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Summary
Over the past decade, user research has matured significantly. It’s increasingly more common for large organizations to have dozens of people doing user research, whether as part of a dedicated team of researchers or other design roles. Growing team sizes and increasing organizational demand has meant that the pressures placed on people doing research have grown too. To meet demand and be efficient, impactful, compliant (and happy, lest we forget), researchers need more rigorous operational support. In 2018, through the work of the ResearchOps Community and its #WhatisResearchOps initiative, the nascent practice of ResearchOps was given shape: via a series of global workshops by researchers and for researchers, the Community explored what ResearchOps should look like and produced a framework to map its various parts. But what’s behind the theory? What does ResearchOps actually look like in the world today? And who are the people leading the way? In this talk, Kate shared insight into the state of ResearchOps today, talked about current and potential ResearchOps opportunities and challenges, and shared what she thinks the future holds for this emerging practice.
Key Insights
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ResearchOps began as a concept to support researchers but has evolved into a structured framework essential for modern research teams.
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Women tend to apologize too often in professional settings; replacing 'sorry' with 'thank you for your patience' can create more confident communication.
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Research teams are increasingly expanding, leading to the need for specialized roles within Research Ops to handle complexity and scale.
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One of the critical functions of Research Ops is managing participant recruitment and ensuring efficient processes for researchers.
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Cross-collaboration with design, devops, and other operational teams is essential for successful research outcomes.
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A community-based approach to Research Ops allows for shared learning and support among practitioners globally.
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Establishing a clear definition of roles and responsibilities within Research Ops helps in demarcating boundaries between leadership and operational support.
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Supportive self-service models can empower researchers while relieving operational teams from becoming overloaded with requests.
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Understanding the needs of pressures in research allows for better capacity management and prioritization of projects.
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Continuous evaluation and adjustment of frameworks and practices within Research Ops ensures they remain effective and relevant.
Notable Quotes
"Research Ops provides the roles, tools, and processes needed to support researchers."
"It can be easy to drop into a completely servicing role for researchers without designing proper systems."
"A ratio of one Research Ops person to five researchers is ideal for efficiency."
"The challenge of scaling the research function often lies in the limited resources available."
"Research is about more than just organization; it's a multifaceted practice that requires dedicated teams."
"Creating supportive services for researchers means paving pathways for them to walk on their own."
"You cannot deliver a one-size-fits-all service to every researcher; it needs to be customized."
"The potential scope of Research Ops is vast and requires a thorough understanding of team needs."
"We must keep in mind that operating with limited resources makes proving our worth more challenging."
"Designing for efficiency leads to long-term impacts in the quality of research outcomes."
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