Summary
In this talk, Sofia Quintero - founder at EnjoyHQ [recently acquired by UserZoom] - shares her experience helping teams implement effective research repositories across companies of all sizes. You will learn a variety of change management protocols and best practices in knowledge management to make sure you build a strong foundation regardless of the tool you end up buying.
Key Insights
-
•
Successful implementation depends on managing emotional and cultural change, not just selecting the right tool.
-
•
Ignoring change management and the emotional responses to new processes causes most implementation failures.
-
•
Teams often fail to engage stakeholders outside their immediate group, leading to rejection or silos.
-
•
Data and information represent power; changing data flows impacts organizational power dynamics.
-
•
Starting small with 2–5 people in a pilot is crucial to building momentum before scaling.
-
•
A clear understanding of who stakeholders are, including decision-makers, is often missing.
-
•
Momentum Glue—ongoing deep conversations about fears, anxiety, and resistance—is essential for progress.
-
•
Having organizational support and dedicated time is critical; passion alone isn't enough.
-
•
Training and establishing protocols post-implementation are vital and often overlooked.
-
•
Even UX professionals frequently fail to apply research principles when implementing tools internally due to organizational focus and priorities.
Notable Quotes
"Forget about the tools 100% at the beginning of the conversation and perhaps all the way to the end."
"The biggest mistake in any implementation is ignoring the emotional side of change management."
"When you change people’s workflows, you are literally changing power dynamics."
"There are almost two languages in organizations: what we say and what we really mean."
"Introducing change is introducing stress and fear and feelings of rejection."
"Most teams want to build for 50, 100 people and migrate years of data instead of starting small."
"You cannot brute force your way into engagement; it just doesn’t happen."
"If you don’t have the time and organizational support, don’t do it because you only set a precedent of failure."
"You’re constantly training people and optimizing protocols even after successful implementation."
"It’s about helping your colleagues be more productive and make better decisions to help customers."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"We gave away the recipe with no fee for entry – immediate value first, then learning the process."
Matt StoneScaling Empathy, A Case Study in Change Management
June 11, 2021
"During discovery, it’s important to identify which features require exploration versus those that just need validation or small fixes."
Aditi Ruiz Christian Crumlish Farid SabitovA PM State of Mind: Empathy Mapping Your Product Manager, Pt. 1
December 6, 2022
"We need to start thinking about fluidity in identity because there is no 'this' anymore; people are multiracial, fluid in sexual identity, neurodiversity, and more."
Dave Malouf Meredith Black Farid SabitovThe Past, Present, and Future of DesignOps: a 2-part DesignOps Community Call (Part 1)
February 17, 2022
"Keeping something cloud-based accessible is the most complicated because of hundreds of releases per day in continuous integration."
Sheri Byrne-HaberAccessibility at Scale
June 9, 2021
"Candor and passionate feedback from participants shows they believe their input matters and are willing to be vulnerable."
Nidhi Singh Rathore Amber DavisEmbracing participation to unlock deeper truths in commercial research
March 12, 2025
"If something was unclear or uncomfortable to even one person, it was a sign it needed editing."
Laine Riley ProkayHow DesignOps can Drive Inclusive Career Ladders for All
September 30, 2021
"The whole give yourself an oxygen mask before helping others metaphor is very true here."
Ariba JahanTeam Resiliency Through a Pandemic
January 8, 2024
"By understanding your environment and having those conversations with your product manager, you can create a relationship that is sustainable and efficient."
Noreen Whysel Katie SaindonShort Take #4: UX/Product Lessons from Your Industry Peers
December 6, 2022
"Technophobia is an irrational fear and unease towards modern technology."
Rittika BasuAge and Interfaces: Equipping Older Adults with Technological Tools
February 23, 2023