In many organizations, the qualitative research process comes together fairly predictably: stakeholders approach researchers with knowledge gaps and qualitative researchers then face challenges of resource scarcity (no time, budget or skill to address the described knowledge gaps, compounded by a negative mindset toward research). The result of many research studies is then a rushed implementation that fails to address actual objectives. Knowledge gaps persist, and designs are instead built on low-confidence assumptions. Ultimately, the designs suffer.

What if we began understanding research and knowledge gaps with an aligned perspective? What if research studies were organized, and positioned in a way that always began with an understanding of the human story, while transparently communicating the effort it takes to collect those stories? Positioning research as a strategic tool enables teams to ensure that we learn from people first before applying knowledge to products. Knowledge gaps are addressed by priority, and in a way that creates confidence that the human story serves as an anchor to the designs being created.

In this workshop and using a shared case study as foundation, Meena Kothandaraman will guide attendees through a process that establishes language for qualitative research tasks and leverages a framework that focuses on understanding knowledge sources, and ultimately documenting questions that represent knowledge gaps.

As part of the workshop, attendees will learn and practice how to:

• Recognize and reflect on research challenges
• Identify high-confidence knowledge sources to further leverage later in the process of addressing knowledge gaps
• Bring awareness to assumptions and confidence levels in existing information
• Collect knowledge gaps in the form of questions
• Organize knowledge gaps into a prioritized roadmap with clearly defined learning objectives
• Reveal organizational research habits and patterns
• Relate learning objectives to study design by discussing the ideal and then the constrained approach
• Consider high-confidence knowledge sources identified earlier
• Translate how this approach maps to their current approach

As this is a large-group workshop format, Meena will share content with the entire group, after which small groups of 6-attendees each will collaborate toward specific tasks. Meena will solicit discussion at a room level, and as well at an individual level by walking around to the various groups as they address their tasks.

Attendees can expect to:

• Discuss research challenges and identify those with the highest impact
• Plot their knowledge confidence against a framework that aims to reveal high-confidence sources
• Plot stakeholder questions (via the case study) onto the framework that reveals specifics about knowledge gap being raised
• Review an affinitized set of questions (via the case study) that form a learning roadmap, and observe patterns
• Discuss patterns of importance that establish priority and direction for the research team
• Design an ideal study using one learning objective from the learning roadmap
• Design a constrained study after receiving a constraint card to apply to the study
• Debrief in small groups and share back during each exercise

Attendees will leave the workshop with:

• Mechanics and tactics needed to address their own research challenges
• A language for qualitative research, and a process that can be immediately internalized in their own organizations
• Frameworks to reveal knowledge confidence and to organize knowledge gaps (in the form of questions) to create a learning roadmap
• A foundation for identifying patterns of knowledge gaps in the organization, and where the research team can provide a strategic lens on addressing unknowns
• An understanding of how to translate the learning roadmap into a study design and practicing these skills with a small team
• Language to transparently communicate the ideal vs. the constrained study design to stakeholders

Attendees who are considering this workshop should:

• Have some experience with research studies as a stakeholder, observer or researcher (complete novices might not get as much value without a basis of current challenges in positioning research in organizations)
• Complete a 10-min work assignment that includes completing a simple survey (all survey results will be anonymous, and shared with the group at the beginning of the session for purposes of establishing a foundation on research challenges that attendees experience), and reading two short articles
• Be willing to engage in discussion and collaborate with their group toward learning and discussion
• Feel that the discussions are held in a safe space, and that all information discussed in the workshop will remain in the workshop and not be carried further