How UX Researchers Contribute to Business Value

Some organizations function without user insight. Someone at the top says, “We should build X”. And the org builds X.  That's not a great place for a UX researcher. Other orgs do want user insights to drive decisions. However, they may still struggle to integrate UXR into decision-making. If you’re in the second type of org, have you paused to do research on your role? Asking yourself and stakeholders, “Am I driving business value for the company?” And if the answer is no, why not? Janelle Ward, PhD recently wrote about how research can end up being difficult to work with from the stakeholders’ point of view. If we’re struggling to integrate UXR into an org that clearly wants it, you need to run user research on your user research. Based on conversations I’ve had, I’d suspect these themes would come up: ℹ️Context: Do I as a researcher have enough context to deliver valuable, relevant insights? 📅Timelines: How fast does the business need to move, and how fast does research move? 📃 Communication: Am I sharing insights in a consumable way for stakeholders? If you find that you’re running into the above issues, here are some resources/ways to think about solutions. ℹ️ Context Make sure you have done the leg-work to know how the business runs. Where does the money come from? Which stakeholders exist aside from users (e.g., advertisers)? Here’s some extra expert advice on it: https://bit.ly/3QkkyDZ If research at your org is a centralized function, be part of conversations as a fly-on-the-wall. Product meetings. Design reviews. Marketing syncs. Or even 1-on-1 chats with stakeholders on a regular basis to stay up to date. 📅Timelines Sometimes research <> business timelines can intersect better. Usually, the solution comes down to one of these: - Is there part of the answer the org needs first, and another part that can come later? - Do I need more resources/tools to speed up my work? - Do I need to leverage existing data (qual or quant) to answer where we can? For the last two—when you ask for them, tell stakeholders why. “I need budget for a recruiting solution so we can get you the answers you need in a week.” 📃 Communication - Have I used context to share key takeaways upfront?  - Is the answer easy to consume? (e.g., Reels, clips) - Does my “insight” tie back to what my stakeholders care about driving as a business? Dan Winer has a lot of great advice on how to structure research reports best for stakeholders btw: https://bit.ly/3KRPuZ3 Opening this up as a discussion: what are times you’ve felt a gap between yourself and your stakeholders? What did you work on, and where did they meet you halfway? #uxresearch #stakeholderbuyin #userresearch #uxresources

Strong User Researchers are catalysts for meaningful change I have had the privilege of working with some amazing User Researchers. Some of the best user researchers have a profound approach to sharing insights. They are not limited to presenting data but rather drive tangible, transformative change. Here is what I see them do well. ➡️ They always apply a "So what?" lens and connect insights to action. ➡️ Continue engagement beyond the initial presentation. ➡️ Tell engaging stories of real user experiences in their findings. ➡️ Prove the impact of insights by quantifying results with data and metrics. ➡️ Relate insights to goals by showing how user insights impact ROI and satisfaction. ➡️ Collaborate with their team of product, design, and engineering to translate insights into action by designing potential solutions #voiceofcustomer #userresearch #customerinsights #productmanagement #productleaders #customerfirst

Here are the 12 business terms I use most frequently to ensure my user research findings resonate with key stakeholders. Using terms that directly align with core business objectives is paramount to achieve greater impact AND inspire action. It bridges the gap between what we learn and the strategic decisions that drive growth, efficiency, and innovation. 1. Return on Investment (ROI): Demonstrate how UX improvements can lead to higher customer satisfaction, leading to increased "retention rates" and "lifetime value" (LTV) 2. Cost-Benefit Analysis: Highlight how investment in UCD can reduce long-term development costs by identifying potential issues early on. 3. Product Lifecycle: Use research to inform where a product stands in its lifecycle and how it can be evolved to meet changing market demands. 4. OKRs (Objectives and Key Results): Framework for setting, supporting, and tracking goals and outcomes. 5. KPIs (Key Performance Indicators): Metrics used to evaluate success at meeting and supporting key business objectives. 6. LTV (Lifetime Value): The total revenue a business can expect from a single customer account throughout the business relationship. 7. CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost): The cost associated with converting a customer to buy a product/service, including research, marketing, and other expenses. 8. MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue): Regular income a business can expect each month from customers. 9. Churn Rate: The percentage of customers or subscribers who cancel or do not renew their subscriptions during a given timeframe. 10. Gross Margin: The difference between revenue and cost of goods sold, divided by revenue, expressed as a percentage. (aka "mark-up") 11. ROI (Return on Investment): A measure to evaluate the "efficiency" or "profitability" of an investment. 12. SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats): A strategic planning technique used to identify and analyze the internal and external factors that will impact an org's competitiveness. I strongly encourage researchers to translate their learning into business terms. It's not just about making our findings accessible; it's about making them actionable. Applying the terms our stakeholders use ensures that our research plays a pivotal role in shaping business strategy and driving meaningful change. It also demonstrates you understand the role our studies plan in bigger business. Integrating user research into the business narrative can elevate the role of your #UXR in driving business success. #UserResearch #BusinessStrategy #UX #ProductDevelopment #CuriosityTank #uxresearch 

