User research report

It's a bit of a mystery, isn't it? Everyone gets jazzed about the initial stages of user research, from planning to synthesis, treating them like the rock stars of the process. Yet, when it comes to the grand finale – reporting and sharing your findings – it's like suddenly remembering the drummer exists. Vital to the band, but somehow always ending up in the background. So sad! 

This final crucial act isn't just about dotting the i's and crossing the t's. It's the bridge that carries all that hard-earned data into real-world decision-making and product strategies. It's our chance to turn who knows how many sticky notes into a tangible goldmine and influence the product roadmap. 

In this article, I dive into the nitty-gritty of user research reporting and share some best practices. I also share some tips on how to advance your research reports by adopting innovative techniques. By doing this, you can turn your data into a compelling narrative that aligns with business goals, leading to increased attention and quick, decisive action.

Presenting your research

Effective research reporting goes beyond basic data; it involves a nuanced blend of functional and emotional skills. Presenting findings and insights (yes, these are different!) isn't just about conveying information. It's about telling a succinct story that resonates, persuades, and ultimately inspires stakeholders to act. 

This part of the process can be daunting in ways previous phases of the research cycle aren't. What’s different are the:

• High stakes involved.

• Personal investment in the research.

• Dynamic nature of presenting in front of an audience.

• Importance of understanding the audience’s cultural considerations.

• The fact that this final deliverable should live on well into the future. 

It’s the culmination of your research study and your individual efforts. Achieving a balance between being confident and authentic is key to creating and presenting impactful reports and share-outs.

In case you're wondering, the terms “user research reports” and “share-outs” often mean the same thing. It’s common to present a topline report, but I’ve also created slide-deck presentations and video walkthroughs for a single study. In these instances, each deliverable has different goals and audiences.

Setting strategic goals for your user research report

Understanding the strategic intent for your user research report is crucial in selecting the appropriate format, determining the right level of fidelity, and crafting a message that resonates with your audience. 

The nature of your research –  whether it’s a lightweight usability study or a comprehensive generative study – should inform your approach, as should the culture of the organization. Tailor your deliverables to meet the specific needs and expectations of your audience. This might be the team who will be implementing the findings, or it might be for the C-suite, who are more interested in broader insights (and not the nitty-gritty details).

While your objectives are typically outlined in your research plan, the goals for sharing the results might vary based on the data and other outcomes. Your goals could range from simply updating stakeholders on the research conducted to sharing insightful a-ha moments, or advocating for a specific course of action. 

It’s important to clarify the purpose of the report. Consider if there are multiple audiences and whether their goals differ.

Below are the four research-reporting goals I see the most. After you’ve established the goals for your report, confirm the necessary time, resources, and any required artifacts with your stakeholders. 

The format of your deliverables will vary significantly based on the context, such as a 30-minute remote presentation for a small group versus a 90-minute in-person session for a larger audience. With these strategic goals in mind, you’ll be better prepared to craft impactful and effective research share-outs to drive understanding and action.

1. Inform/share

This most basic goal is to inform stakeholders about the research, its participants, the rationale, and how the findings contribute to the bigger picture. Insights aren’t likely to be included or required for success. This straightforward approach often suits lighter-weight studies and lays the groundwork for gut checks or future discussions.

2. Build credibility/consensus/persuade

Beyond sharing findings, these share-outs often include memorable insights (new and memorable “aha” moments), and aim to persuade stakeholders to take specific actions or directions. This requires a deep understanding of your audience, more advanced analysis, and the ability to strategically use evidence.

3. Choose/act

Expanding on the research completed and learnings gathered, these deliverables include options or inflection points for collaborative decision-making. They often include thought starters for future exploration.  

4. Immerse/bring research participants to life

To bring your participants to life, incorporating direct quotes is always a good idea. You can supplement quotes with visual aids, highlight reels, and personas, making the research subjects more tangible and easier to relate to. This may be the primary goal of the research or may work in tandem with another goal listed above. Regardless, this technique brings abstract participants to life, fostering empathy and a deeper understanding of the people we’re designing for. 

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Choosing the right format for your user research report

You should discuss and agree on the format of your deliverables during the scoping phase. This is because you need to plan for the time, resources, and artifacts required at the start of the study. 

