Customer research
Write a research readout with visible limits
Give every finding its evidence and its boundaries. For each claim, state what you saw, who it applies to, what cut against it and what remains unresolved. Then name the decision the finding informs, so readers know what to do with it.
A text to start with
I ran [type of research] with [number and description of participants] about [topic] to inform [decision]. My notes and findings are: [findings]. Draft a readout in which each finding lists supporting evidence, any counterexample, who the finding applies to, its limitations and the decision it informs. List open questions separately. Do not generalize beyond the participants or tasks I studied.
Example request. Change the details to fit your situation.Finding and limits worksheet
Research method and dates: [ ] Participants studied and how they were chosen: [ ] Tasks or topics covered: [ ] Finding: [ ] Supporting evidence, with session references: [ ] Counterexample or contradicting evidence: [ ] Who this applies to: [ ] Who or what it may not apply to: [ ] Limitation: [ ] Decision this informs: [ ] Still unresolved: [ ] Confidence note: [ ]
Claims that stretch past the evidence
Check the verbs. "Users want" or "most people struggle" usually outruns a small group of participants. Look for findings that hold for the tasks you tested but are written as if they cover the whole product. Counterexamples get dropped because they complicate the story, so confirm each finding mentions what cut against it. Compare the limitations with how you recruited, since a limit in your plan should appear in the readout. A finding with no decision attached may be interesting without being useful yet.
Ask another agent to check the result
Read this readout and find every claim that generalizes beyond the participants or tasks studied. Quote the claim, state what the evidence actually covers, and suggest narrower wording. Also point out any finding that has no counterexample or limitation listed.
Share the readout and record decisions
Send the readout with the open questions visible and ask readers to challenge the limits section first. Record which decisions the team makes from each finding and which findings they decline to act on, with reasons. Carry unresolved items into the plan for the next round. Keep the raw notes reachable so anyone can check a finding against what was observed.