Summary
What is the role of care in user research? Why is care the greatest superpower of user research research—not only in what we do but how we lead? In this talk, Etienne discusses the importance of inclusive leadership and shares lessons on leading through care. This session will help researchers leverage their research strengths for leadership as individual contributors, team leads, and people managers alike.
Key Insights
-
•
Care is the fundamental superpower that user researchers bring to leadership, beyond field expertise.
-
•
Inclusive research demands going beyond dominant user groups to uplift underrepresented voices and create better experiences for all.
-
•
Leadership is not defined by title or seniority but by making others better in ways that outlast your presence.
-
•
Authenticity in leadership emerges from genuine connection to people’s real stories and whole lives, not superficial gestures.
-
•
Ethnographic methods help uncover meaningful user motivations that translate directly into product priorities.
-
•
Building trust and connection remotely requires frequent micro-interactions that show authentic care between colleagues.
-
•
Initiatives like CONNECS help foster belonging and visibility in remote teams by sharing personal passions in low-pressure ways.
-
•
Practicing self-care is an ethical imperative for researchers to sustain empathy and professional effectiveness.
-
•
Inclusive leadership environments enable collaboration and respect to happen freely, empowering diverse people to thrive.
-
•
Lowering barriers to sharing, such as brief, informal presentations, helps introverted or early-career teammates be visible and connected.
Notable Quotes
"Care is defined as the process of protecting someone or something and providing what that person or thing needs."
"Leadership is about making other people better as a result of your presence in a way that lasts into our absence."
"Daring leaders must care for and be connected to the people they lead."
"Inclusive research should not be a feel-good activity but treated as the norm on every project."
"Authentic leadership can be characterized as genuine, self-aware, and transparent."
"Caring personally isn't about memorizing birthdays or throwing big team offsites; it’s about real conversations and learning what’s important to people."
"Trust is built not just in big moments but in little marbles filling a jar over time."
"Self-care is an ethical imperative in UX; your well-being impacts your professional responsibilities."
"Sharing personal passions in low-stakes ways creates opportunities for colleagues to be visible, seen, and included."
"We lead ourselves, our peers, and our stakeholders; leadership happens at all levels and in all settings."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Business leaders are super busy, data-driven, competitive, and have a finely tuned bullshit meter."
Doug PowellClosing Keynote: Design at Scale
November 8, 2018
"If a group session with middle schoolers goes off the rails, one-on-one sessions can save the research."
Mila Kuznetsova Lucy DentonHow Lessons Learned from Our Youngest Users Can Help Us Evolve our Practices
March 9, 2022
"Evan actually spent less than 15 minutes on the essay, and instead of working on homework, he was writing a letter to his significant other back home in Detroit."
Sarah GallimoreInspire Progress with Artifacts from the Future
November 18, 2022
"Junior team members don’t have to talk directly to executives; working effectively with peers can create grassroots buy-in."
Lada Gorlenko Sharbani Dhar Sébastien Malo Rob Mitzel Ivana Ng Michal Anne RogondinoTheme 1: Discussion
January 8, 2024
"AI is here to stay, challenging our norms and shaping our future."
Alnie FigueroaThe Future of Design Operations: Transforming Our Craft
September 10, 2025
"Customers benchmark your company to their last best experience, often outside of your industry."
Landon BarnesAre My Research Findings Actually Meaningful?
March 10, 2022
"We have the Big C and the Little C: our external customers and our salespeople using the tools every day."
Emily EagleCan't Rewind: Radio and Retail
June 3, 2019
"Designing for change means focusing on learnability and product consumability, not just ease of use."
Malini RaoLessons Learned from a 4-year Product Re-platforming Journey
June 9, 2021
"I learned to be relentless about prioritization and to hone in on specific details and use cases."
Asia HoePartnering with Product: A Journey from Junior to Senior Design
November 29, 2023
