Introduction

Research starts with a question. or rather, questions.

The questions represent something desirable. Your stakeholders want to know the answers. Why are metrics trending downward? Which of these two designs is better and why? What factors cause someone to switch to a competitor?

But, as you’ll read, not every research question is important or should be studied. You, the researcher, play an important role in deciding what to study and when. You only have limited resources and time, so you must study the most impactful or critical research questions.

Many new or inexperienced researchers jump into methods or recruitment without understanding the impact of studying any research question or topic. And make no mistake: research without attention to detail almost always leads to irrelevant or biased findings.

Findings, good or bad, come and go. Methods fade in and out of popularity; research tools boom and bust. Teammates get promoted or leave. When you conduct experience research, the methods, the participants, and even the context always change.

But it always, always, always starts with a fruitful research question.