DEFINING A PROJECT

1. Understand Context & Gain Alignment. Work with product managers, designers, engineers, marketing, leadership, etc. to understand why we are talking about a given topic now and what decisions need to be made based on the research.

2. Craft Research Goals & Questions that MUST be Answered. Based on the decisions that need to be made through the research, define (no more than 3) goals. Consider the depth of information needed to make decisions in order to craft the questions that must be answered.

3. Consider Target Users & Target Participants. Target users are those who we would expect to be impacted by the feature, service, change, etc. Target participants are folks that will be best positioned to shed light on needed information. Sample size is dependent on the level of depth and confidence needed when making decisions based on the research.

4. Design Approach. Study design is based on the context, goals, questions that must be answered, and target participants.

5. Build Research Team. The research team is the group of folks who will be going on the research journey. They are kept actively involved throughout the process and, before a project begins, are involved in kicking off the project to ensure the team is aligned on what the research is planned to achieve and any gaps are identified early on.