Reading: Just Enough Research by Erika Hall

OK - now here's the book for you designers that are painfully or excitedly aware that research is critical for your success.  No ifs and or buts about it: if you can't prove it, then you're just making something pretty or pixel pushing and not giving true value to your client. 

Erika Hall, co-founder of Mule Design Studio

The biggest obstacle in the beginning I see with designers and myself was making the mental leap from wanting to predict what I thought they needed, to sitting back and observing from a position of utter curiosity.  This goes back to those Art School days and re-patterning those behaviors which stem from needing to stick out, find your own voice, have unique vision and/or opinion about your themes.  No my friend, you are now a little bit of a scientist and you get to marvel at what unfolds from a place of cultural and behavioral scientist.  Depersonalize the work. Sharpen up those analytical thinking skills. Your data will point you the way.

This deep realization for me, has been a relief.  I no longer need to convince anyone of anything.  The customer just did the convincing for me. 

This book does an amazing job getting the beginner started with chapters that highlight: the Process, Organizational Research, User Research, Competitive Research, Evaluative Research, Quantitative Research ... while also touching on Analysis and Models.

The book was published by A Book Apart and can also be bought on Amazon.