The Simplest Way to Use User Research to Actually Improve Your Community
You don’t need a research degree to understand your community's members. This one simple method will show you exactly what to fix, and what to double down on.
You don't need a degree in UX or a 100-slide deck to run user research that makes a real impact.
One of the fastest ways to move from reactive to strategic as a community leader is to make decisions based on real member insight.
Here's a ridiculously simple but powerful process you can use this week.
Step 1: Ask the Right Questions
Most community surveys suck because they:
- Are too long
- Ask leading or vague questions
- Feel like work for the member
Instead, keep your survey short (3 questions is enough) and design it around what you want to learn, not what you want to hear. Ask open ended questions that reveal:
- What members are struggling with
- What they value most
- What would genuinely make their experience better
We’ve written 3 great questions for you in Day 12 of the 30-Day Career Upgrade Plan. Download it here if you haven’t already.
💡 Pro tip: Add a small incentive to increase replies. Think: giveaway entry, feature on a community post, or access to something early.
Step 2: Sort Through the Insights
Once you’ve collected answers, don’t let them sit in a Google Form. Start sorting them into ideas to apply. Highlight anything that comes up more than once.
Then take each idea and give it a quick score in three categories:
- Impact: Will this create real value for the community?
- Setup effort: How much time/work to launch it?
- Maintenance effort: Will it need constant attention, or run itself?
Tag each of those low, medium, or high.
Step 3: Act on the Right Things
Here’s when it happens:
- Start with the ideas that are high impact + low effort across the board.
- Implement them one by one.
- Share back with your members so they see their feedback in action.
- Share the success with your colleagues, remember this is also about your career growth.
This one move instantly builds trust, shows you’re strategic, and makes your community stronger.
Strategic Leaders Don’t Guess. They Listen.
You don’t need to wait for a team of analysts or a big company budget. Real leaders start small, ask smart questions, and take action based on what they learn.
Try this process. Let your members show you exactly what matters. And make your next decision not just feel good, but actually be good.
Get the 30-Day To Your Community Management Role, a free step-by-step guide to help you grow your career starting this month.
AND free training!
💬 And if you want personalized support, feedback, or help applying these steps to your situation, book a free personal guidence chat