e’re not hunting for perfect questions — we’re finding the right scale for the week, so by Friday you’ve got a clean decision, clean data, and that “high five” feeling in your bones.
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One of the things I struggled with when I was new to research (and sometimes still do) is getting over imposter syndrome.
It’s that little voice that’s like: “Is this even a good study, though?” I’ve made the mistakes over my career, from wasting time on the wrong research question to wasting money on the wrong users.
And mistakes happen. We’re human! But what we’re trying to do here is minimise those errors from the start, because you’re probably lacking in two things: money and time. So, let’s not waste them.
The focus of this review isn't actually about asking the perfect question. It’s about getting the perfect scale for the question. That’s a massive difference.
In research, there are only so many things we can control. There are some we can change and test over time with different people and scenarios, but we can’t test everything, all at once, in a week. We aren’t actually magical. To maximize the week, you have to learn to scale what you can actually learn in five days.
Reduce the scope; increase the value.
When you scope the research question well, you reach the "Friday outcome." That’s the high-five moment. It’s that feeling of confidence just coursing through your body because you know you’ve done the work correctly.
It means every Friday you get to make a good decision and give yourself—and your product—a genuine dopamine rush.
If you ignore the readiness check and jump in too early, you’ll see the red flags pretty quickly!
Chaos
Participant behaviour points in a million directions with very little consistency.
Timing
You can’t get through a single session end-to-end; they either run over or you have to cut them short.
Discomfort
Participants are struggling to answer, or giving you signs they are uncomfortable with the topic.
The "Vibe"
It just doesn’t flow well. You don’t need to be a user research expert to know when something is awkward.
At each step, you need to be your own guardrails. There are some things in research that are actually very boring, but they are the parts that require real knowledge. When it comes to data handling or getting consent, we have to follow the rules. These aren’t rules we set, but we have to follow them.
Sometimes it’s better to take your time on a step and get it right rather than just following through. Good data doesn’t just mean you got what you wanted. It means we’ve respected that person's data.
Once the sessions are complete, you have another checklist to run through. But for now? Package the data, update your panel, say thank you, and go have a cup of tea. You’ve earned it.
