Three Green Flags to Look For in a Research Vendor

It seems like everyone is talking about the flattening of the talent stack these days. Tech leads are doubling as product managers, product managers are playing designer, and researchers are lending their talents to the insights team. Anyone with a laptop is doing more with less.

Perhaps no corner of the product industry is witnessing democratization more than UX research.

Despite “research” working its way into the job descriptions of more and more disciplines, experienced, high-caliber researchers will always have their place in industry. Whether it’s to supplement your team’s capacity, tap into deep expertise, or get an objective outside perspective, research vendors are valuable for a host of reasons. But between traditional agencies and the recent increases of independent and fractional labor, how do you know you’re talking to someone with the chops to execute at a high level?

We asked product research experts Hannah Shamji and Jon MacDonald how to spot a great research vendor. Read on to hear their perspective on what “green flags” to look for when vetting your next research partner.

They Ask a Healthy Number of Questions

Most experienced researchers have chosen the wrong method at least once in their careers. And the outcome is always disappointing. “Picking the wrong research method leaves you with results you effectively can’t use, and is a huge waste of resources,” says Jon MacDonald, Founder and CEO at The Good.

Fortunately, that painful lesson has its upside in learning value. Careful to avoid diving headfirst into a low-utility approach, experienced researchers ask plenty of questions before jumping into execution. This assures they understand both the problem space and how the research will be actioned on.

“If they are asking questions, it tells you they want to understand the business context,” says Hannah Shamji, former psychotherapist turned customer researcher. “If they’re just jumping in and not really scoping things out, it’s probably a sign they’re not the right fit.”

That heavy lifting up front helps shape a clear scope, but the conversation is more than just a learning exercise. A strong vendor will then massage the methodology to fit the business challenge. “I think it’s important to not lead with a method unless you have a very clear diagnosis,” says Hannah.

Jon agrees. “A good researcher will avoid a cookie-cutter approach,” says Jon. It’s why his team kicks off every project with a conversation designed to uncover nuance, align on business goals, and extract the institutional knowledge embedded within the team. It’s a process Jon calls “diagnosing before prescribing.” And it’s why The Good doesn’t respond to RFPs.

“If a scope is completely mapped out before involving a vendor, we often find that it’s poorly suited to yield the outcomes they’re after,” says Jon.

By forming scope through a collaborative process that starts with a conversation, research vendors are well-equipped to help craft an approach that’s appropriate and effective.

They Can Walk You Through the Tradeoffs

If you’re at the stage where you’re vetting research vendors, you probably have some idea of how to get the job done, i.e., through a survey or customer interviews. But Hannah warns that because research is so “accessible-sounding,” it’s common to chat with clients who start out asking for one form of research but really need another.

From Hannah’s point of view, a true expert will help you navigate the tradeoffs of one method vs another. They’ll help you understand how an approach impacts your time, budget, and expected outcomes. “There are a lot of easy, accessible go-tos like running a survey and talking to customers, but there are so many other forms of research that can close the gap,” Hannah says.

“The difference between an executioner and consultants is that if you want someone to do, that’s a slightly different hire. If you want someone who will help you navigate the tradeoffs, it’s a different conversation.”

Jon agrees.

“Our clients love chatting through their needs with us because we’re really good at helping them outline the constraints and requirements of the task at hand and figuring out where to get the most leverage. We’re a thought partner. So by being brought in early enough, we can help them think through what they need to learn with new research versus where we can rely on historical or secondary research.”

In an ideal world, we would execute at the perfect balance of depth, speed, and cost. But at the speed of business today, most contexts leave us wanting for either time, budget, or rigor. A good research vendor will help you navigate the tradeoffs and make an informed decision.

“Sometimes you need to be scrappy, sometimes you need to go deep,” Hannah explains. "Being able to juggle your timeline and adapt the methods to your needs is key. Not everything needs significant rigor.”

As such, Hannah recommends being up front with your vendor and communicating what your priorities are—being honest about your budget, when you can act on the findings, who’s involved, and what’s in your power to change (versus what authority lives on another team). This context will help your vendor deliver “just enough research.”

They Are Flexible in Their Collaboration Style

For Hannah, research services are best done in a way that meets the team where they are at. That tailored collaboration style is what Jon calls a “one size fits one” approach.

As such, our experts believe a strong research vendor tailors their engagement to the company's needs, understanding that research roles can shift depending on the stage of the business. "Depending on who’s involved, I think about research differently," Hannah says. "There are certain stages where it’s not helpful to bring in a vendor with a buttoned-up process."

For instance, Hannah finds that early-stage founders seeking product-market fit may benefit more from hands-on coaching than outsourced research, “so they can stay close to the data and be at the frontline of it.”

For those early-stage founders, Hannah recommends working with a partner who will open up their process or even take a more coaching-based approach. That way, the feedback loops are faster and the learnings are gathered first-hand. “You want to own the process yourself and minimize the gap between learning and doing.”

This manifests in conversational snapshots of the data as it’s rolling in. "Sometimes I will drip out the findings as I get them because I know they need to move," Hannah notes. “I’ve had sales [people] jump on a call with me in the middle of me doing research because they just want to ask some questions to fill in the gaps with what I’m learning.”

For Jon, it’s about figuring out how involved a partner wants to be. “Some people want email updates almost daily, others just want a report in their inbox when things are wrapped. We try to work in a way that gives them their desired level of input and transparency.” This kind of adaptability ensures that research remains a business enabler rather than a bottleneck.

How To Choose The Right Research Partner

Choosing the right research vendor isn’t just about credentials or experience; it’s about fit.

To set yourself up for success, look for vendors who:

• Ask the right questions and diagnose problems before prescribing solutions.
• Can communicate tradeoffs to determine a path forward that fits your needs
• Are flexible in their collaboration style, tailoring their approach to the company’s stage and objectives.

By keeping these green flags in mind, businesses can ensure they partner with a research vendor who will deliver value, not just data.