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
The world of UX Research has evolved and changed rapidly. As businesses wake up to the power of understanding customers as human beings and using those learnings to make smarter decisions, the demand for these valuable insights has grown exponentially. So, how does the practice of UX Research adapt to this demand? How can we accommodate our stakeholders and teams while maintaining the integrity of research?
Key Insights
-
•
UX research roles were nearly non-existent when Janelle started, often merged with design or other roles.
-
•
Rapid evolution in the last 4-5 years has led to UX research teams growing from solo practitioners to hundreds.
-
•
Centralized UX research teams benefit from shared knowledge but risk being 'request takers' disconnected from business context.
-
•
Embedded researchers have more direct business impact but sometimes must compromise research rigor due to time constraints.
-
•
Democratizing research requires careful guardrails, thoughtful training, and clear boundaries to prevent bad data and rogue work.
-
•
Effective democratization often focuses on evaluative, lower-risk research phases with designers, while strategic early-phase research remains researcher-led.
-
•
There is a trend toward centers of excellence using 'change agents' embedded in teams to spread research practice in large organizations.
-
•
Inclusive and diverse research is crucial to avoid designing only for a narrow audience; UX researchers must champion this.
-
•
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated organizations' focus on real-time customer insights to navigate rapid behavior changes, exemplified by Skyscanner.
-
•
Successful UX research programs embrace flexibility in methods and organizational structures rather than rigid, one-size-fits-all approaches.
Notable Quotes
"When I first started, I felt like I had this little superpower that nobody else really knew about."
"If you build something that's easy to use but not what people want, it doesn't matter."
"The UX team is never the keeper of all knowledge of the customer; the whole company owns the experience."
"Don't just flip the switch and say go talk to customers; you have to set guardrails and train people."
"Being open and flexible to what's most helpful for the team at that moment is key."
"The hardest skill to recruit for is someone who can consult and ask the right questions to uncover what the request really is."
"Centralized teams can become 'no machines' when overwhelmed with requests, needing to prioritize carefully."
"Inclusive research means building for diverse people, not just for ourselves or a narrow segment."
"Companies had to relearn their customers during COVID because behavior had fundamentally changed."
"Don't be precious but don't be reckless either when opening research access to others."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Designing for edge cases can lead to solutions everyone wants to use because they’re more comfortable and inclusive."
Billy CarlsonIdeation tips for Product Managers
December 6, 2022
"Accessibility doesn’t stop at the desktop just because you’ve made your desktop website accessible."
Sam ProulxMobile Accessibility: Why Moving Accessibility Beyond the Desktop is Critical in a Mobile-first World
November 17, 2022
"A typical enterprise customer has like five analysts who need a login, not millions of users."
Dan WillisEnterprise Storytelling Sessions
May 13, 2015
"Not a single person on this relationship map reported to me. That’s how I affect design at scale at Autodesk."
Michael PolivkaScaling Design through Relationship Maps
November 7, 2017
"The real value of AI in IA is as a collaborative tool requiring significant human support, not a magic knob to turn."
Karen McGrane Jeff EatonAI for Information Architects: Are the robots coming for our jobs?
November 21, 2024
"Context is really super important not only for design and research but for how you design organizations and ways of working."
Leisa ReicheltOpening Keynote: Operating in Context
November 7, 2018
"If you find someone not following values, start with a one-on-one to understand their point of view and realign together."
Kim Holt Emma Wylds Pearl Koppenhaver Maisee XiongA Salesforce Panel Discussion on Values-Driven DesignOps
September 8, 2022
"Change is a game of inches; we take two steps forward, six steps back."
Jacqui Frey Alison RandSetting the Table for Dynamic Change
October 24, 2019
"We have to learn to speak in the language of the business to get their attention and investment."
How to Identify and Increase your "Experience Quotient"
June 15, 2018
