# Design Product Research

> Design or critique product research using established UX methods, including interviews, usability testing, concept studies, contextual work, surveys, diary-style studies, benchmarking, and mixed methods. Use for research questions, method choice, participants, tasks, consent, evidence, synthesis, and findings even when Commentary is not connected.

- Skill: `commentary-dev/design-product-research` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 5 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add commentary-dev/design-product-research`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/commentary-dev/design-product-research/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Research & Search
- Author: commentary-dev (https://skillmd.com/u/commentary-dev)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/commentary-dev/design-product-research

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# 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](references/method-selection.md) to choose a method, [references/study-design.md](references/study-design.md) to construct the study, and [references/source-notes.md](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.