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From the Thinking Desk

Before diving into research, make sure you know which Gap you are facing.

Published over 1 year ago • 1 min read

This playbook issue is part of the Research Roadmap series. In 2025 you will be able to choose which series you want to follow.

Hello Reader,

In previous issues, we explored your research vision and the problem standing between where we are now and that vision.

Today, let’s introduce the idea of the Knowledge Gap — the missing knowledge needed to solve the problem and move us closer to your vision.

In practice, when considering a problem, you may encounter three types of gaps:

  1. Practical Gap - This gap occurs when there is a clear, known, and actionable step to solve the problem. You just need to act. For example, if you want to attend a party but your clothes are dirty (and you know how to clean them), the solution is straightforward: just clean your clothes. What is missing in this case is not knowledge, but action. This type of gap IS NOT a knowledge gap and we do not need research to solve it.
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  2. Learning Gap - This gap happens when the knowledge to solve the problem exists, but you do not have it yet. It requires you to learn from others or analyse and synthesise information to fully understand the problem or its solution. For example, if you don’t know how to clean a certain type of fabric, you might look for guidance from someone with that expertise. You may face this gap when entering a new field or working on a problem for the first time. A learning gap can be a knowledge gap and you need to do research if the information you need is scattered around multiple sources.
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  3. Research Gap - This gap appears when no one knows the solution to the problem (or fully understands the problem), so you must create new knowledge through experimentation and investigation. This might include learning from other people’s mistakes, creating informed hypotheses, and going through a fair bit of trial and error. In our example, if your clothes are of a new type of fabric that has never been successfully washed, then figuring out how to clean it would require research to find a solution. A research gap is a knowledge gap and you definitely require research to solve it 🙃

Understanding the type of gap you are facing will help you choose the right strategy to bring you closer to your vision.

Your Turn

Take a look at your projects. Which of these gaps are you currently facing?

In the next email, we will discuss the steps to creating a research gap — leading you to create Intellectual Property.

Talk soon!

Until then, take care.

Bianca

If you are ready to go further, here's how I can help:

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From the Thinking Desk

by Bianca Pereira

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