commentary-dev Design Product Research
Start with the product decision the team needs to make. Turn assumptions into research questions and choose the least costly method that can produce credible evidence for those questions.
Method dimensions
Classify the needed evidence along three dimensions:
- Attitudinal or behavioral.
- Qualitative or quantitative.
- Natural use, scripted use, limited use, or decontextualized response.
Do not use a survey to answer why behavior occurs, an interview to measure task success, or a small qualitative round to estimate population prevalence.
Study quality
- Recruit realistic participants with explicit inclusion criteria and accessibility needs.
- Write neutral tasks as goals a participant might attempt in real life, not instructions for using the interface.
- Pilot the complete experience before launch.
- Obtain informed, withdrawable consent and collect only data covered by that consent.
- Separate observation, participant statement, interpretation, and recommendation.
- Link findings to step-scoped evidence and report frequency, severity, confidence, and contradictory evidence.
Read references/method-selection.md to choose a method, references/study-design.md to construct the study, and references/source-notes.md for the industry basis.
This skill uses Nielsen Norman Group-style method dimensions and usability practices but is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or certified by Nielsen Norman Group.