Summary
When you’re building, not optimizing, you need everyone to learn from customers. But how do you build a team culture in which everyone, including backend engineers and compliance program managers, does research? I’ll share what I’ve learned so far on creative methods for how to coach, how to share insights, and how to impact company policies. You’ll walk away with a new approach to teaching non-researchers how to research, sharing insights from customers that get heard and impact decisions, and finally, ideas for selling your organization on policies that enable a more customer-centric culture.
Key Insights
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Democratizing research requires a culture shift where all team members feel empowered to conduct customer research.
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Micro-lessons can replace lengthy workshops to ease team members into understanding and utilizing research.
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Integrating research activities into existing team rituals fosters continuous engagement with customer insights.
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Research office hours may not be effective; providing structured quests may encourage broader participation.
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Encouraging storytelling from customer research creates curiosity and deepens understanding among team members.
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Public and private recognition from managers increases team members' engagement in research activities.
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Policies supporting research should be integrated into hiring and performance evaluations for lasting impact.
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Leadership buy-in is crucial for fostering a culture where research is valued and utilized.
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Providing practical quests for team members can help them immerse themselves in customer experiences without feeling intimidated.
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Share research insights in engaging formats to stimulate curiosity and infrastructure discussions.
Notable Quotes
"We need everyone to be learning from customers."
"It’s about building a culture where everyone cares about research."
"Research isn’t just the responsibility of product or user experience teams."
"Democratizing research means offering transparency and permission to care."
"Let’s look at some quotes together and talk about what we think we're hearing."
"Shifting from waiting for people to come to you is key; you need to send them on quests."
"If you can leverage existing team rituals, you create an expectation that research is ongoing."
"Research insights should feel accessible to every member of your organization."
"Recognizing team efforts in engaging with research can drive participation."
"Invite curiosity by sharing insights in multiple formats and channels."
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