Log in or create a free Rosenverse account to watch this video.
Log in Create free account100s of community videos are available to free members. Conference talks are generally available to Gold members.
Summary
In this talk, Wyatt conducts a deep dive into the Airbnb Global Research Panels, the program he has been developing at Airbnb over the past two years. Launch: why Airbnb created the Global Research Panels, the key decisions and the internal alignment required for launching the first version of the Global Research Panel Process: detailed look into the current version of the Global Research Panels, including the mechanics and tools used to manage it Impact: demonstration of ways the Global Research Panels have provided value over the past two years at Airbnb Evolution: see how the Global Research Panels has grown through six iterations so far and the vision for the Global Research Panels program going forward
Key Insights
-
•
Airbnb’s research panels focus on qualitative, not statistically significant, feedback from global users across 60 countries in 11 languages.
-
•
The panels were created to solve the gap of quick access to non-English speakers for product research, as most researchers operate primarily in English.
-
•
Early pilot panels included a mostly English-speaking group in Sydney and a non-English pilot in Tokyo.
-
•
Participants commit to six months with a reward equivalent to $400 US purchasing power, adjusted per country, paid in two parts and contingent on participation.
-
•
Qualtrics’ Target Audience product was chosen for panel management due to existing relationships and capabilities.
-
•
Human translation for surveys and responses is preferred to maintain quality, though machine translation is used occasionally for urgency.
-
•
Panels evolved from complex mechanisms with prototypes and online discussions to simpler survey and remote interview formats to improve operational efficiency.
-
•
Smaller panel sizes (~90 per market) allow for qualitative insights, focusing on proportional representation aligned to Airbnb’s user base in each market.
-
•
Non-research teams at Airbnb have started using the panels for quick feedback without needing to recruit or handle NDAs themselves.
-
•
Future ambitions include expanding live multilingual interviews and integrating more diversity and accessibility data into participant profiles.
Notable Quotes
"Our research operations team’s mission is to let researchers focus on research without worrying about operational details."
"Half of Airbnb’s traffic is from non-English devices and 80% of bookings involve at least one party outside the U.S."
"We ended up piloting a group in Tokyo for non-English speakers, which was key to testing the language challenge."
"Participants are paid based on purchasing power parity — $400 USD equivalent spread over six months for active participation."
"We decided to limit panel access initially to the research team but are exploring expanding to other teams."
"We run a two-week cycle now because translations back and forth require more time for quality."
"The panels are primarily qualitative tools and not meant for statistically significant quantitative research."
"We send out surveys weekly, but respondents have two weeks to answer, accommodating different time zones and bandwidth."
"The panels help researchers test assumptions, check cultural sensitivities, and quickly iterate globally."
"Non-research teams can use the panels easily — one program manager arranged interviews with hosts in 6 countries within a week."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"What would it look like if we could ask, how do I make this the absolute best environment for complex problem solving, instead of how do I take away all the annoying hard problems?"
John CutlerThe Alignment Trap
November 29, 2023
"We changed the culture by changing the language, introducing common terms like hypotheses and experiments."
Monty HammontreeThe Future of UX Research
December 3, 2020
"Everyone was just staying in their lane and focused on delivery, not seeing how their project impacted others."
Matt StoneScaling Empathy, A Case Study in Change Management
June 11, 2021
"Don’t spend too much time trying to translate experience goals directly into business metrics; show the value of experience separately."
Gonzalo GoyanesDesign ROI: Cover a Little, Get a Lot
September 8, 2022
"I was able to create user segments to analyze sustainability-related user journeys and identify gaps."
Amy ParnessScaling Sustainability: Complementary strategies that drive long-term success
May 29, 2025
"One theme was very clear and that was around the future."
Alana WashingtonTheme 3 Intro
October 1, 2021
"Everything touched by AI becomes synthetic and needs persistent labeling."
Patrizia BertiniDesigning Within the Lines: How the EU AI Act Can Spark Better AI Innovation
December 11, 2025
"Offering participants food or shelter crosses professional boundaries and can create unsafe expectations."
Jane Reid Janice HannawaySelf-care in User Research
April 2, 2020
"Visual style isn’t just enough to make something feel cohesive."
Nathan CurtisBeyond the Toolkit: Spreading a System Across People & Products
June 9, 2016
