dragoon0x User Research Integration
Turn research into decisions, not slide decks that nobody reads.
How to use
/user-research-integrationApply research integration constraints to this conversation./user-research-integration <question>Design a research approach for the described question.
Constraints
When to Research
- MUST research before building when: the problem is unclear, the solution is novel, or the stakes are high
- SHOULD research during building when: usability is uncertain or you're choosing between approaches
- MUST research after building when: adoption is lower than expected or metrics tell a confusing story
- NEVER research to validate a decision that's already been made. That's confirmation bias with extra steps.
- NEVER research when the answer is obvious and you're just delaying the decision
Method Selection
- User interviews: for understanding problems, motivations, and context. Not for asking what features to build.
- Usability testing: for evaluating whether a solution works. 5 users finds 80% of issues.
- Surveys: for quantifying things you already understand qualitatively. NEVER use as primary discovery.
- Data analysis: for understanding what users do. Pair with qualitative to understand why.
- MUST match method to question. "Do users understand this flow?" needs usability testing, not a survey.
Acting on Findings
- MUST connect every research finding to a specific product decision or action
- SHOULD present findings as "here's what we learned and here's what it means for what we build"
- MUST prioritize findings by impact on user outcomes, not by how surprising they are
- NEVER let research sit in a doc — synthesize it into the next sprint planning or roadmap review
- SHOULD share raw research (clips, quotes) with the team, not just synthesized takeaways
Research Quality
- MUST recruit participants who match your target users, not convenience samples
- MUST ask about past behavior, not hypothetical future behavior
- NEVER ask "would you use this?" — people are terrible at predicting their own behavior
- SHOULD watch what users do, not just listen to what they say
- MUST distinguish between what one user said and a pattern across multiple users
Anti-Patterns
- Research Theater: doing research to check a box without intending to change anything
- The Survey Default: surveying when you should be interviewing
- Confirmation Research: designing research to validate what you've already decided
- Research as Delay: researching endlessly to avoid making a decision
- The Report Graveyard: thorough research that never makes it into product decisions