User Research, Design, and Product - A Love Story
Summary
Key Insights
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User research at Compass reveals vast diversity in agent workflows and needs across different markets.
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A key discovery was that agents use competitor products differently than expected, leading to a hybrid product approach.
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Embedding researchers within squads fosters more meaningful collaboration and lifecycle involvement.
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Tight timelines and shifting priorities create challenges in scheduling impactful user research sessions.
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Designers and PMs must balance the desire to research all details with limited research capacity.
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User research often uncovers insights beyond the original questions, leading to broader strategic shifts.
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There is a common misunderstanding equating user research with simple user feedback collection.
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Cross-training product teams on research principles helps scale basic user insight gathering.
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Having researchers present in executive meetings adds critical nuance and authority to product discussions.
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Empathy for the difficulty of conducting research sessions is vital for better collaboration and respect.
Notable Quotes
"I’m always shocked when my design is just the perfect solution from the get go."
"We found out there wasn’t just one best in class solution and needed a hybrid approach."
"User research revealed agents didn’t know the difference between two similar products and treated them as one."
"Prioritizing research questions is key because we can’t validate every single detail."
"Having the researcher in the room throughout the product lifecycle is super helpful."
"User research is not just collecting feedback; it’s a methodical process to avoid bias."
"Sometimes you just have to do without research if the timeline is too short."
"You don’t know how hard it is until you’re leading a user research session yourself."
"Research produces so much data, but synthesizing it and choosing what to act on is a real challenge."
"Democratizing research is about teaching people to fish, but research remains a specialized craft."
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