Active Research tools support structured studies that involve real users—such as usability testing, interviews, focus groups, and specialized research methods like biometrics or diary studies. These tools help researchers gather detailed, task-based feedback and behavioral insights to answer a specific research question or enable a particular business decision.
34 Automated Moderation | The Sea Wolf
Tools that use AI to conduct interviews, surveys, or feedback sessions in place of a human moderator, enabling scalable research.
Common features: AI-driven interviews, conversational surveys, transcription, meeting summaries, AI analysis, tagging
35 Accessibility | The Lighthouse of AXandria
Tools for testing products to ensure compliance with accessibility standards and usability for users with disabilities. (Subcategory of Usability Testing)
Common features: Accessibility audits, screen reader simulation, usability feedback
36 Artificial User Research | The Great Mirage
Tools using AI to simulate user behavior and predict product performance based on automated models, without real user interactions.
Common features: AI user simulations, behavior modeling, performance predictions
38 Beta Testing | Beylik’s Bay
Platforms for managing beta testing programs, including participant recruitment, feedback collection, and bug tracking during late-stage development. (Subcategory of Usability Testing)
Common features: Bug reporting, feedback collection, performance analytics
39 Biometrics | Nazar Tower
Tools that measure signals such as eye movement, facial expressions, or voice patterns to analyze subconscious responses to design or stimuli. (Subcategory of Specialized Studies)
Common features: Eye tracking, emotion analysis, voice analysis, biometric data
40 Diary Studies & Mobile Ethnography | The Travelers
Platforms to collect longitudinal data from participants, capturing their daily experiences through multimedia, text, and surveys over time. (Subcategory of Specialized Studies)
Common features: Multimedia entry (video, audio, text), daily prompts, longitudinal data collection
42 Usability Testing | The Blue Steppes
Platforms for remote or in-person testing of user interfaces, focusing on observation, recording, and feedback collection.
Common features: Screen sharing, task-based testing, video/audio recording
44 Specialized Studies | The City
Tools designed to conduct specific types of research such as card sorting, 5-second tests, or diary studies, often tailored to specific methodologies.
Common features: Customizable study templates, method-specific tools, analysis
45 Playtesting & Games Research | Falconer Ridge
Tools for testing video games with real users, focusing on gameplay feedback, bug tracking, and overall player experience. (Subcategory of Specialized Studies)
Common features: Gameplay recordings, bug reporting, player feedback surveys
46 Interviews & Focus Groups | The Meeting Place
Software for conducting one-on-one or group interviews, allowing for live conversation, video, and text-based communication.
Common features: Video/audio recording, live chat, focus group moderation, transcriptions
49 Insight Communities | The Bazaar
Platforms for creating and engaging communities of users or customers to facilitate discussions, enable co-creation, and gather feedback over time.
Common features: Discussions boards, idea generation, survey features, user diaries
51 Video Surveys | The Watchtower
Tools designed to capture participant feedback via video responses, allowing researchers to collect qualitative data through recorded visual and verbal communication.
Common features: Video recording, question prompts, automated transcription, sentiment analysis
53 Surveys | Surveylands
Platforms for creating, distributing, and analyzing DIY surveys to gather both qualitative and quantitative feedback from participants.
Common features: Survey templates, branching logic, analytics, question types
Map Location
Bottom and center left
Vibes
Red rock valleys, sandy deserts, spice markets, blue-skied steppes, the grunts and tinkling bells of camels
Examples
accessiBe, Alida, Attention Insight, Ballpark, Discuss, Dscout, Echovane, Fable, Go Testify, HEARD, Listen Labs, Lookback, Maze, Neurons, Optimal Workshop, Outset.ai, PlaybookUX, PlaytestCloud, QualSights, Qualtrics, Recollective, SurveyMonkey, Tobii, Userbrain, Userlytics, UserTesting/UserZoom, Voiceform, WAVE, Zoom