Problem:
Based on your project, it generally takes a long time to absorb secondary research, for a variety of reasons:
- Finding relevant sources for secondary research is sometimes difficult
- Understanding academic sources is often challenging
- “Ingesting” the take aways from the sources takes time and effort requiring chunking similar ideas, synthesis across multiple sources, and finally some level of evaluation of the output — all of which takes time!
Using Elicit and Google’s NotebookLM
There is an easy way to digest the information so that you can get up to speed quicker. I borrowed these ideas here from Vicky Zhao’s video on her workflow for becoming “Harvard Business Review smart” using this technique. Check out her YouTube channel or visit her website if you’re curious about her work.
The Co-Intelligent Design Approach:
Step 1: Sign up for Elicit and search for academic papers on your design project.
Elicit is an AI Research Assistant. With it, you can search for topics related to your design project.
Step 2: Sort the results based on ‘Most Cited’ and then download the top papers into PDF.
Find papers that are referenced the most, as that the content there is interesting and high quality. If the PDF is not available for free on Elicit, then copy and paste the name of the paper and search google. Oftentimes, you’ll be able to find the source there for free.
Step 3: Sign up for NotebookLM from Google and upload the PDF documents. Additionally, you can add YouTube URLs or websites you’ve found as well.
Here we are creating a very specific database for the AI to parse through.
Step 4: Get a briefing (summary) and/or begin querying based on your research goals
You have the option to download the content as a briefing. This will essentially summarize the key points from all sources.
Example prompts
Here’s where the fun is. Depending on what you are trying to learn in secondary research, your prompts should vary. Here are some common goals for secondary research in UX:
1. Understanding Users & Their Needs
Goal: Identifying key demographics, behaviors, motivations, and pain points. Exploring existing studies on target users to validate assumptions.
What are the common pain points for [user group] when using [product/service]?What motivates [user group] to choose [product type] over competitors?How do [user group] typically interact with [technology/product category]?What are the behavioral patterns of [user group] in [context]?What existing research is available on user preferences in [industry]?2. Market & Industry Analysis
- Identifying trends, opportunities, and challenges in the industry.
- Analyzing competitors’ UX strategies, strengths, and weaknesses.
What are the latest UX trends in [industry]?
How is UX impacting business success in [industry/market]?
What innovations are shaping the future of [product/service category]?
What are the biggest UX challenges in [industry] today?
What are common UX pitfalls for [type of product] in [industry]?
3. Benchmarking & Best Practices
- Learning from established UX guidelines and patterns.
- Understanding design conventions and usability heuristics in the domain.
What are the UX best practices for designing [specific feature, e.g., dashboards, checkout flows]?
What UI/UX patterns do top-performing [industry] apps/websites use?
What usability heuristics should be considered when designing [product/service type]?
What are proven strategies for improving user onboarding experiences?
What accessibility guidelines should be followed when designing [type of product]?
4. Evaluating Business & Product Strategy
- Aligning UX efforts with business goals and product strategy.
- Understanding how UX can drive conversions, retention, or engagement.
How does UX design impact business metrics like retention, conversion, and engagement?
What role does UX play in the success of [competitor product or similar service]?
How do top-performing companies leverage UX for business growth?
What are the UX considerations when designing for customer acquisition vs. retention?
How do companies measure the ROI of UX investments?
5. Validating Hypotheses & Reducing Risk
- Using existing data to confirm or challenge design decisions.
- Identifying gaps in knowledge that require primary research.
What research exists on the effectiveness of [specific design approach]?
What case studies show the impact of [UX strategy] on user engagement?
How does user trust change based on [design element, e.g., dark mode, microinteractions]?
What psychological principles influence user decision-making in [context]?
What are common user frustrations with [feature or interaction type]?
6. Understanding Technological & Accessibility Considerations
- Researching new technologies, frameworks, and constraints.
- Ensuring designs meet accessibility standards and regulations.
What are the latest accessibility guidelines for designing [type of interface]?
What emerging technologies are shaping UX in [industry]?
How do AI and automation impact UX in [specific use case]?
What are the technical constraints when designing for [device/platform]?
How can UX designers incorporate inclusive design principles effectively?