Summary
During this interview, we'll hear how Senior UX Researcher, Nicole Wright has helped HoneyBook–a client management software company–democratize research, build a better product that led to a recent $1B valuation. Nicole will share her best practices, lessons learned and her vision for the future.
Key Insights
-
•
Democratizing research enhances product usability and fosters better interdepartmental relationships.
-
•
Sharing user insights across teams strengthens team collaboration and understanding of customer needs.
-
•
Having a centralized research repository allows for easier access to user insights and feedback across the organization.
-
•
Training stakeholders on research methodologies facilitates better engagement with research content.
-
•
Introducing new hires to user research sessions strengthens their connection to customer experiences from the start.
-
•
Incremental wins and patience are key to successfully democratizing research in an organization.
-
•
Collaborative taxonomies help maintain consistency in tagging and categorizing research findings.
-
•
Constantly refining processes and gathering feedback is crucial for sustaining a successful research practice.
-
•
Translating research findings into educational resources enhances the efficiency of product utilization by customers.
-
•
Integrating research into onboarding shapes more informed and empathetic employees.
Notable Quotes
"Research is pertinent to having a great company, not just a usable product."
"By democratizing research, we can build stronger internal bonds between teams."
"Research shouldn't be siloed; insights should be shared across departments for better alignment."
"Every team has insights, and we need to connect those insights with research findings."
"The adoption of research practices takes time and often requires more than just introducing a new tool."
"A centralized repository allows teams to access insights without duplicating efforts."
"It's essential to understand stakeholders' frustrations to improve research processes."
"We can embed product education directly into our support articles from user insights."
"New hires should have the opportunity to engage with users to understand their day-to-day challenges."
"The goal is to have research drive not just product development but also member education and support strategies."
More Videos
"When I say journey maps, I do not mean this for me is a big no; I hate these things."
Noz UrbinaRapid AI-powered UX (RAUX): A framework for empowering human designers
May 1, 2025
"What are our rules of engagement for design?"
Jim KalbachJazz Improvisation as a Model for Team Collaboration
June 4, 2019
"I am not someone who is in any way a proponent of a design challenge."
Holly ColeUnderstanding Experiences: When you have to do more than work
November 8, 2018
"We have harmony between design and development, and now a common language to align our processes."
Jack BeharHow to Build Prototypes that Behave like an End-Product
December 6, 2022
"Welcome to day two of Design Ops 2023. If you can believe it, we are halfway through our programming today."
Bria AlexanderOpening Remarks
October 3, 2023
"The workshops emphasized understanding people and their workflows before jumping to tools."
Erika FlowersAI-Readiness: Preparing NASA for a Data-Driven, Agile Future
June 10, 2025
"Technology can revolutionize how we think about education."
Kristin SkinnerFive Years of DesignOps
September 29, 2021
"Some of us met backstage for the first time today."
Jim KalbachJazz Improvisation as a Model for Team Collaboration
November 6, 2017
"The purpose of design is to help create a just and equitable world for everyone."
Surya VankaUnleashing Swarm Creativity to Solve Enterprise Challenges
June 10, 2021
