Building a User Research Practice
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From the ground up...
Transform a nascent research team into a mature department creating awareness and providing support to design and across the enterprise.
Details about the project...
Background
Considerations
Opportunity
An agriculture tech company transforming how farmers and their advisors manage their business with an emphasis on sustainability.
The company had a growing design organization and was relying on one research coordinator to set up time with users and help designers conduct a limited number of focused, discrete research studies.
Opportunity
Considerations
Opportunity
A product with a stronghold in the growing Ag Tech space and leadership with a strong interest in user research, but unsure how to grow the discipline.
A need to better understand niche users to influence product development in a unique, variable and complicated space.
Considerations
Considerations
Considerations
Design and development process already in place.
Research conducted, but limited and not scalable.
Research currently standalone per project and applied to answer project specifics, not addressing the overall strategy.
My process...
Research on Research
Research on Research
Research on Research
I uncovered the User Research current state, needs, attitudes, priorities, resources and potential blockers through interviews with stakeholders.
Growing
Research on Research
Research on Research
I grew user Research capabilities, collaborations, impact, and team (including internationally).
Sharing
Maturing
Maturing
I facilitated the sharing of user research insights through multiple modes of communications and types of forums.
Maturing
Maturing
Maturing
I scaled recruiting capabilities, improved democratized research practices, built user research awareness, and diversified internal stakeholder and end user engagement.
Outcomes
Matured Product Discipline
Expanded the team to four researchers plus contractors in the US and abroad. Leveled up research and analysis skills of designers, project leaders and the commercial team.
Expanded Reach
Created collaborations beyond the design organization, becoming a go-to resource to investigate and validate concepts enterprise wide.
User Research Growth
Matured the practice beyond discrete evaluative studies conducted within the design team to generative and evaluative research influencing projects across the organization.
Increased Impact
Provided data to drive business decisions from innovation through to production. This included uncovering solutions incongruent to user needs and influencing major business pivots.