Research workflow

Research Plan Template and Other Tools.

When embarking on a new research phase or project, it often takes time to develop a solid plan to get started. While every project and hypothesis is unique, requiring different methodologies and approaches to uncover the necessary insights, we have discovered a helpful “skeleton” to kickstart your process.?

Our objective with this workflow is twofold:?

1. ?Provide a standardized approach for working with your team, ensuring clarity on next steps — and,?
2. ?Offer a ready-to-use template that eliminates the need for step-by-step guidance and manual creation of workflows across various documents, whiteboards, and tables.?

This centralized approach grants you and your team easy access to everything you need, and rest assured, it can be easily tailored to suit your specific requirements.?

Now, let’s delve into the details, and you can decide whether to use this as inspiration or leverage the comprehensive tools we provide.

Here are the steps to follow:

1. Rational: Reflect on the existing knowledge and perspectives of your team and customers to understand why this research project commenced. This entails providing a brief description of why the project was initiated, and acknowledging that a complete understanding of the problem may not be available at this stage.
2. Project Prioritization: Although the information in this section may evolve as you delve deeper and gain a better understanding of the problem’s root cause, it is crucial to keep this section up to date. It should convey the project’s urgency within the organization and specify whether it has received approval and can proceed with implementation directly or requires approval once the problem is comprehended. Additionally, define the due date for this research project and when you will need all stakeholders’ insights.
3. Ecology Check: This step is pivotal. Capture what people are saying or requesting. Often, teams or customers suggest new features or share ideas, but these may not always be the most effective solutions to the problem at hand. In this section, you aim to document key comments, ideas, beliefs, and actions of stakeholders. While this is not the place to store all requirements and notes from stakeholder interviews and meetings, it serves as a high-level overview of their perspectives and reactions. Feel free to add any additional notes that may be relevant.
4. The Problem: Attempt to identify the root cause of the problem. Ask yourself “why” three or five times to gain deeper insights. Once you have a thorough understanding, move on to assumptions.
5. Assumptions: Note down your assumptions, as well as those of your team, on sticky notes. Organize them based on the level of risk associated with not validating each assumption.
6. Research questions: Based on the assumptions made, the general overview of the problem, and the insights gathered from stakeholders, compile a list of questions that need to be answered during the project. These questions will help mitigate high-risk assumptions and facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the problem, leading to the identification of requirements for a new solution.
7. Goals: Define the key goals for this research phase or project and ensure individuals are held accountable for achieving them.
8. Define the methods you will use. Ask yourself if you can leverage secondary information and, if not, opt for primary research. Consider whether data can provide further insights into user behaviour and reactions to the problem. Determine what type of information you need to address your research questions and then select the appropriate methods to achieve those goals.?

In Nova, we provide a library of research tools organized by specific research goals. For example, if you need to gather feedback, we offer a range of tools for that purpose. Each tool is explained in a step-by-step manner, ensuring you and your team understand how to use it, even if it’s your first time or you need a refresher.?

Some recommended tools include the POEMS framework, user picture interview, card sort, user journey map, solution storyboard, foresight scenario, ideation game, eras map, and media search.?

By using Nova, you can create a workflow with all the chosen methods.?

As you can see you can track progress and you can keep your whiteboard, notes, meetings and surveys in one place.?

Secondly, we suggest setting up a session to centralize keynotes and stakeholder requirements session using this template.

Finally, step 9 is to define the expected outcomes of your research phase or project.

With this comprehensive workflow, you can streamline the initial stages of your research, foster collaboration among team members, and ensure efficient progress toward valuable insights.

We’re constantly updating our templates to ensure you stay ahead of the game. So, don’t hesitate to drop us a message or reach out if you have any recommendations. We’re all ears! ??

Get access to our templates and tools for free at Novatools.org