Beyond Tools: The Messy Business of Implementing Research Repositories
Summary
Key Insights
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Successful implementation depends on managing emotional and cultural change, not just selecting the right tool.
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Ignoring change management and the emotional responses to new processes causes most implementation failures.
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Teams often fail to engage stakeholders outside their immediate group, leading to rejection or silos.
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Data and information represent power; changing data flows impacts organizational power dynamics.
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Starting small with 2–5 people in a pilot is crucial to building momentum before scaling.
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A clear understanding of who stakeholders are, including decision-makers, is often missing.
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Momentum Glue—ongoing deep conversations about fears, anxiety, and resistance—is essential for progress.
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Having organizational support and dedicated time is critical; passion alone isn't enough.
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Training and establishing protocols post-implementation are vital and often overlooked.
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Even UX professionals frequently fail to apply research principles when implementing tools internally due to organizational focus and priorities.
Notable Quotes
"Forget about the tools 100% at the beginning of the conversation and perhaps all the way to the end."
"The biggest mistake in any implementation is ignoring the emotional side of change management."
"When you change people’s workflows, you are literally changing power dynamics."
"There are almost two languages in organizations: what we say and what we really mean."
"Introducing change is introducing stress and fear and feelings of rejection."
"Most teams want to build for 50, 100 people and migrate years of data instead of starting small."
"You cannot brute force your way into engagement; it just doesn’t happen."
"If you don’t have the time and organizational support, don’t do it because you only set a precedent of failure."
"You’re constantly training people and optimizing protocols even after successful implementation."
"It’s about helping your colleagues be more productive and make better decisions to help customers."
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