What is it? Primary Research can be a quantitative research and/or qualitative research study commissioned to gather first-hand feedback directly from or about a defined audience(s). The data is owned and controlled by the sponsor. 

When is it best used? When there is a unique objective and no prior research exists to meet that specific objective. Primary research is flexible in that it can be a single phase, iterative, or contain multiple phases (e.g. an evolving prototype testing). The same study design can be repeated to provide comparative data over time. Data collected may include opinions, attitudes, feedback, observations, behavior, etc.

What does it entail? It requires a customized research plan, participant criteria, method(s) of data collection, timelines, budgets, and more, to collect the right data to meet the needs of the stakeholders. Primary research can be unmoderated or moderated as well as evaluative or generative as long as it is collecting information directly from the source. 

Primary research methods include interviews, surveys, ethnographies, IDIs / In-depth Interviews, A/B Testing, Benchmark Testing, Card sort, Cognitive Walkthrough, Contextual Inquiry, Intercept Interview/Survey, NPS, diary studies, CSATs, focus groups. etc. It is used in many areas of research including CX: Customer experience, Market research, UXR / User Experience Research and Usability Research.

Interchangeable term: Custom research, primary investigation, first-hand research 

Use in a sentence: We commissioned primary research to understand which features were most important to implement first and why.

Related terms: Desk research, secondary research, empirical research, CX: Customer experience, Market research, UXR / User Experience Research and Usability Research.

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