http://www.fastcodesign.com/3031942/google-ventures-on-8-shortcuts-for-better-faster-design-research

Google Ventures On 8 Shortcuts For Better, Faster Design Research

What questions do you want to answer?
Before you do any work on a research study, clarify what you want to get out of it. For example, would it be most useful to figure out:

• Can new customers understand and figure out how to use the product?
• What are customers’ existing workflow and pain points?
• What are pros/cons of competitive products?
• What are customers’ attitudes?
• How satisfied are existing customers with the product?
• How does new customers’ usage change over time?
• Which design performs better?