User Research, Design, and Product - A Love Story
Summary
Come listen to real stories of how User Research has worked closely with Product Design and Product Management at Compass. Moderated by Anna Avrekh, Director of User Research, this Q&A session will cover how teams work closely with user research, how they have taken action off of user research, and the keys to successful relationships. Feel the love!
Key Insights
-
•
User research at Compass reveals vast diversity in agent workflows and needs across different markets.
-
•
A key discovery was that agents use competitor products differently than expected, leading to a hybrid product approach.
-
•
Embedding researchers within squads fosters more meaningful collaboration and lifecycle involvement.
-
•
Tight timelines and shifting priorities create challenges in scheduling impactful user research sessions.
-
•
Designers and PMs must balance the desire to research all details with limited research capacity.
-
•
User research often uncovers insights beyond the original questions, leading to broader strategic shifts.
-
•
There is a common misunderstanding equating user research with simple user feedback collection.
-
•
Cross-training product teams on research principles helps scale basic user insight gathering.
-
•
Having researchers present in executive meetings adds critical nuance and authority to product discussions.
-
•
Empathy for the difficulty of conducting research sessions is vital for better collaboration and respect.
Notable Quotes
"I’m always shocked when my design is just the perfect solution from the get go."
"We found out there wasn’t just one best in class solution and needed a hybrid approach."
"User research revealed agents didn’t know the difference between two similar products and treated them as one."
"Prioritizing research questions is key because we can’t validate every single detail."
"Having the researcher in the room throughout the product lifecycle is super helpful."
"User research is not just collecting feedback; it’s a methodical process to avoid bias."
"Sometimes you just have to do without research if the timeline is too short."
"You don’t know how hard it is until you’re leading a user research session yourself."
"Research produces so much data, but synthesizing it and choosing what to act on is a real challenge."
"Democratizing research is about teaching people to fish, but research remains a specialized craft."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Talking is linear, but systems are non-linear. Visual maps show those relationships that words can’t."
Joe ElmendorfShitty Maps: A Trojan Horse for Sensemaking
July 9, 2026
"Project management is the ecosystem connecting everyone to deliver the best branded dog communication technology."
Kevin M. HoffmanTheme 2: Enterprise Team Journey
June 3, 2019
"It’s good practice to offer one-on-one interactions with older adults due to their learning preferences."
Rittika BasuAge and Interfaces: Equipping Older Adults with Technological Tools
February 23, 2023
"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
"Design and research at Compass have become so integrated that we become these powerful partners driving the product vision."
Andreas Huebner Amy Takata Craig BrookesWhat Is It Like To Be Part of The UX Team at Compass?
March 11, 2021
"Findings from marginalized groups aren’t just relevant to them but often improve the experience for many more people."
Kaitlin TaskerFast and Fearless Inclusive Research
March 27, 2023
"The pandemic is a message from the universe to pause and rethink who we hire and how we train."
Steve Portigal Alba Villamil Sam LadnerThe Future of Research: Bridging the Gaps
July 29, 2021
"Invitational language allows participants to be in charge of a part of the interview, making the exchange authentic."
Bilan HashiThe Tension Between Story Collecting and Story Telling in Research
March 10, 2021
"Every time we say, I would prefer not to, we reclaim a little bit of agency."
Jemma AhmedTheme 1 Intro
March 10, 2026
