YOUR FIRST UX CASE STUDY / LESSON 2 OF 6
Plan research you can conduct responsibly.
Match a question to a method, prepare consent and note handling, and choose an honest fallback when participant research is not possible.
Choose a question that affects a decision
Return to your brief and select an uncertainty that could change the flow or content. Avoid research that exists only to decorate a case study. In Neighbourhood Classes, you might need to understand how adults decide whether a class suits them before designing the detail page. Separate that discovery question from a later usability question about finding a date in your prototype. Write down the decision you would reconsider if the evidence contradicts your assumption; this keeps the plan focused.
Match the method to the uncertainty
A conversation about a recent experience can reveal context and decision factors. A task in a prototype can help investigate how someone uses a proposed design. Reading public service information can clarify published rules, but it cannot tell you what participants experienced. Choose one manageable method and state its limits. Do not use a survey simply to generate a chart, or treat a convenience sample as representative.
Prepare consent and a minimal data plan
Before recruitment, explain the purpose, topics, duration, observers, intended use, and ability to skip questions or stop. Ask separately about recording; notes may be sufficient. Agree on storage, access, deletion, and how withdrawal requests will be handled. Use participant codes in notes and store any necessary contact and consent records separately. Do not upload recordings, personal details, or sensitive transcripts into public boards, Figma files, or unapproved AI services. Follow applicable requirements; a template cannot certify legal compliance. Avoid sensitive research contexts without appropriate support.
Prepare prompts and a note structure
Draft a short opening, a recent-experience question, neutral follow-ups, and a closing invitation. Rehearse with a colleague to spot confusing wording, clearly labelling the rehearsal rather than counting it as audience research. Make separate spaces for what was said, what you infer, and questions to revisit. If you do not capture exact wording, mark your note as a paraphrase. Do not request account access or private messages. A participant can describe a low-risk experience without handing over their records or another person’s information.
Plan how you will interpret and limit the result
After any real sessions, compare relevant observations, including contradictions. Connect a proposed design implication to its source instead of treating every comment as a requirement. Describe recruitment limits and unanswered questions; a small practice study cannot establish population-wide prevalence. If you cannot recruit or manage consent safely, stop at the plan. Continue the learning path with labelled assumptions and a future research proposal. Never generate synthetic participants, quotes, or findings and present them as research. An empty evidence column is preferable to an invented one.
YOUR TURN / A SMALL, CONCRETE NEXT STEP
Prepare a small research packet
- Write one research question, the decision it informs, and why the chosen method fits.
- Draft five neutral prompts and a plain-language consent introduction, including a no-recording option.
- Specify storage access, deletion timing, and how participants can request withdrawal.
- Create a blank observation-and-interpretation table; if sessions are not feasible, label the packet “planned, not conducted”.
Your deliverable: A research plan, discussion guide, data-handling plan, and blank notes template; actual evidence is optional, never invented.
A personal checklist, not an assessment. Mark it when you’re ready.