Just Enough Research

3. The Process

This is the “systematic” in the systematic inquiry. Whether the research requires a month or a single morning, being just a bit methodical will be the “extra” step that saves your precious time and brain. Whatever type of research you’re doing, and wherever it falls in your schedule, follow these six steps:

1. Define the problem.

2. Select the approach.

3. Plan and prepare for the research.

4. Collect the data.

5. Analyze the data.

6. Report the results.

With practice, the first three steps will become muscle memory and you can focus on collecting, analyzing, and sharing the data.

1. Define the Problem

Just as you need a clearly articulated problem to create a solid design solution, a useful research study depends on a clear problem ...