Summary
For the past year, “Having a seat at the table” has been one of the most widely-discussed topics in the research community. However, what happens once that seat has been won? What we’ve typically seen is researchers struggling to discern between the specific needs and expectations of senior leadership and stakeholders, and those of the product teams they’re grown accustomed to working with. This presentation will distill, from several previous studies, lessons to guide researchers in how to go from just having a seat at the table, to actually using it towards influence strategic decision-making.
Key Insights
-
•
Senior leaders usually prefer strong opinions and clear next steps over detailed research methodologies.
-
•
Researchers often talk to leadership as if they were peers, causing a gap in communication effectiveness.
-
•
The discipline of research has evolved from seeking approval to demanding inclusion at decision-making forums.
-
•
Many researchers already have a metaphorical seat at the table, evidenced by leadership referencing and using their work.
-
•
Analyzing how stakeholders communicate—positive, fact-based, or intensity-driven—helps tailor messages for greater impact.
-
•
Effective storytelling for leadership means creating memorable, high-level narratives rather than comprehensive reports.
-
•
Research teams must start involvement well before formal planning cycles to influence investment decisions.
-
•
Closing the feedback loop by gathering stakeholder responses post-decision is crucial but often overlooked.
-
•
Cultural differences, such as inductive versus deductive reasoning, affect how research findings should be presented.
-
•
Understanding stakeholders’ goals and language (e.g., metrics like revenue or user engagement) improves researcher alignment and influence.
Notable Quotes
"VPs want to know what you really think. They want to see your insights distilled into a clear position of what needs to be done next."
"We have been focused for so long on getting that seat that we haven’t realized that a lot of us are actually already there."
"The moment they begin to shift their thinking and make decisions based on that work, they’re actually giving you a seat."
"Different people communicate in different ways, and understanding those ways gives you the key to convincing them."
"People broadly fall into three communication styles: positive, fact-based, and intensity-based."
"Telling the right story means creating a memorable shorthand that leaders can reference when they're at other tables."
"Closing the loop by understanding when and why recommendations don’t get adopted is probably the most easily actionable piece of advice I can give."
"Stakeholders aren’t leaving us out on purpose; they make reasonable decisions with imperfect information."
"The single most important thing we can do at the table is expanding the boundaries of knowledge for decision makers."
"If you understand their language—gross merchandising value, monthly recurring revenue, daily active users—you speak their world."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Saying no shouldn’t be about being difficult but about accountability beyond any one person."
George AyeThat Quiet Little Voice: When Design and Ethics Collide
November 16, 2022
"We believe in global citizenship and de-westernizing research by including community members in the discourse and insight decisions."
Xenia Adjoubei Sean BruceEmpowering Communities Through the Researcher in Residence Program
March 29, 2023
"The only way to do research wrong is to not do it at all."
Benjamin Wiedmaier Annie MayfieldRedefining Toolkits: Unbundling to Create a Perfect Match
March 11, 2025
"Design operations provides the connective tissue running through different kinds of projects, making sure we have the right resources and processes."
John DevanneyThe Design Management Office
November 6, 2017
"If you're changing workflows in experiments, you need to keep track of impacted teams like call centers to avoid resistance."
Steve Sanderson Alissa Briggs Jeff Gothelf Bill ScottDiscussion
May 14, 2015
"We need to create an army of design thinkers across the organization who can make better decisions on what to build and how to build it."
Jemma AhmedTheme 2 Intro
January 8, 2024
"You aren’t going to turn into an arrogant jerk by believing in yourself more."
Megan KiersteadYou Are a Badass at UX: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
March 10, 2021
"Spectrum is about empowering collaboration across products, disciplines, and clouds — not just providing tools but supporting people using the system."
PJ Buddhari Nate BaldwinMeet Spectrum, Adobe’s Design System
June 9, 2021
"We often introduce friction deliberately in community building to make it safe and meaningful."
James LangIf you can design an app, you can design a community
May 22, 2025