Crafting actionable findings
Intro to insights
The word ‘insight’ has a variety of different definitions. In Dovetail, an insight is a specific object type where you summarize and share high-level project findings in a simple format.
Insights are a flexible way for you to present high-level findings from common themes and trace important quotes back to their original source. In this lesson, we will cover two common types of insights you can create in a project – an atomic finding or a formal research report.
If you decide to create insights as atomic findings, here are a few tips we recommend:
Insight as an atomic finding
The most common type of insight created by researchers in Dovetail is an atomic finding. Often referred to as a “nugget”, an atomic finding represents a single, high-level finding from a project. This type of insight is useful for bringing together related pieces of evidence that contribute to any critical discoveries that require immediate attention or action. These could look like:- A discovery about human behavior and the underlying motivations behind that behavior
- Information that challenges what we believe about users and how they exist in the world
- Knowledge that uncovers fundamental principles that drive us towards seeing users in a new way
| Reasons for | Reasons against |
|---|---|
| Easy format for stakeholders to grasp the key takeaway without being overwhelmed. | Atomic findings may lack the broader context of a project, which can lead to misinterpretation or an incomplete understanding of the issue. |
| Quick and easy share any early findings during analysis process. | Focusing on one finding might oversimplify complex issues, potentially ignoring underlying factors or contributing data from other projects. |
| Effective for drawing attention to urgent or critical information. | Stakeholders may selectively use single findings to support their arguments, which can lead to biased decision-making. |
- Contextualize – Encourage teams to provide context when sharing single-finding insights. This can include background information, related findings, or how the insight fits into the larger picture of the project or organization.
- Link to broader goals – Help teams understand how single findings connect to broader organizational objectives or customer needs. This can foster a more strategic approach to decision-making.
- Encourage collaboration – Promote discussions around single findings in team meetings or workshops to explore their implications and potential actions collaboratively. This can help mitigate the risks of oversimplification and cherry-picking.
Insight as a research report
The second most common insight is a research report. This typically is an in-depth summary of a single project with a collection of findings. There are a few key pros and cons to creating insights that represent a research report of a project in Dovetail.| Reasons for | Reasons against |
|---|---|
| Allows for a deep dive into specific project data, leading to more detailed and actionable insights that are directly relevant to the project’s objectives. | Insights are limited to the context of a single project, which might miss broader trends or opportunities that could be identified across multiple projects. |
| Easier to manage and communicate insights within a single project, reducing the complexity and potential for misinterpretation. | Focusing on a single project might lead to underutilization of resources that could be shared across projects. |
| With insights tied to a specific project, it is easier to assign responsibility and track progress. | Can lead to siloed thinking, where teams are not aware of or do not benefit from insights gained in other projects. |