Attitudinal Analytics in UX Research: Measuring What Users Think and Feel

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader

UX research is not only about what users do but also about what they believe, prefer, and expect. While behavioral analytics reveals the actions people take, attitudinal analytics uncovers the perceptions that drive those actions. Together, they give researchers the full picture: behavior explains the what, and attitudes explain the why.

What Is Attitudinal Analytics?

Attitudinal analytics is the structured measurement of user beliefs, opinions, motivations, and satisfaction. Instead of tracking clicks or funnels, it focuses on gathering and analyzing perceptions at scale.

These insights answer questions like:

• How do users feel about the product experience?

• Do they trust the brand?

• What values or frustrations influence their choices?

• How likely are they to return or recommend?

Why Attitudinal Analytics Matters

1. Captures user sentiment at scale → reveals patterns in satisfaction, trust, or effort.

2. Explains behaviors → why users adopt or abandon features.

3. Predicts loyalty and churn → attitudinal metrics like NPS often correlate with retention.

4. Builds empathy → helps teams see the human story behind the numbers.

5. Drives ROI storytelling → shows how perception shifts lead to business outcomes (e.g., “+10% trust = +8% repeat purchase”).

Core Attitudinal Metrics

1. NPS (Net Promoter Score)

• Question: “How likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?”

• Measures overall loyalty and advocacy.

2. CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score)

• Question: “How satisfied are you with your experience today?”

• Snapshot of immediate satisfaction.

3. CES (Customer Effort Score)

• Question: “How easy was it to complete your task?”

• Measures ease of use, often linked to adoption and retention.

4. Brand Perception & Trust

• Questions around trustworthiness, professionalism, or alignment with user values.

• Important for industries like healthcare, finance, or government.

5. Feature-Specific Attitudinal Surveys

• Example: “This new dashboard makes my workflow easier” (Strongly Disagree → Strongly Agree).

• Granular feedback tied to specific experiences.

Tools for Attitudinal Analytics

• Qualtrics: Enterprise survey platform with advanced analytics.

• SurveyMonkey / Typeform: Quick surveys, easy deployment.

• UserZoom / UserTesting: In-study attitudinal questions + qualitative.

• Medallia: Customer experience feedback management at scale.

• In-app survey tools (Hotjar, Pendo, Sprig): Collect real-time user sentiment.

Best Practices for Attitudinal Analytics

1. Keep it short and targeted: Fewer questions = higher response rates.

2. Ask neutral questions: Avoid bias (“How amazing was your experience?”).

3. Use consistent scales: Stick to 5– or 7–point Likert scales for comparability.

4. Combine open and closed questions: Numbers + context = actionable insight.

5. Correlate with behavior: Pair attitudinal scores with behavioral analytics for stronger findings.

6. Report outcomes, not just scores: Instead of saying “NPS = 42,” frame it as “Promoters drive 2.5x higher revenue per customer.”

Bringing It Together

The future of UX research lies in integrating attitudinal and behavioral analytics. Behavior shows us what users are doing. Attitudes reveal how they feel while doing it — and whether they’ll come back.

When researchers combine the two, they can tell a complete story:

• Users are dropping off at checkout (behavioral).

• They say the process feels confusing and untrustworthy (attitudinal).

• Fixing it not only increases conversion but boosts brand trust (ROI).

Final Thought

Attitudinal analytics isn’t just about asking users how they feel — it’s about turning those perceptions into strategic data. When analyzed properly, attitudinal metrics help UX leaders build empathy, prioritize improvements, and prove the business value of design.

By pairing them with behavioral data, we move from surface-level opinions to deep, actionable insights that shape better products and stronger businesses.

Philip Burgess | philipburgess.net | phil@philipburgess.net