---
name: Customer Research
description: This skill should be used when the user asks to "understand customers", "customer research", "user personas", "customer needs analysis", "buyer journey mapping", "voice of customer", "customer segmentation", "user research", or needs guidance on customer discovery methodologies, persona development, or understanding buyer behavior.
version: 0.1.0
---

# Customer Research

## Overview

Customer research systematically gathers insights about target users to inform product and market decisions. This skill covers methodologies for understanding customer needs, behaviors, and preferences.

## Research Types

### Quantitative Research
- Surveys and questionnaires
- Usage analytics
- A/B testing results
- Market share data
- NPS/satisfaction scores

### Qualitative Research
- Customer interviews
- Focus groups
- Observation studies
- Support ticket analysis
- Review mining

## Persona Development

### Core Elements

**Demographics**
- Age range
- Job title/role
- Industry
- Company size
- Location

**Psychographics**
- Goals and motivations
- Pain points and frustrations
- Decision-making style
- Information sources
- Technology comfort

**Behaviors**
- Current solutions used
- Buying process
- Key triggers
- Evaluation criteria

### Persona Template

```markdown
## [Persona Name]

### Profile
- **Role**: [Job title]
- **Company**: [Size, industry]
- **Experience**: [Years in role]

### Goals
1. [Primary goal]
2. [Secondary goal]
3. [Tertiary goal]

### Pain Points
1. [Major frustration]
2. [Secondary frustration]
3. [Minor annoyance]

### Quote
"[Representative statement capturing mindset]"

### Buying Behavior
- **Trigger**: [What prompts search]
- **Research**: [How they evaluate]
- **Decision**: [Who/what influences]
- **Timeline**: [Typical cycle length]

### Preferred Channels
- [Channel 1]
- [Channel 2]
```

## Jobs-to-be-Done Framework

Focus on what customers are trying to accomplish:

**Functional Jobs**
- Core task to complete
- Measurable outcomes desired

**Emotional Jobs**
- How they want to feel
- Social perception goals

**Related Jobs**
- Before/after the core job
- Supporting tasks

### JTBD Statement Format
"When [situation], I want to [motivation], so I can [expected outcome]."

**Example:**
"When I'm preparing a market analysis, I want to quickly find reliable data, so I can make confident recommendations to leadership."

## Customer Journey Mapping

### Journey Stages

1. **Awareness**
   - How do they discover they have a need?
   - What triggers the search?

2. **Consideration**
   - What options do they evaluate?
   - What criteria matter most?

3. **Decision**
   - Who influences the choice?
   - What tips the decision?

4. **Purchase**
   - What friction points exist?
   - What enables conversion?

5. **Onboarding**
   - First experience expectations
   - Success metrics

6. **Retention/Advocacy**
   - What drives continued use?
   - What triggers referrals?

### Journey Map Template

| Stage | Actions | Thoughts | Emotions | Pain Points | Opportunities |
|-------|---------|----------|----------|-------------|---------------|
| Awareness | | | | | |
| Consideration | | | | | |
| Decision | | | | | |
| Purchase | | | | | |
| Onboarding | | | | | |
| Retention | | | | | |

## Data Collection Methods

### Interview Framework

**Opening (5 min)**
- Build rapport
- Explain purpose
- Get permission to record

**Current State (15 min)**
- Walk me through your typical workflow
- What tools do you use?
- What's working well?

**Pain Points (15 min)**
- What's most frustrating?
- Tell me about a recent challenge
- What would make your life easier?

**Ideal State (10 min)**
- If you could wave a magic wand...
- What would success look like?
- How would you measure it?

**Closing (5 min)**
- Anything else to add?
- Can I follow up?
- Referrals?

### Review Mining

Extract insights from:
- G2, Capterra, TrustRadius
- App store reviews
- Reddit discussions
- Twitter/social mentions
- Support forums

**What to look for:**
- Repeated complaints
- Feature requests
- Competitor comparisons
- Use case descriptions
- Emotional language

## Segmentation

### Segmentation Criteria

**Demographic**: Company size, industry, role
**Behavioral**: Usage patterns, buying frequency
**Needs-based**: Problem severity, sophistication
**Value-based**: Revenue potential, strategic fit

### Segment Prioritization

| Segment | Size | Need Intensity | Accessibility | Competition | Priority |
|---------|------|----------------|---------------|-------------|----------|
| [Name] | S/M/L | H/M/L | H/M/L | H/M/L | 1-5 |

## Output Structure

```markdown
## Customer Research Summary

### Key Segments
1. [Segment 1]: [Description, size]
2. [Segment 2]: [Description, size]

### Personas
[Persona summaries]

### Jobs-to-be-Done
1. [Core job]
2. [Supporting job]

### Journey Insights
- **Awareness**: [Key finding]
- **Consideration**: [Key finding]
- **Decision**: [Key finding]

### Pain Points (Ranked)
1. [Most severe]
2. [Second]
3. [Third]

### Opportunities
1. [Unmet need 1]
2. [Unmet need 2]

### Trend Indicators
- Customer sophistication: INC/DEC/CONST
- Willingness to pay: INC/DEC/CONST
- Switching propensity: INC/DEC/CONST
```

## Best Practices

- Talk to actual customers, not just internal assumptions
- Include churned customers and non-customers
- Distinguish between stated and revealed preferences
- Update research regularly (behaviors change)
- Quantify qualitative insights where possible

## Additional Resources

For detailed frameworks, see:
- `references/interview-guide.md` - Interview techniques
- `references/persona-examples.md` - Sample personas
- `examples/journey-map.md` - Complete journey map