Research template · 2–4 weeks
Exploratory study
We don’t know the problem well yet: why do people do what they do?
Takes 2–4 weeks. The part only real people can do: interviews.
Phases
Frame
Agree what you need to learn, and from whom.
Done when: Are the research questions written, and is it clear who to talk to?
Methods that fit: Write a project brief, Frame a decision, Frame research questions, Write an interview script, Check for bias, Build a survey
Hear people
Talk to real people and capture what they say and do.
Done when: Have you heard from enough people that new interviews stop surprising you?
Methods that fit: Run an interview, Import research data, Scan the web, Compare competitors
Make sense
Find the patterns and what they mean.
Done when: Does every insight rest on quotes from more than one person?
Methods that fit: Affinity mapping, Code the data, Synthesize insights, Build a persona, Map a journey, Write jobs to be done, Find contradictions, Find coverage gaps
Decide
Turn the findings into a call and share it.
Done when: Does the team know what it will do next, and why?
Methods that fit: Write how-might-we statements, Map opportunities, Write a readout, Audit the evidence
The usual steps
- Write a project brief (Frame)
- Frame research questions (Frame)
- Write an interview script (Frame)
- Run an interview (Hear people)
- Run an interview (Hear people)
- Synthesize insights (Make sense)
- Build a persona (Make sense)
- Write a readout (Decide)