Research takes time and resources. It underpins the whole project, as design decisions are made based on the outcomes of research. Therefore, it makes sense to plan it carefully so you create a solid foundation for your website. Just like projects need project management to ensure that they meet their goals successfully and timeously, research benefits from creating and following a structured research plan.
Research plans should be documented and shared with the team and stakeholders. They help you to ensure that everyone is aware of the research and involved in it. It is always a good idea to have as many team members involved in the research as possible. If everyone involved in the web project is aware of the reasons for and results from the research, there are less likely to be conflicts over user needs and design decisions in the future.
Although UX research does not aspire to the rigor of scientific enquiry, the components of a research plan are based on the...