Market Research vs Design Research

Market research and design research are both research methods that organisations use to gather information and make informed decisions. However, they differ in their focus and approach.

Market research focuses on understanding the market, consumers, and competitors in order to inform business strategy and marketing efforts. This type of research often involves surveys, focus groups, and data analysis to gather information about customer needs, preferences, and behavior. The goal of market research is to gain insights into the market in order to inform product development, pricing, and marketing efforts.

Design research, on the other hand, focuses on understanding the users and their needs, behaviors, and motivations in order to inform the design of products, services, and experiences. Design research often employs qualitative research methods such as interviews, ethnographic studies, and observation to gather data about users. The goal of design research is to generate insights into user needs and behaviors in order to inform the design process and create more user-centered products and experiences.

In summary, market research focuses on the market and business strategy, while design research focuses on the users and product design.