# Pc User Research

> Use when discovery needs evidence about target users, behaviors, and pain points, especially after intake or problem-framing surfaces open questions that must be validated before requirements are written

- Skill: `yknothing/pc-user-research` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 4 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add yknothing/pc-user-research`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/yknothing/pc-user-research/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Product & Planning
- Author: yknothing (https://skillmd.com/u/yknothing)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/yknothing/pc-user-research

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# User Research

> Know your users before you design for them. Assumptions are the enemy of good products.

## Context

User research transforms market understanding into actionable user profiles.

See [context](references/context.md) and [anti-pattern](references/anti-patterns.md) notes.

## Inputs

[I/O contract notes](references/io-contract.md) define required inputs and authority.

## Process

### Step 1: Define Research Questions

Start from the upstream artifact before inventing new questions:

- if a `problem-frame` exists, extract the target user hypothesis, non-goals, chosen direction, and open questions
- if market analysis exists, use it to narrow which segments are worth validating first
- if neither exists, stop and request clearer discovery framing rather than guessing

Then define the research questions. Focus on behavior, not opinions:
- What workflows do users currently follow?
- Where do they experience friction?
- What tools do they currently use (and why)?
- What would make them switch to a new solution?
- Which upstream assumptions most need validation before requirements should start?

### Step 2: Choose Research Methods

- **Interviews** (5-8 users): Deep qualitative understanding. Best for early discovery.
- **Surveys** (50+ responses): Quantitative validation. Best after interviews surface patterns.
- **Observation**: Watch users in their natural workflow. Reveals behavior they can't articulate.
- **Analytics review**: If existing product exists, mine usage data for behavioral patterns.

If no real-user evidence has been collected yet, produce a scoped research plan first:

- target segments to recruit
- key hypotheses or open questions to test
- method mix and sample size
- the evidence threshold required before moving to requirements

### Step 3: Synthesize into Personas

Create 3-5 personas, each representing a distinct user segment:
- Name and role (make them memorable)
- Goals (what they're trying to achieve)
- Pain points (what frustrates them today)
- Behaviors (how they work, tools they use)
- Quote (a real or representative statement capturing their perspective)

### Step 4: Map User Journeys

For each primary persona, map the journey through the problem space:
- Stages (awareness, consideration, adoption, retention)
- Actions at each stage
- Emotions and pain points
- Opportunities for your product to intervene

### Step 5: Validate Personas

Test personas against real data. Can you match each persona to at least 2-3 real users? If not, refine.

If the research has not yet been executed, do **not** fake this step. Record that the quality gate is still open and hand off the research plan for execution.

## Outputs

Produce only declared outputs at their documented quality boundary.

## Quality Gate

- [ ] At least 3 distinct personas documented, or an explicit justification exists for fewer segments
- [ ] Each persona backed by real user data (not assumptions)
- [ ] User journey mapped for primary persona
- [ ] Pain points prioritized by frequency and severity
- [ ] Upstream discovery questions are either answered or explicitly carried forward

## Distribution

- Public install surface: `skills/.curated`
- Canonical authoring source: `skills/00-discovery/pc-user-research/SKILL.md`
- This package is exported for `npx skills add/update` compatibility.
- Packaging stability: `beta`
- Capability readiness: `beta`
- Portability: `portable_with_caveat`
- Public caveat: Portable as skill guidance; full governance guarantees require the Prodcraft repository contracts and validation checks.