Stop 03 · UX ResearchTopics · 11/11

Continuous Discovery Habits

In short

Big research projects once a year go stale fast. Teams that talk to users every week make smaller, safer bets and spot problems before they become expensive.

Weaving small amounts of user research into every week, rather than treating research as a one-off project before a big launch — popularized by Teresa Torres' 'Continuous Discovery Habits'.

The jaadu happily lifts small dumbbells at a gym next to a water bottle.

Think of it like this

Gym habit vs wedding crash diet

Crash dieting a month before a wedding works briefly, then it's back to old ways. Going to the gym three times a week, every week, actually keeps you fit. Research works the same: small and regular beats big and rare.

Watch it happen

One week of continuous discovery

Interview

Map

Choose

Test

Repeat

1/5Monday: a 30-minute call with one user. The person deciding what to build joins too.

The big ideas

What you need to know

Weekly touchpoints

Teresa Torres' book Continuous Discovery Habits suggests the team talks to customers at least weekly.

The team, not just research

Designers, product managers and engineers hear users directly, so decisions aren't based on second-hand summaries.

Opportunity solution tree

A visual map linking a goal to user opportunities, then to solutions and the tests for each.

Test assumptions small

Before building, check the riskiest assumption with the cheapest possible test.

Save yourself the pain

Common mistakes

Oops

Waiting until the 'research phase' to talk to users.

Do this instead

Book a small, regular slot. Even one conversation a week adds up quickly.

Oops

Recruiting from scratch every single time.

Do this instead

Set up an easy flow, like an in-app 'help us improve' signup, so interviews are always booked.

Your mission

Start a weekly habit

~30 min

Quick check

What's the main benefit of continuous discovery over one big research project?

Go deeper

1Read a summary of Teresa Torres' opportunity solution tree framework.
2Design a lightweight weekly research habit (e.g. one user call per week).
3Compare this to 'big bang' research and note the trade-offs for a real team.