First, I like to understand the overarching research program. What is being researched? What are the expected applications and the use cases of the research findings? I endeavor to understand the needs and expectations of all stakeholders and collaborate with them to list any issues and gaps that need investigating.

Learning how people have approached similar problems in the past helps me identify the key strengths and weaknesses of using particular methods to solve the present problem. I read about key issues in the research area to help choose the right questions to ask users in interviews or identify more informative outcome measures in quantitative studies.

After creating a solid foundation for the research goals, I formulate precise and scoped research questions that will help keep it focused.

I then meticulously devise the methods and design the experiment to guard against confounds that can affect the validity of the results. I choose the optimal methods according to logistical constraints such as time, cost, and sample access.

Finally, I collect the data and choose the best analysis procedures for the method used to test the significance and reliability of the results.