Summary
Research is for everyone. User research is about connecting with customers, and learning from them to make better decisions for them, and for your business. Everyone in an organization can and should benefit from that. But that doesn't mean everyone is a researcher. In this session we'll cover: How to identify the right stakeholders for your research How to get different kinds of collaborators involved in your research How to make sure your research is being used and making an impact
Key Insights
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Starting research projects by clearly defining the decisions and impact you want drives more actionable insights.
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Involving stakeholders from across functions (product, engineering, marketing, sales, customer success) early ensures ongoing engagement and buy-in.
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Collaboration brings multiple perspectives, reducing bias and strengthening the quality and nuance of research findings.
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Using agreements to set clear roles and expectations for stakeholder involvement builds trust and prevents burnout.
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Sharing incremental, even unpolished, research updates fosters transparency and appreciation among stakeholders.
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Delegating parts of research analysis, like transcript review or note cleaning, helps manage workload and includes more team members.
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Structuring research presentations as stories (with scene setting, conflict, climax, and resolution) captures attention and motivates action.
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Research storytelling applies both to qualitative and quantitative data by framing evidence within the context of decisions.
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Regularly revisiting stakeholder involvement agreements prevents overwhelm and maintains enthusiasm for ongoing research participation.
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Even organizations relying mainly on surveys can surface stories by reframing survey questions with clear decisions and adding qualitative follow-ups.
Notable Quotes
"Many people have struggled to get engagement and adoption of their research insights; it's one of the most common problems we hear."
"Research is most effective when it's a collaborative activity and a team sport, not a solo endeavor."
"When you involve other people into your work, you get unique perspectives that include bias, but the variety strengthens the research."
"Begin every research project with the end in mind: what decision will this research unblock and who needs to make it?"
"Inviting stakeholders early through brainstorms and feedback loops helps build excitement and surface assumptions."
"Sharing small, incremental updates—even unpolished ones—helps reflect on learnings and provides visibility behind the scenes."
"Setting agreements that outline responsibilities and expectations for observers or note takers creates trust in the research process."
"A typical story has a beginning, middle, and end; use that same narrative structure to present research insights."
"Stakeholders appreciate seeing the craft behind the work, which sharing incremental updates can highlight."
"Storytelling isn't just for qualitative insights; framing quantitative data within decision contexts is equally powerful."
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