UX Research Plan Skill

This skill creates a complete, ready-to-execute UX research plan. Output covers everything from research objectives to screener questions, discussion guide, and synthesis framework.

Required Inputs

Work from what is given. If any of these is missing, still produce the complete output: fill each gap with a reasonable assumption marked (assumed, confirm) and list those assumptions at the end. Ask a question first only when the core subject itself is missing (there is nothing to write about).

• Research question (what decision will this research inform?)
• Product area or feature being researched
• Research type (Generative / Evaluative / Usability testing / Diary study / Survey)
• Stage (Discovery / Concept validation / Prototype testing / Live product)
• Target participants (role, demographics, behaviour — who should we talk to?)
• Timeline and number of sessions
• Existing assumptions or hypotheses (optional but valuable)

Output Structure

UX Research Plan: [Study Title]

Product area: [Area] Research type: [Type] Date: [Timeline] Researcher: [Leave for user]

1. Research Objectives

State 2–4 clear research objectives. Each objective should map to a decision that will be made differently depending on what you find.

Objective [N]: Understand [specific thing] so we can [decision this informs].

2. Research Questions

[5–8 questions — the actual questions you want research to answer. These are not the interview questions; they're the knowledge gaps. Organised under each objective.]

Objective 1:

• RQ1.1: [Research question]
• RQ1.2: [Research question]

3. Methodology & Rationale

Method chosen: [e.g. Semi-structured interviews / Usability testing / Concept testing]

Why this method: [2–3 sentences. Match method to research type. If evaluative: usability testing. If generative: contextual inquiry or interviews. If testing comprehension: 5-second test or concept test.]

What this method will and won't tell us:

• Will tell us: [What this method is good at revealing]
• Won't tell us: [What's out of scope — be honest about limits]

Sample size: [Recommended number of sessions and why — e.g. "5–6 moderated interviews for generative research; 5–8 usability sessions to identify top issues"]

4. Participant Screener

Recruitment criteria:

Screener questions (5–8 questions):

[Q1] [Screening question — clear, not leading]

• [Answer options — flag which qualify/disqualify]

[Q2] ...

Incentive recommendation: [Amount and format — e.g. "£50 gift voucher for a 60-min session is standard in the UK for professional participants"]

5. Discussion Guide

Structure the session:

Opening (5 min)

• Introduce yourself and the study
• "We're testing the design, not you — there are no wrong answers"
• Permission to record
• Warm-up: [1–2 easy questions to build rapport — e.g. "Tell me about your role and what a typical week looks like"]

Core Questions (by section)

Section [A]: [Topic] (~X min)

1. [Open question — start broad] [Probe: Tell me more about...]
2. [Follow-up to go deeper] [Probe: Can you walk me through what happened?]
3. [Specific scenario or past behaviour question]

Section [B]: [Topic] (~X min) [Continue with 2–3 questions per section]

Usability tasks (if applicable):

"I'm going to ask you to try a few things with this prototype. Please think aloud as you go."

• Task [N]: [Clear task instruction — write from the user's perspective, not "click on X" but "find where you would go to do Y"]
• Success criteria: [What "completing this task" looks like]
• What to observe: [Where friction typically appears]

Closing (5 min)

• "Is there anything about [topic] we haven't covered that you think is important?"
• "If you could change one thing about [product/concept], what would it be?"
• Debrief and thank

6. Synthesis Framework

After sessions, use this framework to synthesise findings:

Step 1: Session notes → Key observations For each session: 3–5 specific observations (behaviours, quotes, reactions — not interpretations yet)

Step 2: Affinity mapping Group observations by theme across all sessions. Aim for 4–7 clusters.

Step 3: Insight statements For each cluster: "When [context], users [behaviour/experience], because [underlying need or mental model]."

Step 4: Implications For each insight: "This means we should [design/product implication]" or "This challenges our assumption that [assumption]."

Step 5: Research report structure:

• Key findings (3–5 headlines)
• Supporting evidence per finding
• Design recommendations
• Open questions for next research cycle

Quality Checks

• [ ] Research objectives map to real decisions
• [ ] Discussion guide opens broad before going specific
• [ ] Screener criteria are specific enough to get the right participants
• [ ] Tasks (if usability) are written from the user's perspective
• [ ] Synthesis framework is included
• [ ] Incentive recommendation is included

Anti-Patterns

• [ ] Do not write a research plan without clearly stated research objectives — every methodology choice must flow from the objectives
• [ ] Do not design a plan that mixes generative and evaluative research without clearly separating them
• [ ] Do not omit screener criteria — recruiting unqualified participants invalidates the research
• [ ] Do not write discussion guide questions that are leading — questions must be neutral and open-ended
• [ ] Do not skip the incentive recommendation — uncompensated research has lower participant quality and completion rates

Example Trigger Phrases

• "Write a research plan for [feature or product area]"
• "Create a discussion guide for user interviews about [topic]"
• "Plan a usability test for [prototype or feature]"
• "Write screener questions for [target user type]"