Summary
Join us as Zapier's Senior Insights Program Manager, Michelle Bejian Lotia, shares her research repository journey. With insights coming from all directions at Zapier, important research was often lost in the fray, resulting in repeated projects and siloed efforts. By consolidating insights into a repository that all stakeholders could access and contribute to, Michelle is looking to compound Zapier's research efforts and drive insight-led decision-making across the organization. Come along and hear firsthand the challenges and triumphs of rolling out a research repository in a growing, fully remote organization.
Key Insights
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Establishing a research repository requires a solid foundation of existing organizational culture and practices.
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Cross-functional teamwork enhances the research and insights sharing process.
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A centralized repository helps prevent duplicate research efforts and encourages utilizing existing insights.
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Stakeholder buy-in can be achieved through demonstration rather than mere explanation - show the tool in action.
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Template-driven approaches foster consistency and quality in the contributions to the repository.
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Leveraging tools like Dovetail with integrations (e.g., with Zapier) enhances the flexibility of the insights structure.
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Creating a robust system for approving contributions ensures the reliability of shared insights.
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Encouraging a feedback culture around insights helps maintain their relevance and accuracy.
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Focusing on immediate user value from the repository boosts its acceptance across teams.
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AI can play a supportive role in summarizing insights but should not replace the nuanced understanding of research stakeholders.
Notable Quotes
"We know this is a very complex topic"
"Our goal today is demystifying what rolling a repository actually looks like"
"The need for having a research repository was clear before I arrived"
"Show don't tell is a critical tip for getting buy-in"
"We wanted to ensure the repository wasn't just created but that it was utilized effectively from day one"
"I've been able to pivot into more of a sense-making role"
"Launching the repository gave users a serious wow moment on day one"
"Over a third of the company has signed in since the launch"
"I developed a lit review template to guide how to use existing insights"
"We're at a point now where folks are running away with potential new uses"
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