Demonstrating the value of user research in pharma and healthcare

Many digital teams in pharma and healthcare recognise the importance of user research. Yet securing approval and budget for research activities can still be difficult.

Stakeholders may question whether research is necessary when internal teams already have experience in the therapy area. Others may be concerned about cost, timelines or compliance. In some cases, the value of research simply feels difficult to quantify.

Unlike sectors such as e-commerce, where improvements in user experience can be directly linked to increased sales or conversions, the outcomes of digital healthcare tools are often less visible. A platform that helps clinicians access information more efficiently may ultimately improve patient care, but the commercial impact of that improvement can be difficult to measure directly.

For teams beginning to build the case for research, it can be helpful to first understand the role user research plays across digital product development.

User research allows organisations to see their digital products through the eyes of the people who use them.

By speaking directly with healthcare professionals, patients or other stakeholders, teams gain insight into how users behave, what challenges they face and how digital tools fit into their daily routines. This insight helps product teams design experiences that are easier to use and more relevant to their audience.

For example, research with clinicians often reveals workflow constraints that are not immediately visible to product teams. Understanding how healthcare professionals interact with digital systems can significantly improve adoption and usability, as explored in our guide to conducting effective user research with healthcare professionals.

Research findings also help teams prioritise their efforts. Rather than debating assumptions internally, product teams can focus development resources on solving the problems that matter most to users.

In many industries, improvements in digital experience can be measured through clear commercial metrics. Online retailers can track how changes to a website increase sales or reduce cart abandonment. Digital healthcare tools operate in a different environment.

Many benefits occur outside the digital product itself. A platform that allows clinicians to access information more quickly may save time during consultations, but that time saving may translate into better patient interactions rather than a measurable revenue increase.

Similarly, a patient support tool may improve adherence to treatment or help patients manage symptoms more effectively. These outcomes create significant value, but they are not always reflected in traditional digital performance metrics.

Because of this, organisations often need to broaden the way they think about value when evaluating research. 

When demonstrating the value of research, it is helpful to identify the metrics that matter most to stakeholders.

For digital healthcare products, these metrics may include measures related to:

• adoption and engagement
• task completion or efficiency
• user satisfaction and trust
• retention and repeat usage

In some cases, research may also support wider organisational goals such as reducing support queries, improving educational materials or strengthening relationships with healthcare professionals.

The key is linking research insights to outcomes that stakeholders already care about.

One of the most significant benefits of user research is risk reduction. Developing digital healthcare tools often requires substantial investment in design, development and regulatory review. Launching a product that fails to meet user needs can result in wasted time, budget and organisational effort.

Research helps organisations identify potential problems early in the design process. Interviews, usability testing and other research methods allow teams to validate ideas before major development work begins. Correcting usability issues during early design stages is typically far less expensive than redesigning a fully developed product.

Research can also accelerate product development. When teams have direct insight into user needs and behaviours, they are able to make more confident decisions about which features to prioritise and which ideas should be reconsidered. Rather than debating assumptions internally, teams can refer to evidence gathered from real users. This clarity often reduces lengthy internal discussions and helps product teams move forward with greater confidence.

One effective way to demonstrate the value of research is to involve stakeholders directly in the process.

Inviting product managers, marketers or clinical teams to observe research sessions allows them to hear user feedback first-hand. These experiences often have a stronger impact than written reports alone.

Listening to healthcare professionals describe workflow challenges or observing patients struggle with a digital interface can quickly highlight the importance of user-centred design.

When stakeholders experience these insights themselves, it becomes much easier to build support for future research.

Capturing the outcomes of research is essential when demonstrating its value over time. Research reports should clearly document the questions that were explored, the methods used and the insights that emerged. Most importantly, they should also describe how those insights influenced product decisions.

For example, documentation may show how research led to:

• improvements in navigation or content structure
• simplified onboarding processes
• removal of unnecessary functionality
• prioritisation of more valuable features

When organisations build a record of these outcomes, it becomes easier to demonstrate how research contributes to better product decisions.

For organisations new to user research, beginning with a small study can be an effective way to demonstrate its value.

A short round of interviews with healthcare professionals or a small usability study can often reveal important insights within a short timeframe. These early successes help build confidence in research and encourage teams to incorporate it more regularly into digital projects.

Over time, small research efforts can evolve into a more structured approach to understanding users.