Think of Research in Terms of 1 Hour, 1 Week, and 1 Month!

Research is an essential part of starting a new business.
But how much research should you actually do?
And to begin with, how do you even do research?

I sometimes receive these simple questions.

Today, I will share a way of thinking that maximizes effectiveness by setting time limits.

Quick Research in 1 Hour

When you think of the time limit as one hour, the things you need to do are inevitably narrowed down.

All you can use is the internet and your past knowledge.

Type in keywords as they come to mind and gather information from around the world.
Which sites you use and what keywords you search with depend on your level.

If there is a difference in the level of action, it comes down to the number of search keywords and the number of searches.
If you have an hour, you can search about 100 times! Win with quantity first!

How many times are you searching?

It is also a good idea to add some variety by splitting the hour into the first and second half, doing one hypothesis verification, reflecting, refining your strategy, and then trying again in the second half.

Furthermore, if you can ask acquaintances via chat or phone, the scope of your research will expand.

Thorough Research in 1 Week

If you have a week, you can do quite thorough research.
In this case, I would first use the library.

List up literature during initial research and reserve them at the library.
If you are quick, you can get them by the next day.
Bookstores are mainly for new releases, so they can be used for trend research, but they are not suitable for deep research.

You can also repeat hypothesis verification several times.
Find people you can interview and go meet them in person.
Go observe on-site.
It seems like you could enjoy some real-world experiences.

You might also want to create a proper report.
Decide on the output image early and accumulate materials.
It is also a good idea to dedicate the last half-day to report creation.

Full-Scale Research in 1 Month

One month is for quite full-scale research.
In my case, this sometimes includes prototype production (such as a PowerPoint storyboard).
It may even include test marketing.

Also, since it is difficult to immerse yourself for a month alone, I often involve a team.
You can create your own team, or
I want to create a space to collaborate with other teams for dialogue and discussion.

When you consider that it includes planning and prototyping, it goes beyond the concept of research and the range of things you can do expands. It feels like you are using not just your mind, but also your hands and body.

Spending more time doesn't necessarily lead to better results, so
I recommend wrapping it up early and considering the next step.

Don't think of research as something rigid;
it's just gathering material to form a hypothesis,
so feel free to do it quickly,
and let's get results done efficiently!

This article was written by
New Business Producer Shigeki Kawahara
https://mousoubiz.com/
https://twitter.com/mousoubiz