Which Kind of Research? (Or None at All?)
Start your next research project in the right direction using this flow chart
Research is knowledge creation.
Before you just start a research study, there are a few questions to ask, of yourself, of your org, of your stakeholders, and of the context that you all exist within.
Here’s the flow chart that I use. I’ll describe it below.
1. What goal is our org aiming to accomplish in the near future?
2. What knowledge do we need to accomplish this? (list all needed)
2a. Do we already have some of this knowledge internally?
2b. Can we find some of this knowledge externally?
3. What is the risk of not having this knowledge?
3a. If it’s low risk, maybe no research is needed right now.
3b. If it’s risky, then let’s move to #4
4. Is this the right time to create this knowledge? (org politics, competition, society, team members, mergers, etc.)
4a. If it’s not the right them, maybe no research right now.
4b. If it’s a good time, then let’s move to #5
5. Describe the specific value of having this knowledge right now for this particular goal.
5a. Before describing it, identify who within (and outside) the org will be affected or could affect the knowledge or the goal. (stakeholders)
5b. Then do a listening session with each of these stakeholders to understand what went through their mind with respect to the lead-up to the org having this goal (from #1)
5c. Conduct a stakeholder discussion where you introduce the patterns across their thinking (from 5b) as the places to focus discussion. Then the description of the value of this knowledge will come from the discussion.
6. … now you get to decide which type of research will create this kind of knowledge that you describe … (and the steps continue)
