discover the needs and desires of the target audience related to the product or feature by conducting an in-depth interview.
2. To identify gaps in the market and areas where you can differentiate and improve the new product by running competitive research.
3. To validate the ideas by conducting usability testing on the prototype.

Another example of a specific or one-user research method (ex: usability testing)

Research goal: To validate and get feedback on the proposed design solutions (prototype).

Research objectives:

1. To find any usability issues and opportunities for improvement.
2. To uncover how easy is the proposed design solutions to use by measuring usability metrics, such as success rate, duration rate, & error rate.
3. To understand how users’ perceptions and expectations of the proposed design solutions along with their needs.
4. To compare the design with existing solutions in the market and assess its competitive advantage.
5. To gather feedback from users on the design’s layout, navigation, and visual appeal.

By setting clear and specific objectives that align with the research goal, you can focus on your efforts and resources to collect the right data and insights to inform your recommendations.