Awkward Silences

• #162 - Empowering PwDR Using Research Education with Daniel Gottlieb of Microsoft

  Many research activities are completed by non-researchers, but whose work is benefited from user insights. Generally, these folks—designers, PMs, developers, among others—are called "PwDR" or "people who do research." In addition to their own work, many UX researchers and operations specialists are focusing on educating and empowering this group. When stakeholders and colleagues are better informed on the hows and whys of user research, more of it gets done, more insights are integrated, and customer experiences improve.Daniel Gottlieb, Head of Research Operation for Microsoft's Developer Division, has spent a lot of time designing research education programs. He joins to discuss his success creating workshops that empower and inspire non-researchers to get involved. He shares the parts of a good workshop, ways to keep attendees engaged, and how he measures success.This is a revealing conversation for anyone who has wondered what successfully "democratizing" user research could look like. Daniel brings pragmatism and positivity to research education. You'll leave with a better sense of how to begin educating your own stakeholders on the power of user research, and maybe even get a democratization practice up and running.Highlights 12:12 - Empowering UX Researchers Multiplies Impact  17:21 - Collaborative Research and Customer Insights 22:08 - Guided Customer Research Workshops  27:22 - Building Excitement Through Coaching  36:38 - Benefits of Diverse Group Dynamics 38:25 - Empowering Developer-Led Research Showcase About DanielDaniel Gottlieb is the Head of Research Operations for Microsoft’s Developer Division User Research Group. He received his PhD in Animal Behavior from the University of California, Davis, where he focused on animal welfare (quality of life) and primate (monkey) behavior.  Daniel moved from researching monkey behavior, to managing research logistics at a National Primate Research Center, to managing UX Research Operations in Microsoft’s Developer Division. He is passionate about making research easy and accessible, teaching, and finding ways for disparate groups to work together to support a unified research mission.ResourcesPwDR questions answered live by UXpert Nikki AndersonDiscovery research exploring "people who do research"The "State of Research for Non-Researchers" Report

  --------  

  48:37
• #161 - Learn More Faster About Customers with Michael Margolis of GV

  This episode is all about learning from customers...early and often. Our guest, Michael Margolis, UX Research Partner at GV (formerly Google Ventures), has made a career of helping teams do this successfully. He joins to share his Bullseye Customer Method, which is the result of his experience (it's also the subject of his latest book, "Learn More Faster," which is available for free).Michael breaks down the Bullseye Customer Method, including best practices for recruitment, question design, and analysis. He's found that research is more successful when it's a team effort, and shares ways to promote cross-team collaboration throughout the Bullseye process, like using watch parties for share-outs. Michael also weighs in (using his 30+ years in the industry) on topics like the current UX job market, the impact of AI on researchers, and the power democratization for resource-limited teams.It's a must-listen for anyone working on early-stage products or struggling with visibility and buy-in from stakeholders.Highlights06:33 Defining Core Value Proposition16:29 Founders' Key Concerns Analysis21:58 Clarifying Customer Understanding26:38 Effective Open-Ended Survey Questions31:46 Leveraging Associations for Networking43:01 Benefits of Team Watch PartiesAbout MichaelMichael joined GV in 2010 as the venture industry’s first UX research partner. As a UX researcher with over 30 years of experience, Michael has boosted conversion, tested new concepts, streamlined workflows, and defined bullseye customers for hundreds of companies. He helped develop the design sprint method made famous by the seminal book, Sprint. He has also written about his research work for startups at medium.com/@mmargolis. ResourcesChoose the right method with this selection toolMaking research essential to company successThe steps to asking better UX research questions

  --------  

  51:09
• #160 - Where Design Thinking Went Wrong with Brett Krajewski of Accelerant Research

