Rosenverse

Log in or create a free Rosenverse account to watch this video.

Log in Create free account

100s of community videos are available to free members. Conference talks are generally available to Gold members.

Democratization: Working with it, not against it [Advancing Research Community Workshop Series]
Wednesday, July 24, 2024 • Advancing Research Community
Share the love for this talk
Democratization: Working with it, not against it [Advancing Research Community Workshop Series]
Speakers: Jemma Ahmed , Steve Carrod , Chris Geison , Dr. Shadi Janansefat and Christopher Nash
Link:

Summary

Perhaps no word is more likely to get researchers agitated than “democratization.” The debate about democratization is vigorous, though verging on pointless: it’s here and unlikely to be dialed back. And other research functions are talking to customers, running surveys, and conducting A/B testing. In this community workshop, we take a step back and take a broader look at the field of insight. With viewpoints honed in data analytics, market research, and user research, our panelists discuss how democratization has been made to work effectively in their fields for quite some time, and what we can do to imagine a future beyond the debate. Attend all of our Advancing Research community workshops Each free virtual workshop is made up of panelists who will share short provocations on engaging ideas to discuss as a group, as well as a leader in our field to moderate. If you're looking for discussions that challenge the status quo and can truly advance research, look no further than our workshop series. (P.S. We’ll be drawing most of our Advancing Research 2025 conference speakers from those who present at upcoming workshops—so tune in for a sneak peek of what's to come from #AR2025!) August 7, 11am-12pm EDT Watch Video Theme 2: Collaboration Learning from market research, data science, customer experience, and more August 21, 4-5pm EDT Watch Video Theme 3: Communication Innovative techniques for making your voice heard September 4, 11am-12pm EDT Watch Video Theme 4: Methods Expanding the UXR toolkit beyond interviews September 18, 4-5pm EDT Watch Video Theme 5: Artificial Intelligence Passionate defenses, reasoned critiques, and practical application October 2, 11am-12pm EDT Watch Video Theme 6: Junctures for UXR Possible futures and the critical decisions to move us forward October 16, 4-5pm EDT Watch Video Theme 7: Open Call Propose ideas that don’t match our other workshops’ themes

Key Insights

  • Democratization in research requires intentional programs that empower cross-functional partners to conduct their own research.

  • Effective democratization blends education, technological guardrails, and oversight to ensure data quality.

  • It's essential for organizations to invest in resources that specifically support democratization initiatives.

  • Engagement from both top management and individual stakeholders is crucial for meaningful democratization.

  • Good data practices require clear definitions and frameworks to avoid misinterpretation and ensure accuracy across teams.

  • Empowering non-research stakeholders to participate in various methodologies can enhance organizational insights not just through interviews.

  • The quality of data is paramount, and stakeholders must understand its limitations and biases when making decisions.

  • Fostering a culture of psychological safety is necessary for effective collaboration and knowledge sharing.

  • Research should move beyond just qualitative interviews to include diverse methodologies that broaden insight collection.

  • Practices from market research, such as scorecards and structured engagement, can serve as valuable examples for user research.

Notable Quotes

"Democratization is not research anarchy where anyone can talk to any customer without oversight."

"We need a top-down and bottom-up approach for successful democratization."

"Say no to stakeholders when they want to bypass established research practices."

"All data has bias and limitations; it’s about understanding where it sits on a spectrum."

"Empowerment of team members means that data is not a blocker to decision-making."

"The power to provide insights should be distributed among all team members."

"Good data should be accompanied by strong frameworks to ensure meaningful interpretations."

"Investment in research capabilities must be prioritized at an organizational level."

"Equip stakeholders with a diverse toolbox of methodologies, not just interviews."

"Understanding data quality and its limitations is essential in a democratized research environment."

More Videos

Jacqui Frey

"Optimal performance is about making external conditions match your goals."

Jacqui Frey

Flow and Superfluidity for Design Orgs

November 7, 2018

Laura Gatewood

"To foster engagement, using emojis and gifs can add the tone and body language that are often missed in text."

Laura Gatewood Laine Prokay

Beyond Buzzwords: Adding Heart to Effective Slack Communication

September 23, 2024

Johanna Kollmann

"Confirmation bias makes it harder to be open-minded when interpreting research data."

Johanna Kollmann

Insights-Driven Product Strategy: Get your Research to Count

December 6, 2022

Bria Alexander

"If you have a question for a specific speaker, every talk is going to have a thread associated with them."

Bria Alexander

Day 3 Welcome

September 25, 2024

Billy Carlson

"When you explore lots of different ideas, you're going to understand the context better."

Billy Carlson

Ideation tips for Product Managers

December 6, 2022

Catherine Dubut

"The most underutilized asset in a retail environment is the store employees themselves."

Catherine Dubut

Bridging Physical and Digital Spaces: Approaches to Retail Service Design

March 18, 2021

Kim Holt

"The V2Mom framework helps us align our personal and company values effectively."

Kim Holt Emma Wylds Pearl Koppenhaver Maisee Xiong

A Salesforce Panel Discussion on Values-Driven DesignOps

September 8, 2022

Adrian Howard

"Almost every product manager or developer... has a bad story about working with designers."

Adrian Howard

Sturgeon’s Biases

September 25, 2024

Asia Hoe

"Good time zone everyone."

Asia Hoe

Partnering with Product: A Journey from Junior to Senior Design

November 29, 2023