ux-research-synthesize — Reference Material

Extracted from skills/ux-research-synthesize/SKILL.md for token optimization. Contains scoring rubrics, format specifications, lookup tables, and checklists.

Nielsen Severity Framework (0-4 Scale)

Rate severity for each theme:

Rating	Level	Description
0	Not a usability problem	No action needed
1	Cosmetic problem only	Fix if time permits
2	Minor usability problem	Low priority
3	Major usability problem	High priority
4	Usability catastrophe	Fix before release

Priority Score Calculation

Frequency: (Participants encountering issue / Total participants) x 100
Impact: Severity rating (0-4)
Priority Score: Severity x Frequency

Impact x Effort Matrix

Effort Estimation Scale

Effort Level	Description
Low	1-2 sprints, minimal resources
Medium	1-2 months, small team
High	3-6+ months, cross-functional effort

Quadrant Definitions

Quadrant	Impact	Effort	Action
Quick Wins	High	Low	Do first
Big Bets	High	High	Plan carefully
Fill-Ins	Low	Low	If time permits
Money Pits	Low	High	Avoid

Draft Recommendation Template

Use the following structure for generating recommendations:

Format: [Action Verb] + [Specific Element] + [To Achieve Outcome] + [Because Evidence]

Example:

"Redesign the settings menu with clearer labeling and top-level placement to reduce support tickets by 20% because 80% of new admins couldn't locate settings without assistance (Theme 2, P1, P4, P7, P9)."

Synthesis Mode Descriptions

[1] Speed (1-2 hours)

Top findings from 3-5 sessions
Critical issues only
Bullet-format output
Best for: Quick usability tests with clear tasks

[2] Standard (1-2 days) — Recommended

Full 6-phase thematic analysis
3-8 themes with evidence
Audience-tailored report
Best for: Interview studies, exploratory research

[3] Cross-Study (meta-analysis)

Aggregate themes across multiple studies
Longitudinal tracking
Strategic recommendations
Best for: Research repositories, quarterly synthesis

Research Question Templates

Common research question templates for participant clarification:

#	Template
1	What usability issues exist in [feature]?
2	How do users perceive [concept]?
3	What are user needs around [topic]?
4	What motivates users to [action]?
5	Custom - Let me write my own

Data Source Summary Format

Use this format when displaying identified data sources:

DATA SOURCES IDENTIFIED
════════════════════════════════════════
Study: {study_name}
Total files: {N}
  Transcripts: {n} files
  Notes: {n} files
  Surveys: {n} files
  Other: {n} files
════════════════════════════════════════

Participant Coverage Matrix Format

Use this format to display participant coverage per theme:

PARTICIPANT COVERAGE
────────────────────────────────────────
Theme 1: {theme_name}
  Participants: {n} total (P1, P3, P4, P7, P9)
  Quotes: {n} quotes ({quotes_per_participant breakdown})

Theme 2: {theme_name}
  Participants: {n} total (P2, P5, P8, P10)
  Quotes: {n} quotes
  ⚠️ P5 contributed 40% of quotes - validate representativeness

Theme 3: {theme_name}
  Participants: {n} total (P1, P2, P4, P6, P8, P9)
  Quotes: {n} quotes
────────────────────────────────────────

Coverage quality: {Balanced | ⚠️ Imbalanced}

Imbalanced Coverage Handling

If any theme has imbalanced coverage (>25% from single participant), present:

"Theme {N} quotes are dominated by P{X}. Options: [1] Find more evidence from other participants [2] Reframe as edge case instead of theme [3] Discard this theme Choose: [1/2/3]"

Methodology Note Structure

Brief overview (5-7 sentences) covering:

Research type (interviews, usability tests, surveys)
Participant count and recruitment method
Analysis approach (Braun & Clarke 6-phase, Atomic Research, hybrid)
Synthesis mode used (Speed/Standard/Cross-Study)
Limitations (one-line list):
- Sample size constraints
- What was NOT analyzable and why
- Confidence caveats
- Scope limitations

Appendix Sections (Standard+ mode only)

Optional sections to include:

Participant Profiles: Demographics, segments represented
Codebook Summary: Top 20 codes with definitions
Methodology Details: Full Braun & Clarke 6-phase process walkthrough

Definition of Done Checklist

Nielsen Severity Framework (0-4 Scale)
Priority Score Calculation
Impact x Effort Matrix
- Effort Estimation Scale
- Quadrant Definitions
Draft Recommendation Template
Synthesis Mode Descriptions
Research Question Templates
Data Source Summary Format
Participant Coverage Matrix Format
- Imbalanced Coverage Handling
Methodology Note Structure
- Appendix Sections (Standard+ mode only)
Definition of Done Checklist

Nielsen Severity Framework (0-4 Scale)​

Priority Score Calculation​

Impact x Effort Matrix​

Effort Estimation Scale​

Quadrant Definitions​

Draft Recommendation Template​

Synthesis Mode Descriptions​

[1] Speed (1-2 hours)​

[2] Standard (1-2 days) — Recommended​

[3] Cross-Study (meta-analysis)​

Research Question Templates​

Data Source Summary Format​

Participant Coverage Matrix Format​

Imbalanced Coverage Handling​

Methodology Note Structure​

Appendix Sections (Standard+ mode only)​

Definition of Done Checklist​