Strategy only happens because of research.

As I’m writing “the book,” (It has a title, but this feels more ominously powerful. Like that time I was hired to write a famous beverage company’s “book of secrets,” and it turned out to mostly be a cleverly disguised operations manual), I’m finding myself wanting to describe big, fat industry concepts in human-friendly terms.

So, “strategy.” Big, fat, hairy deal, that strategy.

It evokes PowerPoint decks and moving pieces around on the board to play out all the scenarios before we wincingly make a “very big decision.”

Strategy, however, is simply thinking — and making a dang plan — before acting. You know, rather than closing your eyes and pointing at a dot on the map. Great way to jumpstart your Live! Love! Laugh! globetrotting ambitions. Terrible way to build a useful website or strong brand.

But what gives us the ability to make a plan? Research.

Strategy — smart actions thought out ahead of time — is what’s possible when you do research.

I could talk endlessly about research.

My love of the unsung hero-ness of it. My admiration for my colleagues who spend their work lives in it (Hi Mayra Zak ! She’s the best. ?? ) The fact that if you’re not asking questions — about who your audience is and their real needs, about the goal of the site you’re building, or about the core benefits or value proposition of the brand you’re selling — you’re flying blind into making something that’s supposed to have an impact...but you’re in real danger of falling short.

Flipping it around, as a client, you’re basically asking a builder to “build a house” full stop. What kind of house? Crickets.

Sadly, not everyone feels so warm and fuzzy about this topic. Research is often thought of as something other than integral to our work in web building.

But why? Research is just asking questions. And if they’re excellent ones - the right ones - you can greedily run off with the answers and do a whole heck of a lot of good, strategic things. I mean, that's fun.

From my experience, there are a few reasons research eats five almonds in coach while strategy gets the good snacks upfront.

Why we don’t do (enough) research:

(Paired with a bit of extra reading, because while we’re talking about learning new things…)

We think we “know” our audiences.

We very likely do not. Oh, but we all have egos and are confident we understand a lot more than is good for us. The answer? Do a few interviews. You’ll find out pretty quickly.

Helpful reading: Understanding your audience: Six tips for audience interviews

We’re not sure what to ask.

Maybe you’ve been through a research exercise that seemed like a lot of work for not a lot of reward. It’s probably because you weren’t asking the right questions.

Helpful reading: How to Craft a Great Question Set

The whole thing feels a little risky.

Can we trust the results? Or maybe we don’t really want to know the answers because they don’t fit the narrative we like?

Helpful reading: Ethical Considerations in User Research

And probably the biggest one…

We think research is for other people.

“Us? Oh, we just need to make some stuff. Now.” Sigh. A little desk research and a few hours in a whiteboarding app are much better than nothing. You’re spending hundreds of hours getting the UX, design, and dev right. Give us a paltry few to determine if we’re building the right things, mkay?

Helpful reading: Why We Love Content Discovery Workshops

So, what irks you (or gives you life) about research? What’s hard about selling it into your projects? Tell me in the comments.