Summary
Our team has studied research democratization efforts of many shapes and sizes. This session focuses on what we've learned by approaching democratization from the perspective of the designers, product managers, marketers, and other non-researchers involved.
Key Insights
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Democratization programs vary widely in training intensity, approval requirements, and methodology restrictions.
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Non-researchers often resist democratization efforts because they see it as adding more work without immediate personal benefit.
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Engagement in democratization programs is usually low initially, with most participants having minimal touch points.
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Power users like Tony are enthusiastic but represent outliers; most non-researchers are more reluctant and intimidated.
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Balancing safeguards to maintain research quality with inspiration motivates reluctant non-researchers to participate.
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Allowing non-researchers to make mistakes and learn publicly with encouragement improves their confidence.
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Aligning training and support with the user's immediate need for research boosts motivation and participation.
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Programs that are hyper relevant to individuals’ current projects gain more traction and engagement.
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Significant effort in democratization is focused on building capability and opportunity, but motivation is often underemphasized.
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Measuring democratization success involves tracking usage metrics initially, then linking research to business outcomes as maturity increases.
Notable Quotes
"We see democratization becoming more and more of an umbrella term that means different things to different customers."
"Non-researchers often say, I work 12 hours a day and I don’t want to work 12 and a half hours a day."
"Most people feel resistance to adding more workload before they see the personal value of democratization."
"The power users like Tony are chomping at the bit—they’re not scared off by training or restrictions."
"Give non-researchers some applause for running a test even if it’s not perfect, and then help them improve next time."
"A healthy balance of safeguards and inspiration is critical to protect research integrity and motivate participation."
"We need to meet people at their moments of highest motivation to get the best engagement from democratization programs."
"When democratization programs are hyper relevant to someone’s work, they find much more traction."
"Motivation is the critical component that we often under-index relative to capability and opportunity."
"Over time, a democratization program can ease research team capacity issues, but it is a big lift upfront."
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