Summary
You know that thing where you start a new job and suddenly realize that all those great rules of thumb you thought were almost universally true are either impossible or ineffective in your new organization. Welcome to Leisa’s life. In this talk Leisa will share her experience of completely resetting her idea of best practice, implementing a strategy that is the opposite of what everyone expected, and why so few people do what they think is right. You’ll also get bonus thoughts on how to best set up your research team for maximize effectiveness.
Key Insights
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Certainty in youth contrasts with the uncertainty of adulthood, which can facilitate learning.
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Successful design and research depend heavily on context and cannot be universally applied.
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Establishing clear, bold rules can lead to success in building effective research teams.
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Negotiating for what you truly need is essential for organizational success.
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Understanding your environment and its unique characteristics is crucial.
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User-centered design requires a shift from product-focused to broader user context.
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Designing for complex systems necessitates adaptability in approaches and methodologies.
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Encouraging collaboration and visibility in research fosters a better team dynamic.
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Effective transformation in organizations often comes from incremental successes, rather than rapid changes.
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Maintaining focus on key problems and avoiding distraction from noise is vital for impact.
Notable Quotes
"I wasn't always like this. I was a purveyor of false certainty for a long time."
"What works really well for you right now might not work at all in your next context."
"It became really important for us to get into a lab to build a great lab with an observation room."
"When you're negotiating, bring plan A. Show them plan A, show them what you need."
"I felt very isolated during the week I told product managers they couldn't have the survey tool."
"If you're looking for a silver bullet, it kind of means your problem is a werewolf."
"Context dependency is key; embrace uncertainty and ambiguity."
"There's no silver bullet that works for every scenario; adapt your strategies accordingly."
"Every team ended up doing empathy walls as a way to bring stories back from the field."
"The ratio question always starts from the premise of spreading thinly, which isn't great for success."
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