Research After UX
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
"Math models don’t just provide numerical precision, they can be inspirational for thinking about UX spread."
Scott PlewesWhy Isn't Your UX Approach Going Viral?: A Mathematical Model
March 28, 2023
"You've got to slow down to go fast; make space in your schedule to think strategically."
Kate TowseyAsk Me Anything (AMA) with Kate Towsey
April 2, 2025
"The system always kicks back—the consequences of our actions unfold over time."
Peter MorvilleThe Architecture of Understanding
May 13, 2015
"We want to build consultants who can solve problems across a variety of projects and clients."
Ignacio MartinezFair and Effective Designer Evaluation
September 25, 2024
"What would happen if you do think about validity? Would it change your process or research plans?"
Chris EngledowlA Mixed Method Approach to Validity to Help Build Trust
April 28, 2023
"Tags shouldn’t change very often; there should be governance to keep things consistent and relevant."
Tony TurnerCapturing Deep Insights
September 30, 2021
"We mitigated data privacy risks by using OpenAI's corporate plan that offers enhanced security measures."
Fisayo Osilaja[Demo] The AI edge: From researcher to strategist
June 4, 2024
"Organizational information models need to grow and be managed, not treated as static deliverables."
Bram WesselEnterprise Information Architecture
January 10, 2020
"Organizations weren’t suffering from a lack of ideas, they were suffering from ways of working and culture that didn’t allow good ideas to get heard."
Bud Caddell Kristin Skinner Alana WashingtonDesignOps Community Sensing Session
May 13, 2021
