“Research is a slow process, but valuable” – Act 02 – Scene 37 – Theo Johnson
In this episode, Naresh Shan speaks with Theo Johnson, a senior UX researcher at Microsoft. They discuss the challenges and intricacies of UX research within large corporate organisations, the importance of storytelling in presenting research findings, and the evolving role of AI in the research process. Theo shares insights on how researchers can better integrate their work into product development and the necessity of maintaining active research repositories. The conversation also touches on the potential of synthetic users in research and the ongoing struggle researchers face in demonstrating their value throughout the product lifecycle.
Takeaways
• UX researchers often struggle to pitch their value in organisations.
• The process of UX research can be slow, but it is essential for product development.
• Storytelling is a crucial skill for UX researchers to communicate findings effectively.
• AI tools can enhance the efficiency of UX research, but should not replace human insight.
• Maintaining active research repositories is crucial for ongoing product development.
• Researchers need to advocate for their work to be integrated into product backlogs.
• The reality is that much of the research conducted may not make it into production.
• Synthetic users present a fascinating but uncertain future for UX research.
• Data analysis skills are increasingly crucial for UX researchers.
• Building relationships with stakeholders can help researchers gain visibility and influence.
Chapters
00:48 - Setting the Stage for UX Research
02:07 - The Role of UX Research in Corporate Structures
05:12 - Challenges in UX Research Implementation
08:15 - The Importance of Continuous Discovery
11:20 - Leveraging Repositories for Research
14:09 - The Value of Storytelling in UX Research
25:14 - Understanding Stakeholder Needs
28:16 - Turning Insights into Action
31:21 - The Reality of Research Implementation
33:42 - The Role of Data in Research
37:50 - AI's Impact on Research
44:19 - The Future of User Research
Keywords
UX research, corporate organisations, product development, storytelling, AI in research, user experience, design operations, research repositories, validation, insights, usability testing, human-centred design, agile research, user journeys, interaction design, persona creation, qualitative methods, analytics, empathy mapping, stakeholder engagement
