Video-based and survey-based studies

If the unmoderated option has been chosen, then a further decision to make is whether to run it as a video-based or a survey-based study. Video-based studies are especially useful when it is necessary to see what the participants are doing, or when self-reporting their actions might prove cumbersome, such as in studies focused on path analysis. 

If the product under testing involves watching movies (such as a movie streaming service, for example), the UX researcher should inform the stakeholders that due to DRM rights, the recording software will often not show the movie in the video being recorded. We have encountered customers that were not very understanding of this legal requirement, so it is prudent to mention it, and thus ensure that they are aware of it before kicking off the UX study.

Sometimes, a hybrid approach might be the best solution, providing both written and video feedback.

The UX researcher should take the time to walk the stakeholders through the selected study methodology, highlighting its characteristics and explaining why the study best matches the requirements specified by the goal, the product being tested, the available budget, the scope of the study, and the profiles of the participants.