Framework · Measurement · Hooked
Qualitative methods behind the numbers
Numbers say what; qualitative research says why. Weekly story-based customer interviews, switch interviews, 5-user usability rounds, experience sampling and power-user interviews on the flat part of the curve each answer a different question. They also form the qualitative readout of the low-traffic loop.
Plain label: interviews, usability tests and diariesAlso known as: continuous discovery, usability testing, diary study, power-user interviews, cancel interviews
| Method | Use it for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Continuous discovery interviews | Always, weekly | Story-based: "tell me about the last time…" |
| Switch interviews | Positioning, activation, churn | F07 |
| Usability tests | Onboarding, task success | About 5 users per round find most problems when each user hits about a third of them Evidence grade B. Moderate evidence: solid studies with some limits. |
| Experience sampling and diaries | Habit, context of use, time well spent | Short prompts for 1-2 weeks, plus logs |
| Power-user interviews | Habit Path (Codify) | Users on the flat part of the curve and the right side of L28 HK-MEA04 (Hooked Ch.8) |
| Cancel interviews | Retention | Ask in the flow, then interview a sample within days |
| Session replay at the biggest drop | Activation, checkout | Pair with error signals |
Limits
What we don’t claim
- The Hook Model is a practical design tool, not a validated or complete theory of behavior.Hooked, Introduction
Sources
Hooked · Nir Eyal
Ch.8
Why you only need to test with 5 users · Nielsen Norman Group (Jakob Nielsen), 2000
Evidence grade B. Moderate evidence: solid studies with some limits.
Book content is paraphrased, never quoted at length. Last verified October 24, 2026.
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