Summary
Moving the research function out from UX can transform how insights influence product-making in an organization. In this talk, Nalini explains how and why she led this shift for her team at Salesforce, as well as the move’s effect on their work and impact. Nalini will also share lessons learned in the process - “the how to’s” and the “absolutely how not to’s” - that may inspire and guide leaders and individual contributors alike.
Key Insights
-
•
Decoupling research from UX can provide researchers with more agency to frame broader business problems beyond design.
-
•
Identity work is a fundamental challenge when moving research out of UX, requiring careful leadership attention.
-
•
Playing the long game through persistent business case building and internal socialization is essential for organizational change.
-
•
Research teams positioned alongside product management, engineering, and data science gain higher visibility and influence.
-
•
Measuring research impact becomes more complex but broader, shifting from simple metrics like study counts to influence and strategic involvement.
-
•
Research operations functions are crucial infrastructure that enable scalable, efficient research beyond UX.
-
•
Control over budget and headcount advocacy improves significantly when research reports outside UX.
-
•
COVID-19 amplified issues around identity and belonging for team members during organizational transitions.
-
•
In B2B companies like Salesforce, much product decision-making happens before UX, necessitating research involvement earlier in the lifecycle.
-
•
Providing reassurance and support for new research skills helps ease team anxieties during structural changes.
Notable Quotes
"What happens if research does not report into UX? What might happen if we uncouple research from UX?"
"We made this move in January 2020 — our research and insights team moved out of UX but stayed within product organizations."
"Conscious uncoupling is about identity — how one thinks of oneself defines oneself and how others define you."
"I believed we could do more — more for the company, customers, stakeholders, and ourselves if we had more agency."
"Our research practice was perceived largely as design testers, empathy vehicles, and policing functions — a narrow, reactive role."
"After the move, our work had more impact, more visibility, and we're present across the entire product life cycle."
"Research operations is the spine of any successful research and insights group."
"For the first time, I was able to advocate for funding directly for the research function at high executive levels."
"I underestimated how much identity our team tied to UX and how scary that loss felt to many of them."
"Our shift is structural, not because of personalities — it was needed to influence earlier, more business-centric decisions."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Engagement and impact roles bring creativity and help maintain team morale in otherwise dry operations work."
Kate TowseyThe State of ResearchOps: More Than Just Theory
June 20, 2019
"Tactical empathy is critical—it takes time and effort, but it’s always worth it."
Meredith Black Elyse HornbacherBuilding Community and Common Trends to Look for in 2021
December 17, 2020
"The user experience will allow us to win."
Doug PowellClosing Keynote: Design at Scale
November 8, 2018
"Pilot onboarding includes extensive checklists that are only now being digitized from paper."
Teresa SwinglerLook, Up in the Sky! UX/UI for Aerospace
October 27, 2022
"I think of a journey map as a suggestion, not a rule, and I might take parts of it to fit the context and people."
Nidhi Singh Rathore Amber DavisEmbracing participation to unlock deeper truths in commercial research
March 12, 2025
"You can't just jump to the top of the pyramid like Maslow’s hierarchy—you have to consider all the underlying layers supporting the experience."
Kristin WisnewskiMeasuring What Matters
October 23, 2019
"Doctors want to help people, not be on a machine all day; many health technologies are more distracting than helpful."
Raven VealDark Metrics: Illuminating the Negative Impact of Digital Health Design
March 12, 2021
"UX assets are actually valuable resources that generate revenue and contribute to business success."
Emily DiLeo Maria TaylorStronger Together: Lessons Learned from UX Research Ops
September 24, 2024
"We’ve seen reflections from you all through Slack throughout the conference."
Sarah BrooksTheme Three Intro
November 18, 2022
Latest Books All books
Dig deeper with the Rosenbot
How can visualization techniques demonstrate the measurable impact of behind-the-scenes service design work?
How can teams ensure their design and research tools support accessibility and inclusion?
How should C-suite executives approach AI introduction differently from traditional software rollouts?