Evaluative Research
Evaluative research is when teams test their solutions through assumption testing—evaluating whether their ideas will work before fully building them.
What's the difference between evaluative research and generative research?
Evaluative research is different from generative research. Generative research helps teams discover opportunities through story-based customer interviews. Evaluative research helps teams test which solutions will best address those opportunities.
How does evaluative research work?
Through evaluative research, teams test the assumptions underlying their solutions. This typically involves prototyping and assumption testing to evaluate desirability, viability, feasibility, usability, and ethical assumptions.
Rather than building complete solutions and hoping they work, teams use evaluative research to quickly learn which ideas have the most potential and which ones to set aside.
Why do teams need both evaluative and generative research?
Both types of research are essential for continuous discovery. Generative research helps teams discover what matters to customers. Evaluative research helps teams discover which solutions will best create value for customers while driving business outcomes.
Learn more:
- Customer Interviews: How to Recruit, What to Ask, and How to Synthesize What You Learn
- Opportunity Solution Trees: Visualize Your Discovery to Stay Aligned and Drive Outcomes
Related terms:
- Generative Research
- Assumption Testing
- Prototyping
- Continuous Discovery
Last Updated: October 25, 2025