Summary
As more organizations embrace research we move on to the second generation question – how do we scale this user centered behavior to support demand? There are fairly systemic issues that can undermine our best intentions. At best, it can render our research wasteful and inefficient, and at worst it can introduce significant risks in the decision making that our teams make. This talk considers five of the most likely challenges you’ll rub up against – speed, silos, teams, numbers and failure to mature. We’ll then discuss what causes these and what you can do to mitigate risks for your organization.
Key Insights
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Democratizing research can significantly enhance product development by involving diverse team members.
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Empathy for different user contexts is crucial to avoid self-referential design in research.
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There is a tension between speed and the quality of research; quick fixes can lead to biased outcomes.
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Two key aspects of customer closeness are empathy and evidence gathering, each requiring different approaches.
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Siloed teams tend to focus too narrowly on their features, missing broader contextual insights that matter.
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Quantitative data can overshadow qualitative insights, leading to poor decision-making in research.
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Research processes, if not planned for, can compromise data quality; teams should allow sufficient time for analysis.
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Effective communication among team members about research quality is essential for better decision-making.
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Understanding the balance between user needs and team ownership can reduce conflict over design decisions.
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Investing appropriate resources in research relative to the risk involved leads to better-informed product decisions.
Notable Quotes
"I want to acknowledge their gated-goal people and the people of your nation which is where I stand today."
"Generally speaking, having our teams involving people as a part of their design process is a good thing."
"Getting closer to customers is also about gathering evidence, looking at the facts."
"The need for speed can introduce problematic trade-offs that lead to biased research."
"We should always be designing and researching by considering a feature in its next largest context."
"Siloed teams often only care about what they can control, seeking validation in their research."
"The main thing that the team was talking about when they talked about design was data, the research evidence."
"Numbers hog the limelight but they shouldn't overshadow important qualitative insights."
"Researching end-to-end journeys allows for a more efficient working method and reliable outcomes."
"Our job is to reduce the risk of investing in the wrong place or in the wrong way."
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