📏 Research Planning Tips

Strategic approaches to conducting thorough, efficient research that strengthens your problem tree while making smart use of your time and resources.

🎯 Research Strategy Framework

The 80/20 Research Principle

80% of insights come from 20% of well-chosen sources

High-Impact Research Sources:

  • Government statistical reports (census, sector-specific data)
  • Recent academic systematic reviews and meta-analyses
  • Major NGO/UN agency reports on your topic
  • Direct stakeholder interviews with affected populations
  • Local expert consultations

Lower-Impact Research Sources:

  • Individual studies without peer review
  • Outdated reports (>5 years in fast-changing contexts)
  • Opinion pieces without data backing
  • Sources not specific to your geographic/demographic context

📊 Research Planning by Problem Tree Component

🌳 Core Problem Research

Essential Data Points to Gather

  1. Scale and Scope
    • How many people are affected?
    • Geographic distribution of the problem
    • Demographic breakdown (age, gender, income, etc.)
    • Trend data (getting better/worse over time?)
  2. Problem Severity
    • Quantitative indicators (mortality, morbidity, income levels, test scores)
    • Qualitative impact descriptions (how it affects daily life)
    • Comparison to national/regional/global averages
    • Cost estimates (economic impact of the problem)

Research Methods for Core Problem

Desk Research (2-4 hours):

  • National census data and government statistics
  • World Bank, UN, WHO country-specific reports
  • Academic literature reviews on your topic
  • Recent evaluation reports from similar programs

Field Research (4-8 hours):

  • Key informant interviews with local experts (3-5 people)
  • Focus group with affected population (6-12 participants)
  • Direct observation in problem context
  • Photo/video documentation where appropriate

🌱 Root Cause Research

Research Questions by Cause Type

Immediate Causes (What’s happening now?)

  • What behaviors or actions directly create the problem?
  • What systems or processes are failing?
  • What resources or capacities are missing?

Underlying Drivers (Why are immediate causes happening?)

  • What motivates or constrains current behaviors?
  • What historical factors created current systems?
  • What policies or governance structures shape the context?

Systemic Factors (What maintains the status quo?)

  • What power dynamics benefit from current situation?
  • What cultural norms or beliefs support current patterns?
  • What economic or political structures perpetuate the problem?

Root Cause Research Strategy

Start with “Five Whys” Literature Review:

  1. Search for research on immediate causes
  2. Look for studies explaining underlying drivers
  3. Find analysis of systemic and structural factors
  4. Identify contradictory evidence or alternative explanations
  5. Note gaps where stakeholder input is essential

🌿 Effects Research

Types of Effects to Research

Primary Effects (Direct consequences)

  • Health impacts (morbidity, mortality, quality of life)
  • Economic impacts (income loss, increased costs, productivity)
  • Social impacts (relationships, participation, status)
  • Educational impacts (learning, skills, opportunities)

Secondary Effects (Ripple consequences)

  • Family and household impacts
  • Community-level effects
  • Economic system impacts
  • Intergenerational consequences

Effects Research Approach

Quantitative Effects:

  • Search for studies measuring costs and impacts
  • Look for economic evaluations and burden of disease studies
  • Find longitudinal studies showing long-term consequences
  • Identify proxy indicators when direct measures aren’t available

Qualitative Effects:

  • Interview people experiencing the problem about consequences
  • Ask community leaders about broader impacts
  • Consult service providers about what they observe
  • Document stories and case examples

🔍 Efficient Research Techniques

The Research Sprint Method (6-8 hours total)

Hour 1-2: Rapid Landscape Scan

Goal: Get overall picture and identify key sources

  • Google Scholar search with key terms + your location
  • Check major databases (PubMed for health, ERIC for education, EconLit for economics)
  • Scan reference lists of most relevant papers for additional sources
  • Identify 2-3 local experts to interview

Hour 3-4: Deep Dive on Best Sources

Goal: Extract specific data for your problem tree

  • Read abstracts of 15-20 papers, full text of 3-5 best ones
  • Take structured notes using problem tree template
  • Document statistics, quotes, and key findings
  • Note methodology quality and geographic relevance

Hour 5-6: Stakeholder Validation Calls

Goal: Test and refine your understanding

  • 3-4 brief calls (20 minutes each) with local experts
  • Ask specific questions about your findings
  • Test your draft problem tree components
  • Get recommendations for additional sources

Hour 7-8: Synthesis and Gap Analysis

Goal: Finalize research foundation

  • Complete first draft of evidence-based problem tree
  • Identify remaining evidence gaps
  • Prioritize which gaps need additional research
  • Document assumptions that need stakeholder validation

