Opening Remarks
Summary
Maria Alexander guided attendees through the final day of Advancing Research 2023, reflecting on the conference's three core themes: research as a transportation force, researchers as organizational changemakers, and transforming the craft. She highlighted essential logistical details such as adjusting for local time zones, utilizing Slack for community interaction and support, and accessing both main and sponsor sessions without overlap. Maria thanked sponsors like Dovetail, Fable, Great Question, Medalia, and UserTesting for their valuable contributions, including free, high-quality sessions and digital swag bags accessible via QR codes or links. She also praised Lauren Cantor, the conference librarian, for organizing session resources to keep attendees focused. Maria emphasized the importance of kindness, respect, and adherence to the code of conduct to maintain a positive and safe virtual community experience.
Key Insights
-
•
The conference emphasized three key themes over three days, culminating in transforming the research craft.
-
•
Slack is the primary platform for community interaction, with designated channels for questions, sponsors, and cohort groups.
-
•
Sponsor sessions are free, do not overlap with the main program, and offer high-value content without being sales pitches.
-
•
Digital swag bags replace physical conference swag, accessible via QR codes or short URLs for a virtual experience.
-
•
Session resources like sketch notes, videos, and slide decks are posted promptly after presentations, removing the need for note-taking.
-
•
Lauren Cantor serves as the conference librarian, curating and organizing all session resources for easy access.
-
•
Time zone customization on the conference platform is critical to avoid missing sessions.
-
•
Cohorts are private, small group channels within Slack that encourage deeper community engagement.
-
•
The conference team offers robust tech and non-tech support through Slack channels and email.
-
•
A strong code of conduct ensures a respectful, safe environment for all virtual attendees.
Notable Quotes
"We are on our third and final day of Advancing Research 2023."
"Please be sure to make sure you change your conference itinerary to your local time zone."
"Sponsor sessions are optional but offer incredibly high content, and they are not sales pitches."
"If you want to participate in the conference’s general vibe and community, it is essential to join Slack."
"There is no need to take notes. Our session notes, resources, videos, and slide decks will all be shared on the website."
"Lauren Cantor keeps all those links and other resources so we don’t have to be googling while listening."
"If you have a question at the end of a presentation, please put that question in the thread associated with the talk."
"Cohorts are a super duper fun way to engage with more of our community."
"We’re obligated to treat each other with kindness and respect."
"If you feel uncomfortable or unsafe engaging in this community, we want to know about it."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Customer obsession is actually one of our key values, which makes my job as a researcher a little bit easier."
Joanna Vodopivec Prabhas PokharelOne Research Team for All - Influence Without Authority
March 9, 2022
"My husband told me to Pace and Brace—I was pushing too hard and burnt out within a year and a half."
Louis Rosenfeld Lashanda Hodge Senongo Akpem Chris HodowanecBecoming a Civic Designer: Making the Move from Private to Public Sector
November 17, 2022
"Lauren Cantor is our house librarian and has made an outstanding contribution to the conference."
Bria AlexanderDay 3 Welcome
September 25, 2024
"Yesterday we touched upon topics like chatDBT, chatbots, trust, intentionality, agency, and even alien interns."
Uday Gajendar Louis RosenfeldDay 2 Welcome
June 5, 2024
"Confidence is a higher burden in retail because people are giving real money; inaccessible flows cause quick abandonment."
Sam ProulxOnline Shopping: Designing an Accessible Experience
June 7, 2023
"The post-offer period isn’t HR’s alone; hiring teams must stay in touch and keep the candidate engaged."
Russ UngerOnboarding: The Ecosystem, not the Afterthought
November 7, 2017
"In large organizations, soft skills are the hard skills—it's all about how you connect with humans and express your core values."
Catherine DubutBridging Physical and Digital Spaces: Approaches to Retail Service Design
March 18, 2021
"These intelligent interfaces are collaborative, proactive partners on the user’s journey."
Josh Clark Veronika KindredSentient Design: New Postures for AI-Mediated Experiences (2nd of 3 seminars)
January 29, 2025
"You need to ask, who are you excluding in the conversation? That’s the disservice to empathy."
Dantley DavisLeadership & Diversity—A Fireside Chat with Dantley Davis
September 17, 2020
Latest Books All books
Dig deeper with the Rosenbot
What steps help build trust and healing in communities affected by historical traumas during engagement?
How can a product vision avoid becoming just a pretty prototype with no strategic impact?
Who are natural allies for healthcare UX professionals inside complex healthcare systems, and how do you engage them?