#31: What Product Teams Get Wrong about User Research | Alexander Hanthorn (Staff PM @ Drift)

5 snips

Oct 14, 2024

Alexander Hanthorn, Staff Product Manager at Drift, shares his wealth of user research knowledge from his time at companies like Taco Bell and TripleByte. He discusses scrappy research methods for startups and the need to look beyond surface-level feedback to understand true user motivations. The conversation delves into the role of AI in enhancing user research and the importance of teamwork among product teams. Alex emphasizes balancing intuition with data and practical strategies for effective research, making this a treasure trove of insights for product managers and founders.

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Intro

00:00 • 2min

The Power of User Research in Product Management

01:59 • 22min

Uncovering User Insights in Car Leasing

24:00 • 9min

Evolving User Research in Product Development

32:32 • 18min

Effective Tools and Strategies for User Research

50:40 • 5min

Enhancing User Research Collaboration

55:23 • 5min

The Role of AI in Transforming User Research

01:00:16 • 4min

Wrapping Up Insights on Product Management and Community Engagement

01:03:54 • 2min

Welcome to another episode of Supra Insider. This time, