Coexisting with non-researchers: Practical strategies for a democratized research future
This video is featured in the PDI 2026 playlist.
Summary
Research democratization is here to stay, with both researchers and people who do research contributing to knowledge creation. This session explores effective collaboration models and roles—curation, co-creation, and generation. It examines necessary boundaries and offers practical strategies for managing democratization, regaining agency, and ensuring shared power that strengthens the whole, rather than diminishing individual contributions.
Key Insights
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Forming a cross-disciplinary 'customer team' with diverse roles breaks down silos and aligns internal perspectives around real user needs.
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Field research involving direct user observation, like riding in tractors, reveals true user goals and pain points beyond assumptions.
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Research’s impact is about shaping team thinking and collective understanding rather than just delivering insights.
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The traditional model where researchers own research is fading; research is now a collective, continuous, and democratized activity.
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Balancing risk and confidence helps decide when research is necessary, preventing research from becoming a bottleneck.
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Researchers gain influence not by authority but through building helpful, respectful relationships and facilitating collaboration.
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Understanding and aligning with current business objectives is critical alongside user needs to deliver recognizable business value.
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Visual artifacts like mental models and scenario maps help create shared understanding across product, support, and engineering.
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Depersonalizing conversations about research findings reduces conflict and keeps focus on achieving the right outcomes.
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The future of research includes AI automation, cross-functional participation, and shifting from gatekeeping to guiding decisions.
Notable Quotes
"The entire customer experience was broken, users were frustrated, support teams were overwhelmed, and internally teams were struggling to align."
"Research isn't about collecting insights, it’s about shaping how teams think."
"Engineers started questioning old assumptions and product wasn’t just adjusting roadmaps, they were reframing decisions around user needs."
"If you give up, we all give up."
"Research is evolving. It’s not about ownership, it’s about impact."
"Research wasn’t meant to be a silo. It was meant to be a guiding function, a system for creating shared knowledge that drives better decisions."
"When done well, convergence means research isn’t a department, it’s a shared system of knowledge or a collective understanding that aligns teams."
"The ability to understand business needs and align efforts is key to delivering recognizable business value."
"Balancing risk and confidence helps teams move at the right speed for the right decisions."
"Leading the future of research isn’t about control, it’s about influence and impact."
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