How to Write a Case Study (LVTN Marketing Series)

[Will_S.]

Case studies document how our customers use our products and services to develop innovative solutions, optimize existing applications, or perform cutting-edge research. They are excellent tools for demonstrating the capabilities of your products and building credibility in industry. This post will cover how to write an effective case study. We will cover:

1. Type of content you want to include
2. How to structure your case study
3. Important details

Type of Content you Want to Include

Case studies are inherently about projects that your customers have created. So typically you will work directly with your customers to obtain content and review the messaging that is used. When obtaining content for your case study, be sure to cover the following points:

• Demonstrate how your application met the customer’s challenges better than any other company and include examples of other options the customer may have chosen.
• Communicate the challenge clearly and include the “pain points” the customer was trying to alleviate.
• Highlight all of the software, hardware, and services used to develop the solution.
• Quantify the results. Include phrases such as, “We helped the customer increase efficiency by X percent, decrease costs by X dollars, and decrease test time by X minutes/hours.” The more specific you can be, the better.

How to Structure Your Case Study

Now that you have your content, how do you present it to the reader? You want to make it as easy as possible for your reader to get a snapshot of the solution. You should also have more detailed supporting content so they can learn more if they are interested.

1. Provide a conside but descriptive Title. 60 characters maximum.
   
   
2. Start by crediting the Author(s), including the company name that created the solution. This helps you gain credibility in the eyes of the reader. A recognized name that uses your products will have the most weight in the eyes of the reader.
   
   
3. State your Products used in this case study. Simply state them - description will come later.
   
   
4. Next, mention the Industry and Application Area that the solution pertains to. This allows readers to self-select by their interest area.
   
   
5. Now it's time to describe the Challenge your customer needed to overcome. This is the reason they needed your product. Make this 25-50 words.
   
   
6. Follow the Challege by the Solution. Describe how your customer solved the problem using your products. This should also be 25-50 words.
   
   

This completes your snapshot of the solution. You have given the reader enough information to decide if this fits their interests and if they want to learn more. The next step is to provide more details on the customer, the solution, and reasoning why your product was chosen for the solution. This is the main Body of the case study. It should be 800-1200 words.

1. First paragraphs should be a Brief Description of the Customer. Specifically who they are, what they do, and who they serve. Elaborate on the engineering problem they were trying to solve and why it was important.
   
   
2. The next few paragraphs should describe the Project itself that was used to solve the challenge. This is a high-level description of how the system works. Be sure to describe:
   • Other options besides your own, that could have solved the problem.
   • Why the customer chose your product over the other options.
   • The specific features of your product that were most utilitized and why they were important for the success of the solution.
   • Mention any additional services you provided that were helpful for the project.
     
     
3. Now explain the Benefits of the Solution. Provide detail, and give quantifiable measures of the benefits. Specifically:
   • Practical benefits (Increased efficiency, ability to reuse or scale, etc)
   • Business benefits (Cost savings, time savings, meeting more customer needs)
   • Any benefits your or your customer did not expect
     
     
4. The Final Paragraph should discuss how this solution and specifically your products met the customer's objective for their project.
   
   
5. Follow the body with Contact Information to learn more about your products and the solution as well as any Additional Materials you may want to include like code or supplemental technical documents.

Once complete, your case study should have the following structure:

Case Study Title

Author(s):

Products Used:

Industry:

Application Area:

The Challenge (25-50 words)

The Solution (25-50 words)

Body (800-1200 words)

• Brief Description of the Customer
• Project Itself
• Benefits of the Solution
• Final Paragraph

Contact Information

Additional Information

Important Details

There are a few details that help to make a case study particularly engaging and effective. Always do the following:

1. Include links or methods for readers to learn more about your product and get in contact with you. They should always have a next step.
   
   
2. Choose a solution that is either attention grabbing or solves a very common problem in the industry you serve. This will help get people interested and give the case study more mileage.
   
   
3. When possible, include pictures. Graphics and photographs immediately add a new element and sense of reality to your case study. People will be able to understand the case study more effectively. It also adds additional credibility.
   
   
4. When possible, include video of the solution or concepts applied in the solution. Videos are one of the most effective methods to gain attention and get important messages across to the viewer.

Final Thoughts

Case studies can be a very effective addition to your overall marketing strategy. They give you the opportunity to demonstrate your technical aptitude while quickly showing others how people are effectively using your products. One of the best ways to gain exposure and increase sales is by demonstrating that respected organizations in your industry are happily using your product.

For example case studies, take a look at ni.com/casestudies. As always, free to post questions or your own examples below.

Have a great weekend!

Will Schoettler

LabVIEW Tools Network Product Manager