How to Use Self-Directed Learning to Ensure Your Research Insights are Heard and Acted Upon
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
"Our hands make all the things, and our brains form the teams that run the hands making the things."
Husani OakleyBias Towards Action: Building Teams that Build Work
June 14, 2018
"By default, you’re getting I am very confident of my answers."
Trisha Causley[Demo] Complexity in disguise: Crafting experiences for generative AI features
June 5, 2024
"Product teams want quick, grab-and-go research results, but reusable insights are more abstract and take longer to digest."
Matt DuignanAtomizing Research: Trend or Trap
March 30, 2020
"Research repositories often get a bad rap because people just dump final reports without thinking about how they'll be used."
Mike Oren Janice WiitalaDesign Research Strategy & Strategic Design Research
February 3, 2022
"We didn’t do this with arrogance. We did it with great respect, understanding who we’re delivering to, shareholders, patients, customers."
Robert SchwartzWe're Here for the Humans
June 9, 2017
"This is exactly what joy feels like. This is exactly what love feels like."
Himanshu BharadwajIf design had a heart
April 16, 2026
"People often confuse prioritization with sequencing – understanding relative importance is one thing, but when and how you do things matters too."
John Cutler Harry MaxPrioritization for designers and product managers (1st of 3 seminars)
June 13, 2024
"Facilitating a shared understanding among everyone on product takes a lot of time."
Scott Jensen Sarah Delaney Carmen LiuShort Take #2: UX/Product Lessons from Your Industry Peers
December 6, 2022
"The GUI transition meant assistive tech had to track cursor, mouse, and graphical objects, making it far more complex."
Sam ProulxTo Boldly Go: The New Frontiers of Accessibility
June 10, 2022