  In 2022, the UX community experienced a series of convulsions: layoffs, reorgs, and reduced budgets. A common thread throughout was accountability: user researchers faced frequent questions about their direct impact on and importance for the business. "Doing" UX research and "being" a design thinker was no longer enough.Today's guest believes these questions present opportunities for UX researchers. Brett Krajewski, VP Research and Growth at Accelerant Research, joins Erin and Carol to share strategies for researchers to stay sharp, stay relevant, and stay valuable. These include balancing business goals with user needs, being more experimental with methods, reframing how we use time for research, and more.Highlights06:30 Justifying UX ROI Amid Economic Challenges12:02 Integrating Insights for Improved UX18:50 Balancing User Needs and Business Goals21:07 Scalable Research in Fortune 500 Companies29:47 Innovative Strategies in Research Planning38:30 Storytelling's Role in Research ImpactAbout BrettBrett Krajewski is the Vice President of Research & Growth at Accelerant Research, where he leads the research and client solutions teams, delivering innovative insights to empower businesses and many fortune 500 companies. With a career spanning both in-house industry roles and consulting/agency leadership, Brett has built and led high-performing, multi-method research teams for Fortune 50 companies. His past roles include Head of Design Research: Customer at Walmart and Lead of Product Research at Lowe’s, where he drove customer-focused innovation and strategy.ResourcesComplete Guide to UX Research MethodologiesOn-Demand Business 101 for Researchers CoursePanel Discussion on the Future of UX Research

  --------  

  44:12
• #159 - Building Cross-Functional Research Impact with Judy Xu of Salesforce

  Creating strong stakeholder relationships is important for UX researchers at any company. Doing this at "enterprise" companies—large organizations with many products and an international footprint—can feel daunting. Our guest, Judy Xu, has successfully navigated the scale of enterprises like Hubspot, Meta, and Salesforce, where they work as a Senior Researcher. They join Erin to take us inside the enterprise, unpacking how research "happens" and what this has taught them about building cross-functional relationships. Specifically, Judy shares the value of using environmental inputs (like whether it's B2B or B2C) to map stakeholder structures, identify (and start using) meaningful metrics, and choose the right method for the moment. Together, these strategies have helped Judy create lasting UX impact, building influence and trust with key stakeholders. Listen to learn how you can start creating more impact inside your organization, whether it's an enterprise or a startup.Highlights06:16 Learning and Research Challenges in Large Organizations 10:56 B2C vs B2B: User Metrics vs Revenue Focus 15:43 Adapting Research Insight Presentation to Stakeholder Needs 17:43 Collaboration with Key Stakeholders and Functional Diversity 22:39 Understanding Matrix Structures: Cross-Functional Roles & Incentives 26:55 Embrace Details: Mastering Business Processes EfficientlyAbout JudyJudy is a Senior Researcher at Salesforce, where she uses I use qualitative (e.g., interviews, codesign) and quantitative (e.g., text analysis, surveys) approaches to tackle strategic, exploratory, and evaluative research questions. She has worked at Meta, Hubspot, and Simplisafe, and has a Ph.D. in Psychology from Columbia University.ResourcesLearn the fundamentals of business with this free courseUse these five steps to calculate the ROI of UX researchThese skills build credibility and influence for more impact

  --------  

  33:31
• #158 - Leading Design as a Researcher with Emily Wurgler of McDonald's

  Erin and Carol are joined by Emily Wurgler, Global Director of Experience Design at McDonald's, whose journey has had many moments of evolution and iteration. She started as an academic researcher in sociology, transitioned to innovation research at growth stage companies, and ultimately to her leading enterprise research and design teams.Emily talks about the unique value researchers bring to design leadership, how she's had to adapt her approach, and explains how product experiences are iterated and improved at large companies with a strong design-research partnership. Emily also shares how she's preparing her team of designers for the future of UX work and the characteristics she looks for in a new hire.Highlights07:30 Essential User Understanding for Product Success13:50 Identifying Users for McDonald's Enterprise Products24:38 Developing Innovative Product Solutions for Shift Leadership30:46 Balancing Innovation with Existing Workflow Challenges34:56 Cultivating Patience and Persistence for Organizational Change39:05 Ranking Four Attributes: A Favorite Interview QuestionAbout EmilyEmily Wurgler is the Global Director, Experience Design at McDonald's. She has over a decade of research experience at places like PeaPod Labs, dscout, and Over the Shoulder. She has a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Indiana.ResourcesUX Designer's Guide to ResearchWorking in Design Research ConsultingDesign Thinking for Better Partnerships

  --------  

  44:17

Plus de podcasts Technologies

Podcasts tendance de Technologies

À propos de Awkward Silences