For example, if a journey map or persona is to be a part of the deliverables, you’ll need a plan to gather the information to populate this artifact in your discussion guide. The design of the deliverables should also align with your audience's needs, budget, and the cultural context of the organization. 

Below are the most common types of deliverables I'm asked for:

• Text-heavy, 10–15 page topline reports with key quotes. 

• Slide presentations with static visuals and video highlight reels. 

• A pre-recorded video walkthrough of the report, with questions and answers. 

• A combination of the above.

Remember, some organizations will request two or more final deliverables intended for various audiences or to achieve different goals. These may be in the same or different formats. 

The ideal formats for user research share-outs will adhere to the following criteria:

• They’re meaningful and culturally relevant to intended audiences.

• You can create them using your existing skills, or with resources that are readily available or can be reasonably procured.

• You can produce them in the designated timeframe and with the allocated budget.

Structuring your user research report

With the objectives and format firmly established, the next step is to craft an outline for your report. 

For example, you’re assembling a slide deck, it’s important to make the visuals impactful and memorable. You also need to decide what visuals to use and where to use them. This ensures that your presentation not only captivates but also communicates the research results effectively. In contrast, these elements aren't nearly as important in a topline report. 

Your outline should comprehensively address the "what" and "why" behind your findings and, ideally, include actionable recommendations and next steps. This helps to clarify the implications of your research and guide stakeholders to encourage informed decision-making and strategic planning.

 Here’s a short checklist of what I include in my most basic reports and share-outs. 

• Title: Project name, core stakeholders, and date.

• Background: Overview of the business challenge or research context.

• Participants: Overview of recruiting criteria, quantity of participants, and their relationship to the topic.

• Objectives: The research goals and questions I addressed.

• Approach: A quick summary of the research methodology, activities, and how and when the research learnings will be applied.

• Top findings/opportunities: Key themes, supported by key quotes (e.g. evidence) and their implications to the business.

• Recommendations: Actionable short-term recommendations and long-term strategic considerations. 

• Next steps: Proposed actions, with rough timelines, broken out by discipline (where possible).

Advanced research reporting techniques

Using creativity, improvisation, and character helps to make your research reports and presentations more memorable.

You can use the following techniques to make basic research reports more interesting and inspiring.

Include analytical and strategic content

For a more advanced approach to reporting, I like to think about what I’m sharing. I look at it from different angles – strategically, visually, audibly, and interactively – to make sure I include a variety of content. I also consider the core research topic and the culture of the organization. 

Extracting actionable insights can certainly guide strategic decisions, but there are boatloads of opportunities to kick this up several notches. Here are some ideas to consider.

• Include options or critical inflection points that highlight a path forward. This helps to foster real-time dialogue.

• Show contrast. Demonstrate the pain points and the opportunities to solve them. Showcase the emotional and the rational. Bringing these contrasts to life can be extremely effective!

• Share a video walkthrough showing the current and proposed experiences. Annotating concepts and creating prototypes that stem from your learnings can also be powerful.

• Incorporate charts, diagrams, and other graphics. Data visualization can be a great way to simplify complex information, share context, and add depth.

• Suggest areas for future research that highlight learning gaps and new questions that arise as a result of your study.

• Triangulate data from multiple sources, such as customer feedback or product reviews, to increase the credibility of your conclusions. This helps to reinforce the narrative with a robust evidence base.

• Make sure your report clearly connects to the business value, impact, or opportunity. Articulate how the insights from your study directly influence business outcomes, strategic direction, or market position. Highlighting this connection makes the research not just informative but actionable, aligning closely with organizational goals and demonstrating the tangible benefits of your findings.

Build empathy

Empathy is at the heart of user research. Task analyses, journey maps, and personas are all tools that help the people who consume our research learnings “walk in our participants’ shoes”. 

These elements should go beyond simply informing, however. Strive to evoke feelings to bridge the gap between ‌data and human experience. Show tensions, similarities, and differences. Bringing these research learnings to life also creates visual interest and helps in recalling information. 

No joke, I once gave an entire presentation with illustrations of tomatoes! I played on the phrase, "You say tomaTOE, I say toMAH-to." To this day, people still refer to it as the "tomato deck." The audience loved it, and it was incredibly memorable. 

