What separates useful design research from simply asking people what they want?

In this episode of Designing in the Wild, Rob sits down with longtime friend and colleague Jill Bohaboy, owner of Trek Solutions, to explore the craft of consumer and design research, and how better observation, better questions, and a willingness to explore can uncover needs people may not be able to articulate themselves.

Jill brings years of experience conducting research across an enormous range of industries and product categories. Together, Jill and Rob revisit some of the research they've conducted over the years and unpack the methods behind it—from observational research and shop-alongs to qualitative interviews, quantitative studies, co-creation, and hands-on "build-it" sessions.

They also get into one of the biggest challenges in research: bias. How do you ask questions without steering the answer? How do you identify the right people to speak with? And how do you get beyond what someone says to understand what their behavior is actually telling you?

For designers and smaller teams, Jill also makes an important case that meaningful research doesn't necessarily require a Fortune 500 budget. Sometimes it starts by simply getting out from behind the computer, watching people interact with the world, and asking a thoughtful question.

In this episode:
• Qualitative vs. quantitative research
• Observation and contextual research
• Finding latent needs and compensating behaviors
• Co-creation and "build-it" sessions
• Avoiding bias and asking better questions
• Recruiting the right research participants
• Bringing clients into the research process
• Conducting useful research on a limited budget
• Turning consumer insight into better products

As Jill puts it: don't let research become a roadblock—let it become a launch pad.

Welcome back to Designing in the Wild, Season 3.

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