Project Summary: Comparing Research Designs in a Venn Diagram Research designs systematize the research process and give it direction. In other words, they provide structure to scientific work. There are many types of designs used in research, all with specific advantages and disadvantages, and research scenarios for which they are each more or less appropriate. The research design chosen depends on the aims of the study and the nature of the phenomenon. The design chosen, in turn, affects the results and how they may be interpreted.