User Research
- 2.9k installs
- 23.1k repo stars
- Updated July 28, 2026
- anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins
user-research is an agent skill that plans, conducts, and synthesizes user research with interview guides, methods selection, and analysis frameworks.
About
User Research is an Anthropic knowledge-work skill for planning, conducting, and synthesizing user research studies. It compares methods including interviews, usability testing, surveys, card sorting, diary studies, and A/B testing with sample sizes and timelines. The interview guide structure covers warm-up, context, deep dive, reaction to concepts, and wrap-up timing. Analysis frameworks include affinity mapping, impact-effort prioritization, journey mapping, and jobs-to-be-done framing. Deliverables span research plans, interview guides, synthesis reports, and highlight reels of key quotes. Developers and product teams invoke it when users ask for user research plans, interview guides, usability tests, survey design, research questions, or help understanding users through structured studies. The skill stays method-focused without prescribing specific survey tools, making it a lightweight planning assistant for early validation and design critique workflows rather than statistical analysis platforms.
- Method table covers interviews, usability tests, surveys, card sorting, diary studies, and A/B tests.
- Interview guide template sequences warm-up, context, deep dive, reaction, and wrap-up.
- Analysis frameworks include affinity maps, impact-effort matrix, and journey mapping.
- Deliverables list research plans, guides, synthesis reports, and highlight reels.
- Triggers on user research plan, interview guide, usability test, and survey design requests.
User Research by the numbers
- 2,866 all-time installs (skills.sh)
- +115 installs in the week ending Jul 28, 2026 (Skillselion tracking)
- Ranked #181 of 3,301 Productivity & Planning skills by installs in the Skillselion catalog
- Security screen: MEDIUM risk (skills.sh audit)
- Data as of Jul 28, 2026 (Skillselion catalog sync)
user-research capabilities & compatibility
- Capabilities
- research planning · interview guides · method selection · usability testing · survey design · synthesis frameworks
- Use cases
- research · planning · project management
What user-research says it does
User interviews | Deep understanding of needs and motivations | 5-8
Affinity mapping**: Group observations into themes
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| Installs | 2.9k |
|---|---|
| repo stars | ★ 23.1k |
| Security audit | 3 / 3 scanners passed |
| Last updated | July 28, 2026 |
| Repository | anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins ↗ |
How do I structure a user research study with the right method, guide, and synthesis outputs?
Plan user research studies with interview guides, method selection, synthesis frameworks, and deliverable templates.
Who is it for?
Product managers and designers preparing interviews, usability tests, or surveys before major feature decisions.
Skip if: Quantitative analytics dashboard setup or automated telemetry analysis without participant sessions.
When should I use this skill?
Invoke on user research plan, interview guide, usability test, survey design, research questions, or understanding users through research.
What you get
A research plan, interview or test guide, and synthesis framework ready to run with target participants.
By the numbers
- Recommends 5–8 participants for user interviews and usability testing
- Recommends 100+ respondents for survey studies
Files
User Research
Help plan, execute, and synthesize user research studies.
Research Methods
| Method | Best For | Sample Size | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| User interviews | Deep understanding of needs and motivations | 5-8 | 2-4 weeks |
| Usability testing | Evaluating a specific design or flow | 5-8 | 1-2 weeks |
| Surveys | Quantifying attitudes and preferences | 100+ | 1-2 weeks |
| Card sorting | Information architecture decisions | 15-30 | 1 week |
| Diary studies | Understanding behavior over time | 10-15 | 2-8 weeks |
| A/B testing | Comparing specific design choices | Statistical significance | 1-4 weeks |
Interview Guide Structure
1. Warm-up (5 min): Build rapport, explain the session 2. Context (10 min): Understand their current workflow 3. Deep dive (20 min): Explore the specific topic 4. Reaction (10 min): Show concepts or prototypes 5. Wrap-up (5 min): Anything we missed? Thank them.
Analysis Framework
- Affinity mapping: Group observations into themes
- Impact/effort matrix: Prioritize findings
- Journey mapping: Visualize the user experience over time
- Jobs to be done: Understand what users are hiring your product to do
Deliverables
- Research plan (objectives, methods, timeline, participants)
- Interview guide (questions, probes, activities)
- Synthesis report (themes, insights, recommendations)
- Highlight reel (key quotes and observations)
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How many participants do interviews typically need?
User interviews and usability tests usually target five to eight participants for qualitative depth.
What sections belong in an interview guide?
Warm-up, context, deep dive, reaction to concepts, and wrap-up with suggested timing.
Which frameworks help prioritize findings?
Affinity mapping, impact-effort matrix, journey mapping, and jobs-to-be-done analysis.
Is User Research safe to install?
skills.sh reports 3 of 3 security scanners passed. Review the Security Audits panel on this page before installing in production.