Walkthrough example #1: Label, Sort, Insight

0:00I want to go into a little more detail around how I dive into research. How do I take data points and turn them into something that makes sense, right? What does that synthesis process look like? So let's dive in. We're going to take you over here to the document. All right, so let's say we have a number of statements. These are all statements around the research we're doing in the pyramid principal exercise, which is what city do you move to after graduation? So the first thing I would do in this case is just look at the data points.

0:42Maybe I did some initial research and I was just dumping them into a document. The next thing I would do is go through and start labeling these, maybe in a different color. It comes in so maybe this is about health food, earnings, good relationships and Boston. And it doesn't really matter what it is at this point.

1:30Let's say we keep doing that, I'll just dump in some of my notes already. And so we come up with a label for each of the data points. We start to make sense of it. The next thing I'm going to do is start grouping these. So let's say we have fitness classes. Let's put this up here with health. There appears to be something around money. Not sure if it's connected. The next thing is around singles and going out maybe, maybe it's like a party thing. Let's see, starting like putting my thoughts down as I'm working through this.

2:19Another money thing, but I'm unsure if that fits. Let's see, good city for making money. Let's see, up here this is around healthy food, nor the formatting. Healthy city and food. Also living, not really sure what to do with that yet, good for meeting people.

3:02So we kind of have four categories, healthy city, good for making money, cost of living, not really sure where that fits, partying. So this walkable city doesn't seem like it fits there. Maybe it's better up here. So we have probably four themes. The next thing I want to do is try and simplify these, right? So ideally, just to help you, you want to focus on what is the pattern of three. This is a good forcing mechanism just to figure out what the simplest way to communicate this is. It's also a way to figure out what are the things, what are the research I have does not fit.

3:47Anyways, I know all the data points fit because I've designed it moving backwards, but let's just dive in. Alright, what can we do with this one? I think, so this really is about money, right? So we underline that it's about earning. So we can start synthesizing this. For Boston is a good city for new grads, wealth, building wise, relative to other cities. Most of these mention comparing it to the other cities.

4:32Next closest city, next closest city. So I like this, let's lock this one in. What is this one about? So healthy city and food, we have healthy food, low obesity. So I start making sense of it, low obesity, lots of fitness options, walkable city. So I'm not sure what that is yet. And then the final one, I kind of start to see, okay, this is good for networking. Maybe these fit, right, it's about social, maybe it's about relationships.

5:29And this is really the process I go through. And then, so these would be the insights if you're mapping it to the pyramid principle. And then the next thing you want to do is figure out what is the main takeaway. So you have these three points, I would typically taste these up here. Let's just call this Boston, is a healthy place to live, place that. And then the main idea is really synthesizing these three points.

6:16Well, Boston is an excellent option for new grads that prioritize healthy living, wealth, aviation, and a vibrant social environment. There we go.