Summary
Today data science, market research, and UX research are predominantly locked up in individual silos. This is a problem because companies are missing out on the full picture, research is repeated, and good insights are going to waste. In this session, Andrew shares how to build a product insights team that enables you to build bridges and tell more holistic narratives about your customers. The talk will cover how to set up the team, the different structures we see, and how you can get started today by getting the teams to work more efficiently together in the interim.
Key Insights
-
•
Combining qualitative user research with quantitative analytics provides deeper, actionable product insights than either method alone.
-
•
User behavior changes detected in data often lack explanatory context without qualitative research, as Andrew's Spotify example shows.
-
•
Data analytics and UX research teams frequently operate in silos, missing opportunities for collaboration despite shared goals.
-
•
A shared hypothesis, such as focusing on the ideal customer profile (ICP), can align cross-functional teams and reduce redundant research work.
-
•
Relying solely on data for customer profiles can reinforce existing product biases and miss broader market opportunities.
-
•
Starting a BI practice often means navigating shifts from qualitative to quantitative emphasis, then settling into a balanced hybrid that works for the organization.
-
•
Three main organizational models for insights teams are embedded squads, centralized centers of excellence, and hybrid approaches, each with their own trade-offs.
-
•
Owning the research backlog and aligning work to company OKRs enables the insights team to deliver maximum business impact and say no to less relevant requests.
-
•
Cross-pollination of analysis between researchers and analysts during data collection and interpretation enhances the quality and buy-in of insights.
-
•
Existing documentation tools like Confluence are insufficient for managing research knowledge, inspiring new solutions like Everywhere to prevent data silos.
Notable Quotes
"Without Jim, what we're going to see today would have been a lot worse."
"My playlist changed drastically when my son was born, but data alone wouldn’t explain why."
"Combining the what we see in data with the why we get from user research is where true insights live."
"Typically, data analytics teams are big and well-funded, while UX research teams are smaller and struggle for resources."
"Data analysts and user researchers rarely work together effectively, which is one of the biggest missed opportunities."
"At Hotcho, we started with a qualitative focus, swung too far into quantitative, and then found a balanced middle ground."
"You’ve got to take control of the backlog and position your team as value-driven, not just servicing individual teams."
"Embedded squads build domain expertise but risk losing knowledge if someone leaves, while centralized teams help reduce duplicated effort."
"Marketing is an essential collaborator because they help package and communicate insights organization-wide."
"Existing research repositories die at the bottom of slide decks; that’s why I started Everywhere to rethink how we manage insights."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"The BICEPS model helps understand what our co-workers need to feel supported and purposeful."
Christopher Taylor Edwards Valerie RoskeDesign as a Team Practice, A Practical Guide to Cross-functional Collaboration
September 30, 2021
"Working in pixels, we still have fingerprints. You all have a style. That’s a great thing."
Gretchen AndersonScaling the Human Center
June 8, 2017
"UX assets are actually valuable resources that generate revenue and contribute to business success."
Emily DiLeo Maria TaylorStronger Together: Lessons Learned from UX Research Ops
September 24, 2024
"People initially asked what’s the difference between a design program manager and an EA or product manager."
Maggie DieringerCutting through the Noise
September 24, 2020
"You are either navigating with a white cane or a service dog because you are not gonna want both of your hands full."
Kate KalcevichDesigning inclusively with AI
June 5, 2024
"This is advanced hypothesis generation putting you in the mindset and perspective-taking that good empathy always requires."
Gillian Salerno-Rebic Mark MicheliRedefining Speed and Scale: How Accenture’s GrowthOS Uses AI-Simulated Insights to Reduce Risk and Accelerate Innovation
June 10, 2025
"I liken that to a play: there’s acts, a cast of characters, and this inter-character drama."
Shazia Ali Bruce Gillespie Joyce Lee Andy WarrCommunication: Innovative techniques for making your voice heard [Advancing Research Community Workshop Series]
August 21, 2024
"The most common age for women to be diagnosed with ADHD is in the late thirties to early forties."
Pippa LomasPaving the Path for Neurodiversity in Design
October 4, 2023
"The pandemic track was the I told you so moment for those of us designing remote tools since 2006."
Lada GorlenkoTheme 2 Intro
June 9, 2022
