Summary
In our remote world, we as researchers need new ways to help our stakeholders cut through the noise to engage and digest our insights more meaningfully through thoughtful and intentional self-directed learning techniques. In this short session, we will discuss 4 key self-directed learning techniques to help you increase engagement around your insights during our debriefing sessions with your stakeholders.
Key Insights
-
•
Self-directed learning can empower stakeholders to engage with research insights on their own terms, increasing uptake and action.
-
•
Designing the context of insight sharing intentionally—considering group size, goals, and stakeholder needs—improves clarity and impact.
-
•
Emotional literacy, or checking in on participants’ feelings before sharing insights, helps prime stakeholders for better receptiveness.
-
•
Asynchronous collaboration within live sessions encourages quieter voices to be heard and builds rich discussions around insights.
-
•
Using digital tools that allow commenting directly on research reports democratizes feedback and documents conversations in real time.
-
•
Early engagement of stakeholders in framing research questions fosters buy-in and makes the research more relevant to their concerns.
-
•
Not everyone needs to read or engage with all research content; focusing on the most influential stakeholders optimizes effort and impact.
-
•
Combining synchronous and asynchronous modes in insight sharing sessions can manage Zoom fatigue and diversify participation.
-
•
Explicitly naming stakeholders' questions in research reports increases their sense of being seen and encourages participation.
-
•
Insight sharing should shift from just delivering information to designing a learning experience tailored to stakeholders’ strengths and interests.
Notable Quotes
"Change is the only constant, so designing insight sharing with self-directed learning is critical."
"Caring for people emotionally during insight sessions directly impacts their productivity and willingness to engage."
"Sometimes the loudest voices dominate, but asynchronous collaboration helps give quieter voices a chance to speak."
"I literally ask, how are you feeling right now? It’s about connecting on a human level before diving into data."
"Before sharing insights, I try to prime the room by acknowledging feelings and starting fresh."
"Sharing insights is like creating a learning space where stakeholders can use the information in their own way."
"Sending reports early and inviting comments turns the insight session into more of a discussion than a presentation."
"Everyone wants to see themselves reflected in the research questions and findings."
"Focus your research report on the three most influential stakeholders, not everyone."
"Combining synchronous and asynchronous communication within one session gets us from awareness to action."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Hallucinations are when AI makes up stuff—it's a fundamental property of these models."
Peter Van DijckDesigning AI-first products on top of a rapidly evolving technology
June 10, 2025
"We often say don’t make me think. When that’s not possible, reuse and recycle those learnings."
Sam ProulxOnline Shopping: Designing an Accessible Experience
June 7, 2023
"Having a shared understanding of roles really cuts down on interpersonal tensions during team formation."
Ivana NgLevel Up Your Program with ProductOps
January 8, 2024
"Risk-sharper is a role assigned within Risk Management that carries teams through the risk process to mitigate it."
Christian RohrerResearch Operations at Scale
November 7, 2017
"The more detailed, the more you start siloing and confusing the whole project."
Billy CarlsonPrinciples of Team Wireframing
October 2, 2023
"Good enough research? Sometimes good enough isn’t good enough."
Ari ZelmanowDark Side of Democratization
October 13, 2023
"What makes it different is that it doesn’t run sequentially; you give it a goal and it decides how to achieve it."
Matt WebbContext Window: Five Futures for AI
June 11, 2025
"You’ve got to take control of the backlog and position your team as value-driven, not just servicing individual teams."
Andrew MichaelBuilding a Product Insights Team
March 10, 2022
"Design ops work is not new; it's been happening in design organizations, software companies, banks across industries and around the world for many years."
Kristin SkinnerTheme 1 Intro
September 29, 2021