The study methodology
It is important to understand whether the stakeholders have any expectations regarding the methodology, especially if their preferred method or their comfort zone is in-person usability testing. The UX researcher should take the time to explain the merits of the remote methodologies and why they have been chosen for this specific study. The goals, as well as the available budget, will drive the methodology.
Moderated or unmoderated study
When the goals are vague or it is not possible to pinpoint exactly where to focus the study, a moderated study might be preferable. A moderated study is less rigid than an unmoderated one, because the moderator can react to the individual participants and ask tailored questions, in order to follow up on a particular situation; however, it requires a larger allocation of effort and money.
Video-based and survey-based studies
If the unmoderated option has been chosen, then a further decision to make is whether to run it as a video-based or...
