Market research fails most often because the underlying question was never sharp

Data does not rescue a vague question; it just buries it under charts. Before collecting anything, write down the exact decision the research is meant to inform, because that sentence determines what is worth measuring at all.

A tighter setup looks like this:
- one specific decision genuinely at stake;
- the evidence that would actually change it;
- the smallest sample that gives that evidence;
- a deadline that forces a choice.

Takeaway: research is a tool for choosing between options, not a ritual for feeling prepared. Sharpen the question first, and the method almost designs itself around it.