The initial phase involved engaging with senior management at RTI International to better understand their research needs. This was done via in-depth interviews with key internal stakeholders and via a virtual kickoff workshop designed to help ensure alignment on research objectives for all parties. Following this, a detailed research plan and associated discussion guide was developed for use in gathering user insights. Following this, the research team mapped out representative stakeholders for the various use cases throughout India.

Primary research was conducted with multiple stakeholders for each use case in order to ensure a robust understanding of each. Research was done through in-depth interviews, workshops, intercept interviews on-location, and through shadowing wherever possible. Research activities were captured via rich media documentation in order to help elucidate each use case for an international audience largely unfamiliar with the Indian context.

Insights from each potential site were rolled up into general design principles for each use case, and structured such that they could be capitalized upon in both the short- and long-term. These findings were paired with general, information in an effort to demystify the role that sanitation services play in each use case in order to reinforce the findings and provide a contextual overview of each. The findings were presented in a research report and associated slide deck that featured the rich media documentation to further illustrate and support them. The research helped to inform the organization's manufacturing and operations strategy for various sanitation technologies for use throughout India.