Jemma Ahmed
Advancing Research Curator
Jem has been working for two decades in the space where consumer, design, product, marketing and cultural insight meet. A mixed methods insight practitioner, her work focuses on how technology can empower minority Global communities. With expertise in data science, market research and user research, she has delivered projects at scale which have had significant business and societal impact. From rebrands, defining creative, advertising and design direction, redirecting product and design roadmaps, through to shaping government and economic policy- Jem does research which creates change. As a leader, she has created, grown and transformed sizeable insight teams at companies such as the BBC, Etsy and Bumble- ensuring the voice of the customer becomes company vernacular.
She also works as a curator at Rosenfeld Media, helping to bring together community and education to help other researchers advance their own practices.
Jem holds a Masters in Law from Cambridge, and is working towards qualifications in somatic psychology and a PHD in adult online harms.
A poet, painter and queer, working class, British Pakistani, Jem blends academic rigour with creativity and an intersectional perspective.
Rosenverse talks by Jemma:
" The skills we hold are exactly the skills that this moment requires. "
Theme 1 Intro
March 10, 2026
" The current decline in response and participant engagement rates is a genuine crisis that threatens research data quality. "
Redefining the research toolkit: Expanding methodologies for a changing world
March 12, 2025
" The term ‘study’ rings of academia and reinforces power dynamics; I prefer continuous engagement instead. "
Theme Panel
March 11, 2025
" Researchers hold objective knowledge which holds power to account. "
Research at an inflection point: Adapting to a new era of collaboration, equity, and innovation
March 11, 2025
" Non-attachment to our insights and to our identities opens space for growth and better collaboration. "
Collaboration: learning from other fields beyond our own [Advancing Research Community Workshop Series]
August 7, 2024
" Democratization requires intentional investment; you can’t just add it as a bullet point on someone’s to-do list and expect it to work. "
Democratization: Working with it, not against it [Advancing Research Community Workshop Series]
July 24, 2024
" Newness isn’t necessarily a new methodology—it can be a new way of looking at something familiar. "
Coffee with Lou #3: What Makes for a Successful UX Conference Presentation?
May 2, 2024
" If I am difficult, then I am in good company, esteemed company, the best of company. "
Theme 2 Intro
March 26, 2024
" In the enterprise space, the UX function is added later. It’s not part of the company’s original DNA. "
Theme 2 Intro
January 8, 2024
" Perhaps we shouldn't even be moving beyond the concept of democratization but rethinking it altogether. "
Theme Three Intro
March 29, 2023
" Instead of facing 2020 with exhaustion, folks were looking at it with renewed commitment and bravery. "
Theme 2 Intro
March 10, 2022
" Framing research as a way for us to work collaboratively and solve problems from its department, not just the UX or design team. "
Bridge Building across Research Disciplines
August 26, 2021
" We need more governance and rigor around methodologies rather than just democratization. "
What's Next for Research?
June 17, 2021
" Despite my misgivings, users’ memories could be taken back in time with enough accuracy using these techniques. "
Convergent Research Techniques in Customer Journey Mapping
March 31, 2020
" The gap between market research and user research is narrowing; their methods and questions are converging. "
Bringing together market and user research
October 17, 2019
