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
Three of your research colleagues discussed and defended their respective positions on what UX research “maturity” looks like. Participants then engaged with them in a discussion and Q&A, facilitated by Lada Gorlenko. “Absent a strong baseline level of data fluency, product teams struggle to harness the power of insight in their work. As UX and UXR leaders, we are uniquely positioned to define what fluency looks like for our organizations and help teams transform to achieve it.” – Megan Blocker “Research has come a long way, but we have a long way to go. Our future success rests on two pivotal aspects of maturity: our leadership’s proximity to power and the use of ‘Strategic Research Programs’ to deliver value beyond Design and Product.“ – Fatimah Richmond “Does UX maturity matter in the age of Generative AI? Is your ability to do well as a team going to depend on your UX skills? Or your tech or people skills?” – Molly Stevens
Key Insights
-
•
Research maturity involves both knowing what to do and what not to do, requiring responsibility and judgment.
-
•
Maturity should be seen as a growth mindset, acknowledging continuous learning rather than a fixed state.
-
•
Elevating research operations from process facilitators to strategic leaders is crucial for advancing organizational maturity.
-
•
Organizational culture and team data fluency are key to successful research maturity, not just researcher capabilities.
-
•
Assessment of research maturity works best as a collaborative team activity rather than individual critique.
-
•
Impact metrics should include the scale and quality of decisions influenced, not only the quantity of completed projects.
-
•
AI can increase efficiency in data synthesis and administration but should not replace human-led interpretation and team alignment.
-
•
It’s essential to measure where AI improves research, clarifying what parts of the research lifecycle are affected to reallocate human effort.
-
•
Embedding research leadership closer to strategic units like strategy or market research can increase influence and maturity.
-
•
Future research roles may evolve beyond UX/design labels into broader, insight-driven organizational functions.
Notable Quotes
"Maturity is when I know what I do, I'm confident in what I do and I know how to do it."
"Research maturity to me comes down to that growth mindset that there is always more to learn."
"We need to examine power dynamics and leadership practices to truly advocate for UX research."
"Research operations should own delivering impactful data and metrics at the leadership table."
"Teams should self-assess their data fluency in collaborative ways, focusing on strengths and growth areas."
"We should measure not just the output of research but who championed it and what decisions it influenced."
"AI tools can speed up synthesis but relying on them entirely means missing the team's alignment and empathy building."
"It's a moral obligation that organizations engage with research and ethics, not an optional add-on."
"Research can become an embedded capability across all business units, not just part of product or design."
"The velocity of research will speed up with AI, but interpretation and recommendations remain human responsibilities."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"We were educated to minimize the value of our own practice."
Verónica Urzúa Jorge MontielThe B-side of the Research Impact
March 12, 2021
"Convincing defense contractors to adopt UX was slow because contracts were already signed years ago."
Michal Anne RogondinoSaving Outer Space: The First UX Design System for Our Nation’s Satellites
January 8, 2024
"Better sharing the stories of those we seek to understand helps us lead with their truths."
Jemma AhmedTheme 2 Intro
March 10, 2022
"In the US, important legislation like the executive order on transforming federal customer experience has helped our work."
Kara KaneTheme One Intro
November 16, 2022
"Early career employees should express gratitude and appreciation for those who offer help as part of compassion."
Laine Riley ProkayHow DesignOps can Drive Inclusive Career Ladders for All
September 30, 2021
"Meaningful communication is not just sustenance, it's nourishment for you and your teams."
Laura Gatewood Laine ProkayBeyond Buzzwords: Adding Heart to Effective Slack Communication
September 23, 2024
"A lot of our agents still use pen and paper, which is our main competitor when designing task and CRM features."
Caitlyn Hampton Monica Lee Jina YoonCompass 101: Growing Your Career In A Startup World
June 11, 2021
"Act local but think global: optimize solutions for specific contexts then scale in small chunks."
Hana NagelTurning Research Ripples into Waves
November 8, 2018
"UXers may have to help with adoption and training, even if it’s not traditionally their job."
Alexandra SchmidtEnterprise UX Playbook (Videoconference)
December 1, 2022