Key Insights

• •

  The research practice gap reflects mismatched expectations and communication styles between academia and industry that hinder impact.

• •

  Academic research values truth and self-criticism, whereas industry research prioritizes speed, actionability, and user value.

• •

  Different research 'thought worlds' (psychology, design, HCI) define research differently, complicating collaboration.

• •

  Research outputs in academia and industry share structural similarities, such as problem framing, methods, insights, and implications.

• •

  Trust and attention barriers often prevent research findings from influencing practitioners effectively.

• •

  Translating dense academic findings into concise, jargon-free, visual, and actionable formats greatly improves usability.

• •

  Timing research delivery to match designers’ work phases increases likelihood of uptake.

• •

  Teams with diverse backgrounds must accept conflict as normal and navigate it towards constructive debate.

• •

  Successful collaboration requires people-first empathy and self-awareness about how disagreements are communicated.

• •

  Empathy, patience, and seeing others fully beyond labels or roles are fundamental for bridging gaps across identities and disciplines.

Notable Quotes