A background in design is definitely an asset when creating memorable reports that build empathy. My first degree is in design, and I am so grateful for these skills! If you aren’t design-savvy, ask someone to help you. Tools like Lucidchart, Beautiful.ai, Freepik, and Wordart.com can also provide tremendous help and inspiration.

Introduce humor and interactivity

Adding humor (when appropriate) to your reports can be super fun and unexpected. New Yorker-style cartoons, video or audio voiceovers, music, and memes can be fantastic additions to add levity, build suspense, and create other moods. 

If you’re presenting your report live, including polls, a Q&A session, and running workshop activities are terrific ways to turn passive listeners into active attendees. 

Role-playing and interactive demos also offer a hands-on understanding of the topic and can spark innovation, discussion, and empathy.

Leverage visual and dynamic content

Using both static and dynamic content can make or break how engaging your presentation is. I love creating visual aids like charts, diagrams, and storyboards to distill complex information into digestible pieces. 

Annotations and highlight reels can really help bring insights and other important takeaways home, too. 

Making your message impossible to ignore and using a combination of techniques to get it across speaks to different types of learners. While some will be number-centric and others will prefer listening to audio clips, everyone loves a good story. And we all know the adage, “a picture is worth a thousand words.”

Incorporate storytelling

Strive for your report not just to inform but also to move your audience. Storytelling techniques (incorporating well-designed visuals, relevant video and audio clips, and humor) forge emotional connections and make sure recommendations don't just linger in the mind but spark action. 

Presenting your data from various perspectives can further influence stakeholder decisions, making the narrative more relatable and persuasive.

Balance qualitative and quantitative data

Balancing qualitative insights with quantitative data requires finesse. I generally don't include numbers (such as “six out of 10 participants …”) into my qualitative shareouts. Instead, I’ll say “the majority” or “the vast majority.” 

If I do include numbers, I make certain to contextualize them with disclaimers to set realistic expectations for the audience and to underscore that quantitative sample sets may not be generalizable to a wider audience. 

I include this disclaimer physically next to any numbers and make sure to say this aloud if I’m presenting so anyone watching hears it as well. This also builds trust and can foster a more meaningful dialogue with stakeholders.

Link findings to business outcomes

Make sure your research findings will make a tangible impact. Linking learnings to tangible business outcomes or KPIs, such as growth opportunities or cost savings, is very effective. Demonstrating how your research directly relates to product development, customer experience, and business strategy can significantly enhance the perceived value and credibility of your research.

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Creating a time capsule for your research

Consider this intriguing perspective: your final research report is a gateway to the past for the future. Read that sentence again. It’s not just a document for the present but a guide for future efforts, too. You're laying down a foundation not just for your future self but for your future colleagues who will continue this journey of discovery.

I view my deliverables as a time capsule that documents the insights and understandings of today, thereby preventing confusion and unnecessary effort in the future. Ever found yourself pondering, "What were our thoughts and reasoning at that time?". Your research deliverables should answer this question. They should make sure that knowledge and decisions are clearly communicated and easily accessible down the road. 

By dedicating yourself to a detailed and impactful report, you’re investing in a resource that will continue to yield benefits, enhance knowledge, and facilitate informed decision-making in the years to come.

Moreover, this process is inherently circular and ties seamlessly into the research planning phase. At the outset of any new research initiative, my first step involves delving into existing knowledge – understanding what we already know and what can reasonably be inferred. These final deliverables become a critical resource in this phase, stored and accessed to inform and shape future research. So, your report not only serves as a bridge to the past but also as a cornerstone for future explorations. It guarantees that the cycle of learning is continuous, making every research effort a building block for subsequent inquiries and strategies. 

In essence, your report solidifies the circular nature of research, where each phase of planning, execution, and documentation feeds into and informs the next, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem of knowledge and innovation.

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This article was authored by Michele Ronsen, Founder and CEO of Curiosity Tank. Michele is a user research executive, coach and educator. She teaches design and user research to people around the world. Her corporate trainings and workshops are inspired by working with Fortune 500s and start-ups for more than twenty years. Fuel Your Curiosity is her award winning, free, user-research newsletter. In 2020, LinkedIn honored Michele with a TopVoices award in the Technology category. She is the first and only researcher to receive this award.