You’ve done the research, asked the right questions of your customers, your people, or your community … and now, the results are in.
But instead of clear direction, you’re faced with a page of numbers, a handful of quotes, and pages of graphs that leave you thinking what now?
You’re not alone. Many organisations and businesses find this moment challenging, especially when the research uncovers surprising results or complex issues. The findings may be thought-provoking, even exciting, but they rarely come with a tidy set of instructions or a single ‘right’ path forward. That can feel unsettling, and it’s only natural to want to avoid costly missteps or investing energy in the wrong direction, no matter how exciting it might seem at first.
This is where the real value of research begins; not with the answers themselves, but in how you use them.
Bringing it back to intention
The first step is to pause and come back to your original purpose or objectives. Why you did the research and what you hoped to learn or decide? Reiterating the purpose, again, now that you’ve seen the results, helps focus your attention on what matters most. It can also highlight what’s still missing or where you might need more clarity.
Simplify the findings
Next, take the time to translate your findings into plain English. Too often, findings are presented in charts and tables that are technically accurate but emotionally ambiguous. Reframing insights into everyday language makes them easier to talk about and act on. Instead of “45% of employees rated the onboarding process as neutral or poor,” try “many new employees are feeling underwhelmed and uncertain after they join the organisation.” When insights sound like something you’d actually say out loud, they’re more likely to spark useful conversations to make data driven decisions.
Start the conversation, together
And conversations are exactly what you need. Because often, the first round of engagement doesn’t give you everything; it gives you a starting point. A low score or strong opinion might reveal an issue, but not the cause. A promising idea might emerge, but not yet feel fully formed. This is where a follow-up workshop, internal session, or focus group can be invaluable. If a customer concern has come up, consider bringing a small group of staff together to dig deeper. If an idea is gaining traction, why not test it in a collaborative strategy session or co-design workshop with the team, or even with the customers themselves?
These don’t need to be large or expensive projects. Sometimes, just an hour of engaged discussion, with the right people in the room, can shift your thinking and open a path forward.
Stay practical
From there, it’s about staying practical. Start small. Trial one or two actions or changes. Monitor what happens and adjust as you go. Keep the loop open, talk about what you’re learning, share your progress, and be honest about what’s still uncertain. Let people see that the research wasn’t just an exercise, but a discovery tool for real decision-making.
Ask better questions, make confident decisions
In the end, research isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about asking better questions and making more confident decisions. Whether your next step is a conversation, or another round of market research, treat your findings not as an end point, but as the beginning of a wider and more collaborative process.
