Functional foundation · Field guide
Research and evidence
Reduce uncertainty by learning from people, behaviour, context, and existing evidence.
Research is a decision-making practice, not a ceremonial phase. It identifies what must be learned, chooses an ethical method that can answer it, and turns observations into evidence a team can act on without overstating certainty.
Ways to practise the skill.
Choose methods because they reduce the uncertainty in front of the team—not because a template says they belong in the process.
Research questions
Translate assumptions and decisions into explicit questions before choosing a method.
Helpful whenAt discovery, before a study, or whenever a team is debating solutions without shared evidence.Contextual inquiry
Observe people doing real work and ask about goals, workarounds, constraints, and meaning in context.
Helpful whenThe environment and existing tools materially shape behaviour.Semi-structured interviews
Use a consistent guide with room to follow useful detail and compare patterns across participants.
Helpful whenYou need to understand motivations, language, experience, or decision criteria.Usability testing
Ask representative participants to attempt realistic tasks while you observe success, confusion, and recovery.
Helpful whenYou need evidence about whether a design supports intended use.Continue into the field.
Practical standards and method guidance from established sources.