The document outlines a typical research plan and timeline to build efficacy evidence for an education technology product across different company stages: - Early stages focus on needs finding, literature reviews, usability studies, and feasibility studies to understand user needs and gather initial evidence. - Mid stages expand into correlational studies, case studies, efficacy analysis, and multi-year roadmaps to build a portfolio of evidence on how the product impacts outcomes. - Later stages involve randomized controlled trials, research-driven marketing, and ongoing reviews to achieve the strongest level of evidence and scale as an education category leader.

1. NeedFinding
LogicModel
Short-termResearchPlan
ComprehensiveLiteratureReview
SystematicInterviewSeries
UsabilityResearchProjects
(researchdoneinlabsetting-i.e.
focusgroups,userexperience
interviews,userprofiling)
Feasibilitystudies(Researchinthe
wild-i.e.observations,surveys,
interviews,casestudies)
CaseStudyResearch
UpdatedLiteratureReview
(includingcompanyspecific
research)
EfficacyPageonWebsite
CorrelationalStudywithControls
StrengthofEvidenceAnalysis
3-5YearEfficacyPortfolioRoadmap
Multi-siteResearchEmploying
Quasi-ExperimentalDesign
UpdatedLogicModel/Literature
Review(toreflectcurrentstateof
company)
ResearchDrivenSales&Marketing
Campaign
RandomizedControlTrial
Company Stage Typical Milestones Approx. Funding Level
Stage 0 Idea (maybe ppt) but no product No Funding, Self Funded
Stage 1 Prototype product, alpha users, piloters, small team,
and rapid product and use case iteration Angel/Seed Round
Stage 2
User growth and early indicators of product/market fit,
some product/service customization for sales, some
replicable use cases Series A
Stage 3 Established product/market fit, reliable customer
profiles, repeatable sales Series A or Series B
Stage 4
Focus on growth, leadership team is expanded (C-
level), customer success, marketing and sales fully
built-out Series B
Stage 5
Continued growth, penetration, and adoption;
expansion of core product and add-ons; increased
coherent internal systems and processes; 100+
employees Series B or Series C
Stage 6 Continued scale-up of internal systems and product,
meaningful market share, emerging category leader Series C or Series D
Stage 7
Mature product, category leader, significant market
share, horizontal and vertical expansion, M&A
activity, publicly traded
Series E, F-->IPO or PE buy-
out/investment
© MBZ Labs 2019
Efficacy Needs by
Company Stage
ESSA Tier 3:
Promising Evidence
ESSA Tier 4:
Demonstrates Rationale
ESSA Tier 2:
Moderate Evidence
Efficacy Needs
ESSA Tier 1:
Strong Evidence