How do we turn stakeholder goals into actionable UX Research studies?

We all know that stakeholders define success in business terms: revenue, retention, engagement, and efficiency.

But users define success in their terms: ease, value, clarity, and utility.

I’ve seen early-career researchers often struggle to connect these worlds, but the real value of UX Research is being the translator between them.

So, how do you do it?

Here’s how we manage this process over at Action Insights

Step 1: Decode stakeholder goals
Start by asking: "What does success look like for you?"
Example: "Reduce customer support calls about feature X."
💡 Research reframe: "Why do users need support for X in the first place?"

Step 2: Map business KPIs to user behaviours
Every business metric ties to user actions. Your job is to find the why behind them.
Stakeholder KPI: "Improve SaaS trial-to-paid conversion."
💡Research focus: "Where do trial users get stuck or lose motivation?"

Step 3: Choose the right research method
Align methods to the gap in knowledge:
If the problem is unclear → Exploratory research (interviews, diary studies).
If the problem is defined, but solutions aren’t → Usability testing, concept validation.
If the impact needs proof → Benchmarking, A/B testing with qualitative insights.

Step 4: Speak the stakeholder’s language
Present insights as solutions to their goals, not just "user feedback":
❌ "Users find the dashboard confusing."
✅ "Simplifying the dashboard could reduce onboarding drop-off, according to this data."

Step 5: Close the loop with proof
Tie insights or actions the team takes directly back to the original KPI:
"After simplifying Feature X based on research, support calls dropped by 35%, saving $X/month."
"Feature improvement moved to MVP 2 launch"

The Outcome?
Research becomes the bridge:
Stakeholders get actionable strategies tied to their priorities.
Users get experiences that actually work for them.