Rapid Research
Defining and implementing a rapid model of research to cut down time-to-insights.
Year: 2023
Role: Lead Researcher
Research Method: Rapid Research
Company: Cisco
Context
Our team was conducting only large-scale research projects taking a month or more each. There was no method for time-sensitive research questions that needed fast answers, and/or smaller topics that did not justify months of work.
For example, what if we were building a product this week for launch next week, and needed a single question answered by customers before then?
Goals
Define a rapid research model that can turn out insights as fast as possible.
Approach
First I defined what is appropriate for the rapid research approach:
Time-sensitive questions.
Bite-sized topics.
Lower-impact efforts.
Early, exploratory work to provide direction for a larger-scale study.
Follow-up work to provide clarity on questions raised in previous projects.
Then I evaluated our existing research timeline and identified multiple areas that could be modified, including:
Recruitment: we spent a lot of time recruiting in our own channels, which could be saved if we utilized a third-party recruitment platform like UserTesting.
Scale: smaller-scale studies would mean less time spent writing plans, building tests, analyzing results, and presenting findings.
Execution: restricting rapid research to mostly unmoderated formats meant less time spent sitting in sessions.
Templatizing: we were spending a lot of time each study rewriting screeners, demographic questions, introductions, and recruitment standards, all of which could be standardized and built into UserTesting and Qualtrics as templates.
Generative AI: Cisco's internal, GPT-powered generative AI tool gave us the power to help us create study guides and recruitment copy at a faster pace than ever.
I validated the model through a proof-of-concept pilot, then documented the entire process in our team knowledgebase and led a training session so that all our researchers could execute rapid research.
Impact
The rapid research model compressed a months-long process into 10 business days or less, becoming one of our main research methods. This model has worked for unmoderated tests, surveys, and even moderated usability testing.
Since inception, I have completed 12+ rapid research projects, which impacted decisions like:
the elimination of two low-impact projects, preventing unnecessary resource allocation and efforts.
the definition of global date and time format standards.
the naming of a new type of product documentation.