Research Project

Applied Research Experiment Template

Interactive, practitioner-focused experiment planning template to design, run, evaluate, and share small applied research projects in leadership and collaboration.

Interactive Tool

Applied Research Experiment Template

Plan rigorous, repeatable, useful experiments for leadership and collaboration

Use this form to turn an idea into a clear, testable experiment that practitioners can run, evaluate, and replicate. Complete the fields with enough detail that a colleague could run the same study. Where helpful, prefer operational definitions (how you'll measure things) and explicit acceptance criteria. Save the plan and return to update results, attach data summaries, or export for review.

Tips: Keep your primary outcome focused and measurable. Define success criteria before you run the experiment. Document ethical and privacy considerations. Design for replication by describing the context and sample clearly.

Short, descriptive title (3–10 words).
What practical problem, need, or opportunity does this experiment address? Explain who benefits and why this matters in practice.
State the primary research question and a clear hypothesis (if applicable). Example: 'Will a 15-minute peer coaching huddle after weekly retros reduce reported conflict incidents by 25% in 8 weeks?'.
Define the main measure you'll use to judge success and how it's measured (units, collection method, frequency).
Other measures you will track (qualitative and quantitative).
List surveys, observation checklists, system logs, rating scales, or other instruments and how each is scored or interpreted.
Choose the design that best fits your goals and constraints.
Describe who will be included, where they operate (context), any relevant characteristics, and how you'll recruit or select participants.
Enter an estimated number of units (people, teams, events). If no formal power calculation is used, explain the rationale (feasibility, pilot size).
How will participants or units be assigned or sampled?
When do you intend to start? Use a date or quarter (e.g., Q3 2026).
Estimated total duration from preparation through final analysis.
List milestones (recruitment complete, baseline data collected, midterm review, analysis, dissemination) and approximate dates.
Select all methods you'll use.
Describe how you'll analyze the primary outcome and secondary measures (statistical tests, qualitative coding approach, comparison method). Include how you'll handle missing data and any planned subgroups.
State specific criteria you will use to judge whether the experiment succeeded, failed, or needs iteration (quantitative thresholds or qualitative standards).
When will you pause or stop the experiment? Include safety or ethical triggers and operational limits (e.g., adverse outcomes, unacceptable burden).
Identify likely biases, confounders, or implementation risks and how you'll reduce or monitor them.
Explain consent, confidentiality, identifiable data, vulnerable populations, and any approvals needed (institutional review, manager sign-off).
Where will data be stored, who will have access, how will it be de-identified, and how long will it be retained?
Describe contextual details needed to replicate this study elsewhere (tools, local processes, training, culture, timing).
How will you share results (internal report, workshop, one-pager, article)? If results are positive, how would you scale or implement the practice?
List staff roles, time commitments, tools, and an approximate budget or in-kind costs.
Names or roles responsible for running the experiment, data collection, analysis, and decisions. Include sponsors and operational partners.
Select 'Yes' when you have necessary approvals (ethical, operational).
List or describe attachments you will keep with the plan (survey instruments, consent forms, data schema). Use the main experiment record to reference where these files are stored.
You can explore this tool now. Sign in or create an account to save your responses and return to them later.
Sign In to Save Create an Account
Make this tool part of your work

Save a personal copy, bring it to your team, or tailor the questions and workflow to fit what you are hungry to improve.

Member customization and team collaboration are coming soon.
Discuss Ask the Librarian

Discussion

Comments and conversation will live here.