DBA Research Question Builder

Your research question is the blueprint for translating a lived business headache into a scholarly, actionable study. Unlike PhD work that pursues new theory, the DBA focuses on applied solutions built on existing scholarship. Use this wizard to move systematically from the felt problem through frameworks, feasibility, and next steps.

Surface and Diagnose Your Felt Problem

Practitioners typically use the "5 Whys" technique to keep probing until the root cause emerges. Because this is a learning activity, we will capture your first and most informed "Why" here, and note how to continue applying the full method beyond this worksheet.

Use your initial "why" to articulate the most visible cause, and remember that future iterations should continue probing with additional whys until you reach the root cause.

Refined Problem Statement
Identify the Research Gap

Connect your organizational problem to the scholarly conversation. Choose the gap that best reflects where your project contributes.

Evidence from the Literature

Gap Summary

Select a gap type and describe the supporting literature to focus your contribution.

Select the Question Type and Matching Methods

Use the decision logic to match the wording of your question with methodological expectations. Exploratory paths rely on qualitative insight, while descriptive, relational, comparative, and causal questions point to quantitative or mixed methods.

Method Guidance

Choose a question type to reveal suggested data collection and analysis strategies.

Structure Your Question with PICO or SPIDER

Select the framework that best fits your question type. PICO shines for quantitative questions measuring change or comparison; SPIDER supports qualitative explorations of experience.

Draft Question Preview

Complete the framework inputs to generate a draft question.

Evaluate and Refine Your Question

Specific

Pending

Measurable

Pending

Achievable

Pending

Relevant

Pending

Time-Bound

Pending

Feasible

Pending

Interesting

Pending

Novel

Pending

Ethical

Pending

Relevant

Pending
Make the Case

Enter or adjust your question to view SMART and FINER feedback.

Confirm Feasibility and Plan Next Steps

Feasibility Feedback

Provide estimates to receive feasibility guidance.

    Final Output

    Refined Problem: Complete earlier steps to summarize the problem.

    Main Research Question: Complete the framework to finalize your question.

    Gap Focus: Select a gap type to describe your contribution.

    Suggested Methods: Choose a question type to view method guidance.

      Quick Reference

      Template prompts from the handbook keep you aligned with scholarly expectations:

      • Experiences: "What are the lived experiences of [population] when [phenomenon], and what [factors] influence [outcome]?"
      • Relationships: "What is the relationship between [X] and [Y] among [population] in [context]?"
      • Comparisons: "What is the difference in [outcome] between [Group A] and [Group B] among [population]?"
      • Interventions: "What is the effect of [intervention], compared to [alternative], on [outcome] among [population]?"

      Stay on track with the eight-step roadmap:

      1. Identify your felt problem.
      2. Begin the 5 Whys analysis here and continue probing beyond this worksheet.
      3. Find and document the research gap.
      4. Select your question type and methodology.
      5. Structure the question with PICO or SPIDER.
      6. Refine language for precision and impact.
      7. Test with FINER and feasibility checks.
      8. Develop supporting sub-questions and implementation plans.
      Reminder: Avoid common pitfalls

      Prevent scope creep, align methods with question wording, and ensure the study matters beyond a single organization.