Every researcher has a unique approach to problem-solving, relying on specific tools and methods that enhance creativity, collaboration, and efficiency. Whether it is transforming ideas into polished designs, facilitating seamless teamwork, or uncovering deep user insights, the right tools and techniques makes all the difference.

Here is a look at some of the tools and research methods that help streamline our workflow and bring ideas to life.

Debb

Debb relies on Figma for turning ideas into reality—here’s how it streamlines our design process.

Figma is my go-to tool for transforming concepts into polished designs with ease. Its real-time collaboration features allow me to work seamlessly with the team, ensuring feedback and iteration happen effortlessly. 

Figma also keeps everything structured and accessible, ensuring we move efficiently from concept to execution (sketches to final visuals). Its cloud-based nature also means no version control headaches—everyone stays on the same page, all the time.

Omowumi

Miro is an exciting and fascinating tool for me as it enables me to run remote workshops with team members. It enables real-time collaboration, allowing each team member to contribute ideas, create quick sketches of their ideas, and get feedback on the same digital canvas. This collaborative approach often guides our decisions more effectively and leads to innovative solutions.

With Miro’s templates, we organize complex information into clear frameworks. Whether analysis or affinity mapping, visualizing everything in one place simplifies discussions and decision-making.

Mujeedah

My favorite research method is conducting user interviews. It allows me to get deep insight into the users’ world and understand their pain points, motivations, and behavior. I use user interviews to identify very detailed and specific problems users face and then iterate on solutions to address those issues.

For example, while working on improving parents’ habit of saving for their children’s education, interviews revealed that the major setback to saving and investing is the lack of information on trusted investments.

This led us to come up with a solution that gives accessible financial educational resources that emphasizes transparency in investment and saving options such as mutual funds, corporate bonds, and high-yield savings accounts. By fostering trust through sharing of reliable information, parents were empowered to make more confident decisions when saving for their children’s education.

Melvina

Affinity mapping is one of my favorite research methods, especially in collaborative work sessions. It really comes in handy when dealing with data from user interviews, which could be overwhelming at times due to the largeness of the data. With this method, data can be organized into clusters to easily identify key user needs, pain points, opportunities, patterns, and insights that may have otherwise been hidden. 

This method effectively transforms raw, complex data into structured and actionable insights and could be used at any stage of the research process, from idea prioritization to strategy development, enabling informed decision-making and aligning teams around key opportunity areas.