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
"Operations is like the rocket booster for design leadership."
Jacqui FreyScale is Social Work
March 19, 2020
"If you put one person across three teams, every day they have to decide who they’re going to piss off."
Jeff GothelfThe Intersection of Lean and Design
January 10, 2019
"Introducing design gates allowed us to finally stop the shipment of bad products."
Sam YenDriving Organizational Change Through Design? Do more of this and less of that
June 9, 2017
"This header took six minutes of IA work—but two years to make happen."
Sarah BarrettThe "How" of Enterprise Information Architecture
June 6, 2023
"I actually don’t need to feel ready to learn, and I can be uncomfortable or scared and still learn."
Vanessa VarinTools are moments. Capabilities compound.
June 9, 2026
"We’re human, sensitive, passionate, but fragile; we must be careful how we facilitate this kind of work."
Jason MesutShaping design, designers and teams
November 8, 2018
"Onboarding a new customer well bridges silos between acquisition and maintenance and produces enormous monetary rewards."
Lavrans Løvlie Ben ReasonAsk me anything – Authors of Service Design: From Insight to Implementation
November 19, 2025
"We have to slow down hiring to be more thoughtful and deliberate about who we bring on the team."
Libby MaurerTreating Diversity & Inclusion in Hiring as a Design Problem
December 5, 2019
"Accessibility isn’t just a checklist; it changes moment to moment for any individual."
Asia HoePartnering with Product: A Journey from Junior to Senior Design
November 29, 2023
