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Research Steps for Client-Based Projects

This guide is for students in classes and co-curricular organizations working on client-based consulting projects

Understand the Topic of Your Project

These resources can help you understand how to do something, give you insights into a topic, or give you a process or an explanation which you can customize for your client's circumstances. Examples are linked below, but you should try your own searches using your own keywords. 

Depending on what you're looking for, there may be other resources that can help, too--ask me!

LinkedIn Learning (videos) -- Access with your Illinois credentials or your LinkedIn credentials. Enter keywords at the top in the "Search" box, or you can use LinkedIn Learning's AI in the "Search or ask anything..." box lower down.

Library Catalog  (ebooks, videos and audio)  -- Type your keywords into the "Search anything" box at the top. Add "For Dummies" to your search to get ebooks with "how to" advice. For the newest content, scroll down on the left, update the "Creation Date," then click Refine.

Coursera Articles (blogposts) -- To search, copy this text into Google, using your own keywords:  keywords site:coursera.org/articles

Broad concepts/terms ALONE or in COMBINATION.  The following sources will be the best sources of keywords and phrases to try in your searching at the start of your project:

  • your project description
  • initial discussions with the client
  • brainstorming sessions with your team

 

 

Basic definitions of established and emerging concepts

General information about target markets (e.g. Gen Z) regarding purchases, social media usage, workplace expectations, etc.

Steps to accomplish the task your client wants, like doing surveys, writing a marketing plan, improving a website, or onboarding new employees

  • Finding multiple discussions from various sources will help you identify common approaches and best practices, which will give you justification for the approach you choose