Overview

Plan, structure, and align your team on a user research study with this comprehensive research plan template. From research goals and methodology to participant criteria and discussion guides, this template gives UX researchers and product teams everything they need to run a rigorous, well-organized research project.

Key Features

• Research goals and questions section with hypothesis fields
• Methodology selector with notes on study type tradeoffs
• Participant recruitment criteria and screener question zone
• Discussion guide template with probe questions per topic
• Timeline and logistics section for planning sessions and analysis

How to Use

1. Start with the research goals section — write 1–3 clear research questions using the Text tool, then map hypotheses below each question
2. Define your methodology (interviews, usability testing, surveys, etc.) in the methodology section and note the rationale
3. Use sticky notes in the participant criteria zone to define must-have and nice-to-have screener attributes — dot vote to align with stakeholders
4. Draft your discussion guide in the dedicated section — use Cards for each topic area with sub-questions listed beneath
5. Fill in the timeline frame with session dates, analysis windows, and readout milestones — use shapes as timeline markers

Benefits

Research without a plan produces findings nobody trusts. A shared research plan aligns everyone — researchers, PMs, designers, and stakeholders — on what you're trying to learn and how before a single participant sits down.

UX Research Consent Form