## 🔬 Building with insight, not assumptions User research helps you understand the people you're building for—their goals, challenges, behaviors, and context. In Forge, user research is not an afterthought. It’s a core part of how strategy, design, and development stay connected to reality. Whether you're validating a new idea, refining a feature, or evaluating product-market fit, research helps you reduce risk, build empathy, and make smarter decisions. ### 🧱 Why user research matters When teams skip research, they rely on assumptions. That leads to wasted effort, misaligned features, and missed opportunities. Research gives you the clarity to: - Prioritize what truly matters to users - Identify pain points and unmet needs - Test ideas before investing heavily - Improve usability and adoption - Back up strategy with evidence, not guesswork In Forge, your research isn’t isolated in a doc—it’s linked to your [[Personas]], [[Workflows]], [[Projects]], and [[Strategy]] so your entire team benefits from the insights. ### 🔍 Types of user research Forge supports both **generative** (exploratory) and **evaluative** (validation) research methods. Use the right type depending on where you are in your product or strategic process. #### 🙌 Generative Research Discovering problems, needs, and opportunities **Methods:** - User interviews - Field studies - Diary studies - Open-ended surveys **Best for:** Shaping early strategy, defining [[Personas]], exploring new markets #### ✍️ Evaluative Research Testing solutions, flows, or content. **Methods:** - Usability testing - A/B testing - Task analysis - Feedback loops from prototypes **Best for:** Refining [[Wireframes]], validating [[Workflows]], improving onboarding or feature usability ### 🛠️ Research in Forge You can document and structure your research in Forge using simple, repeatable templates: - **Study Title** - **Research Type** (Generative or Evaluative) - **Participants** (Who you talked to, how you selected them) - **Goals** (What you’re trying to learn) - **Method** (How you’re gathering data) - **Key Insights** (What you learned) - **Linked Artifacts** (Relevant personas, workflows, stories, etc.) - **Next Steps** (What decisions or actions this research will influence) --- ### Further Reading **_Think Like a UX Researcher_** by David Travis & Philip Hodgson Practical guidance on research methods, planning studies, and communicating findings. **_Continuous Discovery Habits_** by Teresa Torres A framework for making user feedback a regular part of your decision-making process.