Digital Marketing - Study Notes:
Research methodology
In the steps we have outlined, what we will have derived is a research methodology and as a sync format.
Here is a definition of research methodology:
“The methodology is the general research strategy that outlines the way in which research is to be undertaken and, among other things, identifies the methods to be used in it.”
Raising awareness
The next thing to do is to share this with stakeholders within the business.
To summarize:
- Let the project team know what research is being undertaken. That is, the specific activities, their purpose, and the significance of any outcomes.
- Invite feedback on the methodology. Are there any objections, improvements to be made, or any enhancements that could be integrated?
- Raise awareness and understanding of the goals of research. By being transparent about what the research hopes to deliver, new sources of data may be suggested.
Once support for research begins to build, it may turn into enthusiasm for research and to other areas.
Increasing support
To give this idea of sharing and consulting with a wider team about research some additional width, let’s look at an example from the Government Digital Service, or GDS, team behind the gov.uk website in the UK.
These researchers and designers are setting new standards in providing online services and are increasingly referenced globally as an example of best practice for their approach to problem-solving. The GDS team’s work uses systematic research to improve online public services.
John Waterworth, one of the contributors to the GDS blog, has said the following:
“On the best exemplar projects, we find that user researchers spend about one-third of their time planning and conducting research and two-thirds of their time communicating with their team and the wider organization.”
Back to TopRick Monro
Rick Monro is UX Director at Fathom. He has extensive experience in user research, interaction design, user-centered design, and design strategy with private and public sector organisations throughout the UK and Ireland.

By the end of this topic, you should be able to:
- Appraise practices for planning UX research
- Critically evaluate the roles of innovation and users in User Experience (UX) research
- Evaluate cognitive biases that can affect research data