Log in or create a free Rosenverse account to watch this video.
Log in Create free account100s of community videos are available to free members. Conference talks are generally available to Gold members.
Summary
When everyone in an organization shares useful, insightful information, wonderful things happen: we align our company strategies and our teams toward common goals, and we make great user experiences. The job of the research leader is to unlock that information by advocating for users and soliciting insights far and wide. The research leader empowers colleagues to vocalize and share their valuable perspectives so everyone makes better decisions.
Key Insights
-
•
Research leadership requires going beyond product teams to engage marketing, sales, and editorial for broader organizational impact.
-
•
Opportunistic research means seizing moments to connect user insights with multiple stakeholder needs, not waiting for formal requests.
-
•
Limited user research roles relative to design and engineering create pressure for researchers to advocate their value continuously.
-
•
A single well-designed research study can serve multiple departments if framed and shared strategically.
-
•
Persistent and multi-channel communication, like frequent Slack updates and accessible repositories, is key to building research awareness.
-
•
Centralizing research requests via intake forms helps prioritize studies that serve the whole organization rather than isolated needs.
-
•
Research influence grows from awareness to demand and ultimately strategic leadership shaping product and business decisions.
-
•
Market research data can be leveraged and integrated with user research to enrich insights and foster collaboration.
-
•
Startup environments often facilitate more organic research influence due to smaller size and visibility compared to larger companies.
-
•
A culture shift is needed so research becomes a habitual input for all projects, starting with reviewing existing knowledge before initiating new studies.
Notable Quotes
"There is a gigantic gap between research staff and everybody else in organizations."
"No one is coming to save us. No one is coming to help us. There’s no White Knight. It’s up to us."
"Research leadership is about adding value to an entire organization, not just your small corner of the company."
"Once people see that they can access information that helps them make better decisions, they want more of it."
"It becomes a habit when you share with people and they expect it."
"If we see a common question across the organization, we can do one large study instead of many small ones."
"You have to go to the mountain; you can’t expect the mountain to come to you."
"The superpower of researchers is that we connect the dots others don’t see."
"Research leaders must be opportunistic and improve the value of their work every single chance they get."
"The payoff to relentless research advocacy and inclusivity is influence within the organization."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Teaching product managers heuristics took 15 minutes, and now they use that shared language to articulate design."
Standardizing Product Merits for Leaders, Designers, and Everyone
June 15, 2018
"The Red Queen effect means if others adapt, you must adapt or lose."
Simon WardleyMaps and Topographical Intelligence (Videoconference)
January 31, 2019
"Many smartwatch designs assume male hands as default, excluding smaller wrists and diverse body types."
Sandra CamachoCreating More Bias-Proof Designs
January 22, 2025
"By observing, appealing to interests, and promoting accountability, we can build empathy and respect to combat toxicity."
Darian DavisLessons from a Toxic Work Relationship
January 8, 2024
"Having conversations with stakeholders before sharing AI-generated recommendations validates their legitimacy and relevance."
Fisayo Osilaja[Demo] The AI edge: From researcher to strategist
June 4, 2024
"Creating tangible artifacts forces reaction and debate, helping break enterprise paralysis and drive decisions."
Uday GajendarThe Wicked Craft of Enterprise UX
May 13, 2015
"What’s so difficult about designing a login? On the surface, it’s simple, but the real challenge was cultural alignment across business units."
Davis Neable Guy SegalHow to Drive a Design Project When you Don’t Have a Design Team
June 10, 2021
"People felt designs were self-evident and too much explanation was a barrier to using the patterns."
Eniola OluwoleLessons From the DesignOps Journey of the World's Largest Travel Site
October 24, 2019
"Most of us in design are very process-oriented, but traditional devops tools are task and issue-centric, making collaboration hard."
Aurobinda Pradhan Shashank DeshpandeIntroduction to Collaborative DesignOps using Cubyts
September 9, 2022