AI-Enhanced Research Tips

Strategic AI Use for Problem Tree Research

Good AI Applications:

  • Literature search and summarization
  • Initial data analysis and pattern identification
  • Translation of research from other languages
  • Comparative analysis across countries or contexts

AI Limitations to Remember:

  • May not have access to most recent data
  • Can miss local context and cultural nuances
  • Cannot replace direct stakeholder consultation
  • May contain biases from training data

Best Practice: Use AI for speed and breadth, validate with human expertise and local knowledge

📚 Source Quality Assessment

Academic Source Evaluation

Tier 1 Sources (Highest Quality)

  • Systematic reviews and meta-analyses in reputable journals
  • Peer-reviewed studies with large sample sizes and robust methodology
  • Government statistical reports with transparent methodology
  • Major international organization reports (World Bank, UN agencies, WHO)

Tier 2 Sources (Good Quality)

  • Peer-reviewed individual studies with smaller samples
  • Reports from established NGOs with good research reputation
  • Government policy documents with evidence base
  • Evaluation reports from credible evaluation organizations

Tier 3 Sources (Use with Caution)

  • Working papers and conference presentations (not peer-reviewed)
  • Advocacy organization reports (may have bias)
  • Media reports (useful for current events, but verify facts)
  • Blog posts and opinion pieces (for perspectives, not facts)

Geographic and Temporal Relevance

Context Matching Checklist

  • Geographic relevance: Same country > same region > similar development level
  • Temporal relevance: Within 5 years > within 10 years > older with caution
  • Population relevance: Same demographic group > similar characteristics > different groups
  • Sectoral relevance: Same sector > related sectors > different sectors

Sample Size and Methodology Red Flags

  • Sample sizes too small for generalizable conclusions
  • Methodology not described or unclear
  • Conflict of interest not disclosed
  • Cherry-picked data without discussing limitations
  • Correlation presented as causation without proper analysis

🗃️ Research Organization Systems

Digital Research Management

Folder Structure 

Problem Tree Research/
├── Core Problem/
│   ├── Scale and Statistics/
│   ├── Affected Populations/
│   └── Problem Definition/
├── Root Causes/
│   ├── Immediate Causes/
│   ├── Underlying Drivers/
│   └── Systemic Factors/
├── Effects/
│   ├── Primary Effects/
│   └── Secondary Effects/
└── Stakeholder Inputs/
    ├── Expert Interviews/
    ├── Community Consultations/
    └── Validation Notes/

Research Note Template

For Each Source:

  • Citation: Full reference information
  • Relevance Score: 1-5 scale for your problem
  • Geographic Context: Location and population studied
  • Key Findings: 2-3 bullet points relevant to your tree
  • Quality Notes: Sample size, methodology, limitations
  • Problem Tree Connection: Which part of your tree this supports

Physical Research Organization

Research Binder Sections:

  1. Problem Tree Draft (updated as you learn)
  2. Key Statistics (quantitative data organized by component)
  3. Expert Quotes (qualitative insights organized by theme)
  4. Source Summary (one page per major source)
  5. Research Gaps (what you still need to find)

⏰ Time Management for Research

Research Time Allocation

For Simple, Well-Documented Problems (8-10 hours):

  • 30% Desktop research (3 hours)
  • 40% Stakeholder consultation (4 hours)
  • 30% Analysis and synthesis (3 hours)

For Complex, Under-Researched Problems (15-20 hours):

  • 40% Desktop research (6-8 hours)
  • 35% Stakeholder consultation (5-7 hours)
  • 25% Analysis and synthesis (4-5 hours)

Research Stopping Rules

Stop desktop research when:

  • Same information appears in 3+ sources
  • You’ve identified all major stakeholder categories
  • You have quantitative data on scale and qualitative data on impact
  • Additional sources don’t provide new insights

Stop stakeholder consultation when:

  • Similar themes emerge across multiple conversations
  • You’ve spoken with representatives from all major stakeholder groups
  • New interviews confirm rather than challenge existing understanding
  • You have sufficient detail for problem tree validation

📥 Download Research Tools

Research Planning Toolkit

🚀 Next Steps

  1. Plan your research sprint using the 6-8 hour framework
  2. Set up your research organization system (digital or physical)
  3. Conduct systematic research following the component-by-component approach
  4. Continue to 🧠 Model Context Protocol to accelerate your research with AI
  5. Document findings and prepare for stakeholder validation

Efficient research is strategic research. Focus your time on sources and methods that will give you the most insight per hour invested, and remember that perfect information is less valuable than good information gathered quickly.