Guided Study Design

Use Start Guided Design when you need help narrowing a research idea to an appropriate methodological design.

The flow

1. Describe the study pathway by answering focused questions about the objective, population, intervention or exposure, timing, and available data.
2. Review the recommended design and its methodological profile.
3. Inspect characteristics, likely validity threats, common bias-control strategies, and relevant guidance.
4. Open a suitable planning template to create a working document.

The decision tree keeps your path so you can go back and revise answers. A recommendation is guidance, not a final methodological determination; confirm the design with the people responsible for the study.

What a design profile contains

When a design is selected, Designer presents its description and methodological considerations. Depending on the design, this can include advantages, limitations, bias sources, bias-control options, analytical direction, and reporting or planning guidance.

You can return to the questions or open the Study Design Library to compare alternatives.