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
"If you wait for permission, you will probably never be granted it. Just start doing what you know to be the right thing."
Lori Muszynski Peter MerholzKeeping Design Weird
October 2, 2023
"Insights are unexpected discoveries about how things work and how to make them work better - Gary Klein."
Johanna KollmannInsights-Driven Product Strategy: Get your Research to Count
December 6, 2022
"Use the latest version starring feature so your team only gets updates when they’re ready, avoiding constant notifications."
Jaime CreixemsBest Practices when Creating and Maintaining a Design System
June 7, 2023
"Don’t do remote contextual inquiry just because you can; you lose so much context."
Sarah RinkRemote User Research: Dos and Don'ts from the Virtual Field
June 11, 2020
"We need to find the narrative, not just use a narrative; sometimes it’s hidden and must be dug out."
Maish NichaniSparking a Service Excellence Mindset at a Government Agency
December 9, 2021
"Wayfair’s design team is design thinking led, inspiring other functions to form communities and grow together."
Rusha SopariwalaRemote, Together: Craft and Collaboration Across Disciplines, Borders, Time Zones, and a Design Org of 170+
June 9, 2022
"You can’t iterate on everything at once; you have to pick areas to improve based on business criticality and performance."
John DevanneyThe Design Management Office
November 6, 2017
"When I was head of product, I wasn’t enough of a domain expert or business model expert to scale the company."
Christian Crumlish Aditi Ruiz Johanna Kollmann Catt SmallMorning Insights Panel
December 6, 2022
"We’re biologically wired to respond to intellectual challenges the same way as physical threats."
Sara LogelYour Colleagues are Your Users Too
March 29, 2023
