Log in or create a free Rosenverse account to watch this video.
Log in Create free account100s of community videos are available to free members. Conference talks are generally available to Gold members.
Summary
Organizations often start thinking about implementing operations support when they get to a certain size - when things start breaking or something goes massively wrong, when it becomes an imperative for existence. But there is massive benefit from building a research ops function much earlier on in your team growth. Saskia Liebenberg will explain how she's implemented research ops at Deliveroo in a team of 10 researchers, and how she's used the ResearchOps framework to build a strategy that supports the team in their specific context.
Key Insights
-
•
Starting research operations proactively before scaling challenges emerge reduces stress and increases effectiveness.
-
•
A small research team of 5-10 researchers is a manageable and ideal size to kickstart research ops.
-
•
Non-research backgrounds, such as project or program management, can be highly effective in research ops roles.
-
•
Setting up standardized folder structures, project codes, and templates early significantly accelerates research workflows.
-
•
Regular one-to-one interviews with researchers reveal critical pain points and increase trust in research ops.
-
•
Recruitment coordinators acting as ‘recruitment gurus’ greatly enhance participant recruiting efficiency and researcher focus.
-
•
Research ops and design ops teams can and should collaborate closely, especially in tooling and onboarding.
-
•
GDPR compliance, often feared, can be simplified in research ops by taking ownership and reassuring researchers.
-
•
Research ops requires more than one person; spreading operational responsibilities improves quality and morale.
-
•
Operational tools like Google Sheets and Trello remain powerful starting points before investing in automation.
Notable Quotes
"I call it proactive research ops because often teams only think about ops when something breaks, but we started early before there was drama."
"My dog is tiny but had a huge impact – that’s how small research ops can have big impacts on the team."
"Renaming project folders felt like changing someone's baby's name, but it was essential to get clarity and consistency."
"If you solve the problems your users are experiencing, they'll trust you and come back to you."
"You don’t have to be a researcher to do research ops; people from marketing or HR backgrounds learn on the job and bring valuable perspectives."
"Having a recruitment coordinator who knows all the agencies and best practices is a game changer — a recruitment guru."
"The research team is embedded within product squads, working closely with designers, engineers, and data analysts."
"Setting up research ops raised team morale and retention because researchers felt valued and supported."
"Research ops isn’t a one-person job. Expect to need more headcount sooner than you think."
"Google Sheets and Trello are our best friends — simple, flexible, and really powerful for managing research ops."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Say no — that was really hard, but when you say no, you’re saying yes to the right things."
Carla Casariego Sarah SpencerDesignOps in Wonderland
October 24, 2019
"We want regular monthly meetings to keep conversations alive while being doable for everyone’s schedules."
Ariel KennanCivic Design in 2022
January 13, 2022
"The title of the talk is a misnomer: this work isn't actually that fast and shouldn't be done without fear of consequences."
Kaitlin TaskerFast and Fearless Inclusive Research
March 27, 2023
"We want to be an inspiring friend you go to for advice, not just someone who tells you what to buy."
Sara Asche Anderson Jamie KaspszakNot Your Ordinary Re-Brand: Design's Path to Driving Customer Obsession at Best Buy
January 8, 2024
"Technical difficulties happen, so please use hashtag.deo help within our Slack channel or email for support."
Bria AlexanderOpening Remarks
September 29, 2021
"Design permeates everything as a lens through which you see the world; philosophy is just a different shaped lens."
Cennydd BowlesExit Interview #2: Rediscovering the ethical heart of design
November 6, 2025
"We share the inconvenience of meeting times across time zones, alternating so no one team always bears it."
Jilanna WilsonDistributed Design Operations Management
October 23, 2019
"Simplicity rarely loses to complexity in the public square—it’s about meeting people where they are."
Steve ChaparroBringing Into Alignment Brand, Culture and Space
August 13, 2020
"If your function is very new, expect to hear 'What do you do again?' or face skepticism about overlapping roles."
Alnie FigueroaTeamwork: Strategies for Effective Collaboration with Other Program Management Teams
September 8, 2022
