Free user research templates that make running studies easy
Templates for the user research process can be a great head start for a new team, allowing them to adapt the contents to meet the needs of their organisation.
Make the best use of these by reading the guidance in the book Building User Research Teams.
Please feel free to download and adapt these templates for your own use.
On this page, you will find:
- The Research Study Tracker
- A Research Study Checklist
- Kick Off Meeting Template
- Study Plan and Discussion Guide Template
- Consent Form Template
- Visitor Information Template
- Observer Information Template
- Note Taking Template
- User Research Report Template
User Research Study Tracker
This Trello board has all of the steps required to plan and run a user research study, and includes links to the other templates. Information on how to use a board like this, and how to adapt it to your own team’s requirements are covered in Building User Research Teams.
Please duplicate this board and adapt it however you see fit!
Access the User Research Study Tracker Trello Board here.
User Research Checklist Template
This adaptable template has all of the steps required to successfully run a study. It can be downloaded and changed to match the specifics for your organisation – giving you confidence that the study will run correctly. Details on how to perform each of these steps is covered in the book Building User Research Teams.
Download the research checklist template here.
User Research Kick Off Meeting Template
A kick off meeting gets a research study started on the right track, and allows everyone to agree the method, dates and objectives for a study. This template can be used to make sure everything is captured in that first meeting.
Download the kick off template here.
User Research Study Plan and Discussion Guide Template
A study plan is essential for moderated research, to make sure that all of the research objectives are addressed. This template allows researchers to be confident the study will run as planned and that the right kind of data will be gathered.
Download the study plan template here.
User Research Consent Form Template
Gathering evidence of consent is required to run ethical research. This template outlines the consent form for participants. It will need to be reviewed by your own organisation’s legal representatives to ensure it meets the needs of your organisation.
Download the consent form template here.
User Research Visitor Information
Giving participants some information before they arrive can help reduce their anxiety, and avoid sessions being lost due to mistakes. This template gives participants much of the information they’ll need to arrive on time and prepared to take place.
Download the visitor information template here.
User Research Observer Information
This template gives observers the information they need to make the most of the research sessions they watch. It includes background information on the research objectives, as well as rules for observing sessions and interacting with participants.
Download the ‘information for observers’ template here.
User Research Note Taking Template
This template for capturing data during studies is created in ‘MindNode’, a free mind mapping application. As described in the book, Mind Maps can be used to speed up the analysis and reporting process for user researchers.
Download a zip file containing the template here.
User Research Report Template
This report template is suitable for presenting user research findings to stakeholders, and also works as a written document to be shared after. It contains sections to describe the study, a format for explaining research findings, and the prompts to run a solutions workshop.
The blank report template can be downloaded here.
An example completed version of this template can be downloaded here.
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