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Synthesis is the process of bringing together research data, user insights, and observations to identify patterns, define problems, and generate actionable ideas during app development.
Why It Matters
- Helps you turn scattered research into clear design goals
- Builds consensus across teams by aligning insights
- Prevents misinterpretation of user data or research findings
- Reveals opportunities for innovation or unmet user needs
- Supports strategic decisions based on facts, not guesses
Use This Term When...
- Wrapping up user interviews or survey analysis
- Defining user personas or journey maps
- Clarifying app goals after stakeholder input
- Prioritising features based on real user problems
- Identifying core issues during UX audits
Real-World Example
In one of our projects, we conducted synthesis sessions after user interviews to identify patterns, pain points, and opportunities. This process turned raw data into actionable insights that directly informed design and feature decisions.
Founder Insight
Many teams collect research but don’t make time for synthesis — which means they miss the point. Take a pause to connect the dots before jumping into solutions.
Key Metrics / Concepts
- Affinity Mapping – Clustering data to find recurring themes
- Problem Statements – Clear articulation of user pain points
- Insight Cards – Snippets of evidence-based observations
- Persona Frameworks – Created using synthesised data
- Journey Mapping – Visual summary of user experience insights
Tools & Technologies
- Miro – Great for remote affinity mapping and visual clustering
- Notion – Used to tag, organise, and summarise research insights
- Airtable – Helps manage qualitative data in structured formats
- Dovetail – Centralises user research and synthesis processes
What’s Next / Future Trends
Synthesis is becoming faster and more intelligent with AI-assisted tools that analyse qualitative feedback, tag patterns, and even suggest user personas. As research automation grows, human judgement in synthesis will become even more valuable.
Related Terms
User Interviews – Provide the data synthesis relies on
Affinity Mapping – A key method in synthesis
Personas – Often the output of a synthesis process
UX Design – Guided by insights gathered through synthesis
Design Sprints – Include synthesis in early research stages
Helpful Videos / Articles / Pages
Blog: The Definitive Guide to Mobile User Experience
Blog: The Ultimate Guide to Mobile App Development in Australia
Call to Action
Need help turning research into a real plan? Let’s work together to distill your user insights into a clear app strategy.