Design without research isn’t design: it’s guessing.
E-mail/Online Surveys

Surveys are great a way to gain quantitative and/or qualitative data on attitudes, beliefs, opinions, preferences, motivations, and self-reported behavior. During the Analysis Phase web surveys can be used to measure user requirements, preferences, features or segment customers. Also during the Design Phase surveys can be used for quantitative feedback on UI prototypes in the form of an alpha site features survey. Lastly, once a system is deployed surveys can be used after the Deployment Phase to assess user reaction, adoption of system in production.