Fireside Chat

Key Insights

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  Research, when done well, saves time and prevents costly misdirection, making it an investment rather than a delay.

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  Researchers should be paid equally to engineers because their technical skills are equally essential to product success.

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  Aligning research teams under influential company leaders, like the CEO or CTO, is key to gaining organizational support.

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  Building research teams involves thoughtful hiring pacing to balance individual contributors and managers.

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  Remote research in sensitive areas like crypto requires special attention to privacy and geopolitical concerns rarely seen in consumer products.

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  Many engineering teams resist research due to hubris, lack of exposure to quality research, or top-down mandates ignoring user evidence.

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  Encouraging team members to contribute beyond their explicit roles improves processes and strengthens the team culture.

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  Evaluating researchers and designers on behaviors rather than outcomes ensures fairness and accounts for project context variability.

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  The research function should report to the part of the organization that can best leverage it, which may vary by company and context.

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  Mirroring engineering career frameworks for researchers simplifies compensation and promotion conversations, providing clarity and equity.

Notable Quotes