Plan UX Research

Purpose

Help teams design a structured UX research plan that answers the right questions with the right methods.

Skill type

Conceptual skill

Use this skill when

• A team needs to run user research but hasn't structured the plan yet
• Research goals are unclear or too broad
• The team is debating which research method to use
• A new product area requires understanding user behavior and needs

Do not use this skill when

• Research has already been collected and needs synthesis (use synthesize-qualitative-research)
• The goal is usability testing of an existing design (use run-usability-testing)

Required inputs

• Research goal or question
• Product area or context

Optional inputs

• Target segment
• Available timeline and resources
• Prior research findings
• Hypotheses to validate

Upstream context

Works best when:

• Product problem or opportunity is identified
• Target segment is known

If upstream context is missing

If the research question is too vague, produce a discovery research plan and flag that it will need to be narrowed.

Downstream handoff

Output can feed:

• synthesize-qualitative-research (process findings after research)
• develop-persona-segment (if segment research is conducted)
• run-usability-testing (if usability is the research goal)

Instructions

1. Clarify the research question (what decision will this research inform?).
2. Select the appropriate method: interviews, surveys, usability testing, diary study, contextual inquiry, etc.
3. Define participant criteria and number.
4. Design discussion guide or research instrument outline.
5. Set a timeline and logistics.
6. Define how findings will be analyzed and shared.

Output

Provide:

• Research question(s)
• Selected method and rationale
• Participant criteria and sample size
• Discussion guide outline or research instrument outline
• Timeline
• Analysis and sharing plan
• Open questions or risks

Risks / caveats

• Research without a clear question produces unfocused findings
• Never select a method before defining the question
• Small samples (5–8 interviews) are sufficient for qualitative patterns, not statistical claims