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
"Lawyers, though nervous, can become some of the most reasonable people you deal with if you explain risks clearly."
Laura KleinUnique challenges of innovation in enterprises
April 23, 2020
"When you ask ‘When was the last time you asked this question?’ it can trigger panic in someone with anxiety."
Pippa LomasPaving the Path for Neurodiversity in Design
October 4, 2023
"The Netflix grid experience that was simplest and offered no genre picking actually won, showing users are lazier than they think."
Steve Sanderson Alissa Briggs Jeff Gothelf Bill ScottDiscussion
May 14, 2015
"Solo Solver leaders don’t advocate for their team and delegate culture building to others."
Jason Mesut Martina Hodges-Schell Jose CoronadoUnmasking Design Leadership: Navigating leadership without neglecting ourselves
October 30, 2025
"We simply told leadership we don’t even know what we don’t know or what we do know, leading to a research insights repository."
Sarah Sgarlato Pierini Kevin NewtonFrom Passion to Execution: A Story of Evolving Research Maturity at LinkedIn
September 9, 2022
"AI trust will grow when AI can provide back-and-forth justifications like a human would in conversation."
Joel BranchHumanizing AI: Filling the Gaps with Multi-faceted Research
March 11, 2021
"If a goal isn’t met it’s not all down to you; it’s a team effort and often influenced by many external factors."
Jessica NorrisADHD: A DesignOps Superpower
September 9, 2022
"When you’re doing a survey, think about if it can be done in a way that is much more accessible."
Samuel MartinCo-Design vs Faux-Design: Navigating the Complexities of Sharing Power in Co-Design
March 27, 2026
"Designers are not trusted unless they bring data to the table."
Leisa ReicheltThe Five Dysfunctions of Democratized Research at Scale
March 30, 2020
