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
"The speakers will share hard-won lessons to help you navigate low corporate design maturity and rapid growth."
Kit UngerTheme 2: Introduction
June 10, 2021
"Sometimes design roles aren’t called design roles at all, but that’s the type of work you actually do."
Charlotte Vorbeck Shahzma Esmail Edward Alton Sarah McArthur Ariel KennanPipeline to Civic Design
December 9, 2021
"You are all very excited about the future of design ops because you are charting the course together."
Alana WashingtonTheme 3 Intro
October 1, 2021
"Please read our code of conduct; it’s on every page of our website and includes ways to get help if needed."
Louis Rosenfeld Bria AlexanderOpening Remarks
October 2, 2023
"If the folks that design this tech don’t know how it works, it’s okay if you don’t know either."
Katie JohnsonDisrupting generative AI products with just-in-time consumer insights
June 4, 2024
"Venture investors accept a J curve of losses by design if they expect exponential growth."
Jen van der MeerService design performs value
November 19, 2025
"Great design does not happen in isolation; it’s subject to power dynamics inside companies and requires cross-functional collaboration."
Nina JurcicThe Design System Rollercoaster: From Enabler and Bottleneck to Catalyst for Change
October 3, 2023
"We mapped the process visually to see gaps and where we could reduce context switching."
Ned Dwyer Jadyn AguilarThe Future of DesignOps is Tool Consolidation
September 23, 2024
"I spent two hours trying to apply for a job because of excessive data requests; that is a design failure."
Matteo GrattonCan Data and Ethics Live Together?
October 1, 2021
Latest Books All books
Dig deeper with the Rosenbot
What are de-risking sessions in service design and how do they help prepare stakeholders for co-creation?
What role does visualizing funding distributions (like 'sausage' diagrams) play in improving portfolio management?
How can one service designer drive AI integration in an organization lacking a design team?