My Workspace Research Process
How the same UX research methodology that ships great products evaluates great workspace gear
The Challenge
Most workspace gear reviews are written by tech journalists who evaluate products as gadgets. Designers and engineers have different needs — colour accuracy, ergonomics for 10-hour sessions, cable management for clean setups. The challenge was creating a review methodology that serves my specific audience.
The Process
Mapped the user journey of a designer selecting workspace gear: awareness → research → comparison → purchase → long-term use — and identified where existing reviews failed
Created a 9-point evaluation framework: ergonomics, colour accuracy, build quality, noise level (for focus work), cable management, desk space efficiency, price/durability ratio, integration with other tools, long-term comfort
Applied contextual inquiry — observing my own work sessions — to understand which workspace problems actually affect output quality
Tested chairs: measured back pain occurrence over 3-month periods using a daily discomfort log
Tested monitors: used DisplayCAL to measure colour accuracy profiles before and after calibration, documented for designers specifically
Tested keyboards: tracked typing speed and error rate change over 30-day adaptation periods for mechanical keyboard switches
The Outcome
This research process forms the backbone of my workspace review site, positioned specifically for designers and engineers. Reviews consistently rank in Google for 'best monitor for designers' and 'ergonomic keyboard for programmers' terms.
12+ years building digital products at the intersection of code and design. Senior Design Engineer at Insphere AI, UX Delivery Lead at ReloadUX, and Lead Designer at Tkxel. Based in Lahore, Pakistan.