Human Insight Lab

Welcome to the Human Insight Lab

At the Human Insight Lab, also known as HI-Lab, we uncover and apply insights from human behaviour to optimise business performance. Whether we’re studying how consumers engage with an app or website, understanding their emotional responses to complex decisions, or co-developing a digital product, our aim is to identify what works – and why

The Human Insight Lab applications

  • User experience (UX) testing
  • Interaction design (IxD)
  • Marketing and communication strategies
  • Product design
  • Experience design
  • Consumer engagement and motivation
  • Player experience in games

We achieve this by leveraging our expertise in human psychology, behaviour, and design research.  Our multidisciplinary team of academics brings a wealth of experience in designing and conducting psychometric experiments, drawing from fields like organisational psychology, marketing, business analytics, economics and more.

State-of-the-art technology

The Human Insight Lab is equipped with a world-class biometric research facility, ideal for conducting consumer behaviour studies using psychophysiological measurements. Our cutting-edge tools includes mobile, screen-based, and VR eye-trackers, alongside biosensors that measure facial expression analysis, electrodermal activity, optical heart rate, and electroencephalogram. 

With these technologies, we can capture:

  • Attention: Understanding where and how consumers focus on visual stimuli, offering insights into their cognitive processes and behavioural intentions.
  • Emotional reaction: Identification of seven core emotions -joy, anger, fear, surprise, sadness, contempt, and disgust- in real time.
  • Emotional intensity: Providing deeper insights into the emotional impact of stimuli by measuring physiological and psychological responses.
  • Motivation: Exploring the cognitive processes behind consumer behaviour, including levels of alertness, motivation, and engagement.

By combining these technologies with methodologies like interviews, focus groups, and surveys, we deliver comprehensive insights into consumer decision-making, offering solid, data-driven recommendations to your needs.

Collaborate with us

The Human Insight Lab operates from two convenient locations on the University of Surrey’s Stag Hill campus. We also offer flexible research options, including field studies and on-site business collaborations.

We welcome partnerships with both academic and commercial entities. If you think we can support your research or help design and run experiments, get in touch with Andy or Pablo!

Get in touch with our researchers

Nicole Cocolas profile image

Nicole Cocolas

Lecturer in Transport Management

Irina Cojuharenco profile image

Dr Irina Cojuharenco

Reader, Founding Director of the University of Surrey Business and Economic Experiments (USBEE) Laboratory

Xavier Font profile image

Professor Xavier Font

Professor of Sustainability Marketing

Marion Karl profile image

Dr Marion Karl

Senior Lecturer in Tourism Marketing and Management

Erin Chao Ling profile image

Dr Erin Ling

Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Work

Safina Naz profile image

Safina Naz

Postgraduate Research Student

Jonathan Skinner profile image

Dr Jonathan Skinner

Reader in the Anthropology of Events

Interested in participating in social science experiments?

Join now to participate in social science experiments with the HI-Lab!