




User Research in Japan
Get the insights you need to help
your product speak to users in Japan.
Coordinating international user research is hard, and Japan is no exception. With unique consumer preferences and business practices, finding the right people and asking the right questions takes an expert.
AQ has a decade of experience practicing user research and design in Japan. From recruiting through reporting, we help you understand how users in Japan respond to your product.
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Contextual inquiry
We draw insights from the everyday lives of people – how they work, learn, play and socialize. Whether it’s a family at home planning a trip or a busy team in the workplace, we can place you there.
See how we helped Lookout
Usability Testing
We interview users to assess whether your product is understood by real users, and deliver UX issues and recommendations, with the cultural context you need to interpret them.
See how we helped Lumosity
Benchmarking and expert review
We review your existing product or prototype alongside competitors in Japan, and deliver actionable design recommendations, as well as the cultural background to build an understanding of the market.
See how we helped eBay
Everything you thought of,
and the rest.
Before the test
- Prototype localization
- Recruiting & scheduling
- Protocol writing
During the test
- Native Japanese moderation
- Test facilities & logistics
- Simultaneous interpretation
After the test
- Synthesis facilitation
- Reporting in English or Japanese
- Video editing & transcription

Our approach
Our research process is built around three principles.

Respect the individual
Research is an invitation into people’s lives. Our first responsibility is to ensure our team and yours fully respect the privacy and humanity of the people we learn from.
Design for local context
When we join an international research effort, we work with our partners to interpret broad research goals into a protocol that makes sense within the local culture.
Tell stories that travel
Every organization has its own way of telling stories and building shared wisdom, and research reporting should be packaged and channeled accordingly.
Our clients
We've led research projects with a diverse
range of clients in Japan and abroad.
We’ve worked with these companies










