Key Insights

• •

  Cross-functional research requires bridging very different worldviews, languages, and methods between UX, market research, and data science.

• •

  Successful collaboration often fails not for lack of will but due to time constraints, conflicting priorities, and organizational politics.

• •

  Framing research as a collaborative, problem-solving tool—rather than as capability measurement—can reduce fear and resistance.

• •

  There is no one-size-fits-all insight team model; centralized teams, distributed teams, and communities of practice all work depending on company maturity and context.

• •

  High insight maturity shows in willingness to allow analysis and synthesis to take time and space and to appreciate mixed methods triangulation.

• •

  Defining research insights clearly as actionable combinations of experience, emotion, and outcome improves team alignment and business impact.

• •

  Impact is better demonstrated culturally through repeated references and integration in decision-making than by counting metrics or ROI numbers.

• •

  Tools like Jira can help integrate research results into product workflows but require intentional effort to be effective due to tool complexity and adoption barriers.

• •

  There is strong value in democratizing research while balancing rigor to train partners and broaden who contributes to insights.

• •

  Stories about consequences of missing or weak research have persuasive power to drive cultural change more than statistics or reports.

Notable Quotes