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Systems and research depth · Proficient · Lesson 68 of 99 · 4 min video, then about 2 hours of practice
Planning research from decisions, not curiosity
After this you can write a research plan that starts from the product decisions it must inform, states research questions and hypotheses, and justifies the method.
Why it matters
Junior research starts from 'let's talk to users'. Senior research starts from 'what are we about to decide, and what would change our mind?' A good plan names the decision, the research questions (what we need to learn), the method that answers them, the participants, and how findings will reach the people deciding. Focus on the distinction between goals, research questions and interview questions, which beginners blur. Trap: research that is interesting but arrives after the decision is made, which is the most common way research teams lose credibility.
How to use this resource
Four minutes from Nielsen Norman Group on what a research plan contains and why each part is there. Short, so watch it twice and then write one.