Summary
Now that you’ve collected that great design research, integrated qualitative with quantitative, and put it to work into making products and services better, it’s time to get double the mileage (influence) from those same insights and use them toward corporate strategy. The missing element from the traditional business strategy process is the critical insights that come from (mainly, qualitative) user research. Our peers use qualitative market research that misidentifies business opportunities (and solutions) because they have an incomplete frame. With the right tools, processes, and framing, your research can influence decisions of WHAT products and services get green-lit.
Key Insights
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Design researchers have the deepest understanding of customers but are rarely included in strategy formulation.
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Most organizational strategies are based on outdated, incomplete templates and lack validation via qualitative research.
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Better strategy is continuous, circular, and constantly evolving in real time, integrating both qualitative and quantitative data.
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Researchers must learn business vocabulary, strategy tools, and processes to effectively contribute to strategic discussions.
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Qualitative value—emotional and experiential impact—is often ignored in traditional business metrics focused on price and features.
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Expanding networks inside the organization, especially with junior strategists, helps researchers embed insights into strategy.
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Effective storytelling tailored to strategy leaders, focusing on insights over research processes, increases research influence.
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Operationalizing research insights through tools like living personas, stakeholder maps, and the business model canvas builds strategic impact.
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Connecting research budgets directly to organizational goals surprises leadership and legitimizes resource requests.
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Resistance to new research insights often stems from entrenched MBA-driven business cultures unwilling to abandon old metrics like NPS.
Notable Quotes
"Design researchers know customers better than almost anyone else in the organization, yet they are rarely invited into strategy processes."
"Most strategy is done pretty poorly; it's misleading, sloppy, and often ignored after it's produced."
"Strategy should be continuous, circular, and evolve with every action the organization takes."
"You need to learn the vocabulary, tools, and processes your peers know and understand where they are inadequate."
"The most important value delivered to customers is always the qualitative value—the emotional and experiential impact."
"Rather than aiming for the chief strategy officer directly, build relationships with junior strategists who are more accessible."
"Tell tight, brief stories of insights focused on impact, not on how you conducted your research."
"Living personas refreshed constantly with new research allow others to connect with real customer behaviors."
"If your budgets don’t connect to strategy goals, maybe those budget items shouldn’t exist."
"Traditional MBAs are confident about many things that aren’t true, and your research will often challenge their worldview."
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