Opening Remarks
Summary
Bria Alexander warmly welcomes participants to Day 2 of Advancing Research 2023, introducing the day’s focus on researchers as agents of organizational change. She recaps the previous day’s theme on research as a transformational force and sets expectations for the current and following days. Bria explains logistical details including the conference’s official Pacific Time zone and the flexible option to adjust for attendees worldwide. She highlights plentiful breaks between sessions to reduce scheduling conflicts and encourages active participation via the dedicated Slack workspace, emphasizing it as the main venue for discussion and Q&A. The presence of high-quality, free sponsor sessions running parallel to the main program is noted, with encouragement to attend these Zoom-based events that offer engaging, non-sales content and social activities. Bria gives a shoutout to sponsors like Megabyte, Dovetail, Fable, and more, underlining their essential role in the conference's success. She also promotes the digital swag bag filled with special offers and encourages attendees to take advantage of it. Attendees are reassured that all session materials including slide decks, resources, and sketch notes by David Nicholson will be promptly available online, relieving pressure to take detailed notes live. Finally, she underlines the importance of the community’s code of conduct to ensure a respectful and welcoming environment, offering multiple ways to report discomfort or issues, and invites everyone to fully engage with the conference community.
Key Insights
-
•
The theme of Day 2 focuses on researchers as catalysts for organizational change.
-
•
Conference timing is anchored in Pacific Daylight Time, but attendees can adjust to their local zones.
-
•
Slack is the primary platform for Q&A, community interaction, and networking during the event.
-
•
Sponsor sessions run during breaks, offer high-quality content, and are free for anyone interested.
-
•
Sponsors are vital partners, contributing sessions and resources beyond financial support.
-
•
The digital swag bag contains various sponsor offers accessible via QR code or URL.
-
•
Session recordings, slide decks, and sketch notes are provided promptly post-session for easy access.
-
•
David Nicholson provides live sketch notes, alleviating attendees from taking detailed notes.
-
•
A clear code of conduct is emphasized to maintain a respectful and safe community environment.
-
•
Multiple support channels exist, including Slack help desk and email, to ensure a smooth conference experience.
Notable Quotes
"Today we’re gonna be talking about researchers as organizational change makers."
"The official conference time zone is Pacific Daylight Time, but you can adjust it based on where you are."
"Slack is the way you ask questions to the speakers, and it’s where most of the community interaction happens."
"Sponsor sessions are not sales pitches, they’re incredibly high quality and free to attend."
"You can invite anyone in your family to attend the sponsor sessions for free even if they’re not registered."
"All the content, including slide decks and sketch notes, will be posted promptly after each session."
"David Nicholson is our in-house scribe who produces wonderful sketch notes throughout the conference."
"Please respect our code of conduct to ensure a welcoming and safe space for all attendees."
"If you feel uncomfortable or see bullying, please let us know. We absolutely do not tolerate it."
"We could not do this conference without our incredible sponsors who spend a lot of effort thinking about ways to enrich our programming."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Data sovereignty is about who owns your data, which country’s laws apply, and how vulnerable groups are fairly protected."
Xenia Adjoubei Sean BruceEmpowering Communities Through the Researcher in Residence Program
March 29, 2023
"We are no longer just a collection of cars, we are a focused racing team ready to hit the track."
Tamara KartoziiaThink global, adapt local: how service design accelerated B2B market entry by 6 months
November 20, 2025
"It is not our job to know all the answers, but to make sure the right questions are asked."
Jay BustamanteNavigating the Ethical Frontier: DesignOps Strategies for Responsible AI Innovation
October 2, 2023
"Anticipation involves preparatory actions to manage uncertainty about future conditions."
Nicole AleongFuture Orientations to Everyday Life: Futures Anthropology as a Methodology
March 26, 2024
"Generative AI is not creative; it’s just pattern finding and recycling what’s been done before."
Nick LewisDesigning and building low-carbon websites independently
November 18, 2025
"At best, user experience and product management work together in a healthy tension."
Vicky Teinaki Michele Marut Tim ParmeeShort Take #3: UX/Product Lessons from Your Industry Peers
December 6, 2022
"Stress makes us stupid because our creative thinking gets cloudy when under pressure."
Laura WeissTurn Down the Heat: 3 Ways to Handle Conflict in the Moment
November 20, 2024
"You can refine your scope and run the analysis loop multiple times in one or two hours to explore an entire domain."
Joerg Beringer Thomas GeisScaling User Research with AI: Continuous Discovery of User Needs in Minutes
June 10, 2025
"Be present, put devices down, turn off Slack notifications, and really engage."
Shelby SwitzerMaking Space for Community Knowledge-sharing in a Distributed World
December 10, 2021
