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Planning Your Research Study

Structure your research project from planning to reporting with timelines and templates

Your Progress

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Research is Only Useful if Shared

The best research in the world is worthless if it sits in a document nobody reads. Your job isn't just to DO research—it's to share insights in a way that changes decisions. Different audiences need different formats. Executives need 3 slides. Designers need videos of users struggling.

The 5 Phases of Research

Most research projects follow this structure. Skip phases at your own risk:

📋
Planning
3 days
👥
Recruiting
7 days
🎙️
Conducting
5 days
🔍
Analysis
4 days
📊
Reporting
2 days

Research Timeline Builder

Select phases to build a realistic timeline for your research project:

Build Your Research Timeline

Select phases to include in your research project:

Your Research Timeline

Total Duration
3 days
~1 weeks
Phases Selected
1
of 5 total
3d
Planning

The Reporting Problem

❌ What NOT to Do

Send 40-slide deck with every detail. Nobody reads it. Research dies in a Google Drive folder.

"I spent 3 weeks on research but nothing changed" → You didn't sell the insights

✅ What Works

Present live. Start with the punch line. Show videos. Make it a story. Get decisions made in the room.

"After my 10-minute presentation, we changed our roadmap" → Research drove action

Research Report Templates by Audience

Select your audience to see recommended report structure:

Report for Executive Leadership

Focus: Business impact and ROI

Recommended Structure:

1. Executive Summary
30 seconds
1 slide: Problem → Finding → Recommendation → Impact
2. Key Metrics
1 minute
Numbers that matter: Revenue impact, user pain severity (1-10), opportunity size
3. Top 3 Findings
2 minutes
Only the most critical insights. No more than 3.
4. Recommended Actions
1 minute
What to do next, cost, timeline, expected return

Pro Tips for This Audience:

  • ✓Lead with business impact
  • ✓Use dollar signs and percentages
  • ✓Keep it under 5 slides
  • ✓Focus on decisions, not methods
💡

Research Without Action is Just Expensive Curiosity

Every research study should end with clear next steps. What are we building? What are we killing? What are we testing next? If your research doesn't change a decision, it was a waste of time. Make the insight so clear that the action is obvious.

Key Takeaways

  • •Research has 5 phases: Planning (3d) → Recruiting (7d) → Conducting (5d) → Analysis (4d) → Reporting (2d).
  • •Tailor your report to the audience: Execs need 3 slides with business impact. Designers need videos of users struggling.
  • •Present live, not via email. Start with the punch line. Show the insight, not the process.
  • •Research without action is wasted effort. Every study should end with clear decisions and next steps.
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