Find the Right Method

Research focused on understanding users, their needs, behaviors, and pain points. Typically conducted early in the product lifecycle to inform strategy and requirements.

Research aimed at validating ideas, concepts, or prototypes. Helps determine if your solution meets user needs before significant development investment.

Research specifically focused on how easily users can accomplish tasks with your product. Identifies friction points and opportunities to improve user experience.

Research methods that help teams brainstorm and create innovative solutions to user problems. Often involves collaborative activities with users or stakeholders.

Research focused on how information should be organized, structured, and labeled to help users find what they need efficiently.

Suitable for DIY research with minimal participant incentives. Typically covers 5-10 participants at $50-100 each, or tools like survey platforms ($300-500/year). Does not include professional research staff costs.

Covers moderate participant recruitment (10-20 participants at $75-150 each), specialized research tools ($500-1,500), and possibly part-time research support. Suitable for focused studies with specific objectives.

Supports comprehensive research programs with larger participant pools (20+ participants), professional recruitment services ($3,000-10,000), dedicated research staff, and premium tools. Appropriate for in-depth studies or multiple research methods.

Rapid research cycle including planning (1-2 days), recruitment (2-3 days), data collection (2-3 days), and analysis (1-2 days). Best for focused questions and time-sensitive decisions. Limited scope but provides actionable insights quickly.

Balanced research cycle with thorough planning (3-5 days), recruitment (5-7 days), data collection (5-7 days), and analysis (3-5 days). Allows for more participants, deeper insights, and more comprehensive documentation.

Comprehensive research process including extensive planning (1-2 weeks), careful recruitment (2-3 weeks), multiple rounds of data collection (2-4 weeks), and thorough analysis (1-2 weeks). Supports complex research questions, longitudinal studies, or mixed-method approaches.

One person handling all aspects of research including planning, recruitment, moderation, note-taking, analysis, and reporting. Requires efficient methods and tools. Best for focused studies with limited scope.

A dedicated researcher with support from team members who can assist with recruitment, note-taking, or analysis. Allows for more comprehensive studies and division of responsibilities. Ideal for most standard research methods.

Multiple researchers working together, potentially with specialized roles (e.g., recruiters, moderators, analysts) and stakeholder involvement. Supports complex, multi-faceted research programs across multiple user segments or product areas.