UX research often gets a bad rap from the business side. There are a couple of main reasons why business teams don't always trust UX research. • UX research is often seen as overly academic and rigid. • UX research is often seen as time-consuming. • UX research is often not able to deliver insights on demand. And when the team comes back to present the work, it's often presented in an academic way that often doesn't really drive action from the leaders. But what if you treated your UX research team more like a newsroom and UX report outs more like a newsroom? This week I talk with Dr. Ari Zelmanow about how he's done just that with his team. Unfortunately, most business teams don't want to hear about your rigor and process. They care about a few things: 📈 They care about growth. 💰 They care about value. 💃 They care about being adaptable. 📉 They want to mitigate risk. 🏁 They want to move fast. If your research insights aren't being delivered in a compelling way, and if they don't fall into one or all of these buckets, your research team won't get much respect and likely won't be seen as consultants. 🎯 Here are some key takeaways from our conversation: ▶️ Embrace an investigative mindset: Like a detective, delve deep into the nuances of user behavior. It's not just about collecting data, but about interpreting it to reveal underlying patterns and motivations. This approach helps in crafting more effective and user-centric designs. ▶️ Transform your team into a newsroom: Emulate a news reporter by turning research findings into compelling stories. This involves focusing on key insights and presenting them in a way that engages stakeholders, ensuring that crucial information is effectively communicated and acted upon. ▶️ Be clear on certainty and evaluate sources: Spee is critical, but so is understanding the certainty level of your findings and critically assessing your sources. This approach ensures the reliability and impact of your research conclusions. ▶️ Work to get feedback over permission: Focus on obtaining feedback rather than seeking approval for research insights. This fosters a collaborative environment and leads to more refined and practical outcomes. ▶️ Resurface past insights when necessary: Regularly revisit and share past research findings to maintain their relevance and applicability. This practice ensures that valuable insights remain at the forefront of decision-making processes. Dr. Ari dropped a ton of knowledge in this episode. You should definitely check it out! Check out the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gRVUvGum #UXdesign #UXresearch

🚀 The Future of Experience Research 🚀 The world of User Experience Research (UXR) is at a crossroads, facing both exciting opportunities and daunting challenges. As we step into the future, let's explore what lies ahead for this dynamic field. 💡 🔍 The Current Landscape: - UXR has made incredible strides in the past decade, becoming a cornerstone of product development. - Researchers have championed user-centric design, fostering a culture of empathy and usability. - The demand for UX researchers has surged, reflecting the recognition of their pivotal role. 🛠️ Challenges We Face: - Middle-Range Research Overload: A predominant focus on middle-range research has led to questions about its real impact on business outcomes. - Profit vs. User: The tension between business profitability and user-centricity remains a challenge. - Misalignment with Leadership: In some cases, research insights get sidelined by high-level decision-makers, impacting the potential for meaningful change. 💡 Our Path Forward: - Evolution, Not Extinction: UXR is not dying; it's evolving. It's time for us to embrace a broader role beyond traditional user studies by contributing to brainstorming sessions, design thinking workshops, and innovation labs to help generate new product ideas and concepts. - Strategic Research: Elevate UXR to inform high-level strategies, helping companies define long-term goals and priorities. - Micro-Research: Invest more in technical usability testing, eye-tracking, and detailed interaction studies that directly impact product usability. - User-Centric Business Models: Advocate for a balance between profitability and user satisfaction. Happy users drive sustainable growth. - Impact Measurement: Researchers should play a role in measuring the impact of UX improvements on key business metrics. This could involve tracking or monitoring user satisfaction, conversion rates, and other KPIs to demonstrate the tangible benefits of UX initiatives. - Communication Mastery: Sharpen our skills to communicate research findings in the language of executives, tying insights to business success. 🚀 The Future Outlook: - As UXR professionals, we must adapt to a changing landscape. The next era of UXR will require a versatile skill set. - Researchers who can seamlessly bridge the gap between micro and macro-research will be invaluable. - UXR will play a pivotal role in shaping business strategies and product development. - Collaboration and integration of UXR into all aspects of an organization will be key to success. So, the future of Experience Research is not a bleak one; it's a journey filled with exciting opportunities. By evolving, embracing new roles, and fostering deeper collaboration, we can continue to drive innovation, enhance user satisfaction, and shape businesses for the better. Let's embark on this journey together! 🌟 #UserExperience #Research #FutureOfUXR #Innovation #BusinessStrategy