How to pace research for maximum impact

In 2015, I landed a graduate design research job at a global design company with 14,000 employees. Nearly a decade later, I am a freelance researcher, typing this from my home office as a business of one. 

In that time I’ve been exposed to countless research teams and approaches. One key challenge that recurs again and again is how to pace research for maximum impact. 

Finding the right research pace is a balancing act. Go too fast and you risk producing shallow, unactionable insights. Go too slow and by the time your research is ready, the team has moved on. So how do you find the sweet spot?

The pitfalls of going too fast

When research is rushed, it often starts with a vague, last-minute request, something scribbled on the back of a napkin. There is no time to ask clarifying questions, so you default to the quickest possible method, such as virtual interviews or unmoderated usability tests. A rough discussion guide is thrown together, recruitment is fast and loose, and analysis consists of a quick scan of notes and a few Post-its on Miro.

When it is time to present insights, the findings feel unclear. Nothing groundbreaking emerges, the story lacks focus, and recommendations are too vague to drive action. The team nods along but does not act on anything. Before long, another napkin request lands on your desk and the cycle repeats.

From my experience working as a researcher in this environment is a recipe for burn out. The unrelenting pace and lack of tangible impact of your work quickly takes its toll.  I’ve also seen it lead to the exec teams losing faith in the value of research altogether, and no doubt if they’re ploughing all of this money and resource into something that is not driving decision making or innovation.

The risks of going too slow

On the other hand, when research is too slow, it becomes an over-engineered process. A product manager submits a research request, which is discussed in multiple meetings before being assigned. A workshop is held to refine objectives, and a robust mixed-methods study is designed. A three-week diary study, in-depth interviews, and a survey seem like the best approach. Recruitment takes forever due to ultra-specific criteria.

Months later, after thorough analysis involving full transcripts, detailed tagging, and thematic workshops, a polished 100-page report is finally shared. By then, the product team has moved on. The findings feel outdated, enthusiasm has waned, and the impact is lost.

From my experience, this approach ultimately leads to hefty reports gathering dust in shared drives and companies viewing research as a blocker instead of an essential stage in their pacey iterative design process. Plus it can be incredibly demotivating to see months of your hard work have such little engagement or impact.

6 principles for finding the right research pace

The ideal research pace varies depending on the context, but these key principles help strike the right balance:

1. Do not run with scraps—ask questions first. Vague objectives lead to vague insights. Take time to clarify what the team actually wants to learn before jumping into execution. Draft clear, SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) research objectives.
2. Align research timing with decision-making. Understand when the insights are needed and what they will inform. This prevents research from being too late to make an impact.
3. Match the methodology to the objectives and timeframe. Instead of defaulting to a one-size-fits-all approach, whether the quickest or the most comprehensive, find the right method that balances rigour with speed. Tools like Universal Methods of Design offer great guidance.
4. Be pragmatic about recruitment. Targeting the perfect participant profile is ideal, but overly narrow criteria can slow everything down. Identify must-haves versus nice-to-haves and be flexible where needed.
5. Streamline analysis. Use software that generates high-quality transcripts and allows tagging by research objective. Theme findings around specific questions rather than drowning in unstructured data. Automating highlight reels can also speed up synthesis.
6. Deliver insights efficiently. Instead of agonising over slide design, focus on crafting a clear, compelling story first. Use a standard insights-sharing template with an executive summary that can be widely shared.

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The takeaway

Balancing research speed and depth is an art. Move too fast and your insights lack impact. Move too slow and they lose relevance. The key is finding the Goldilocks zone, just the right pace to deliver meaningful insights when they are needed most.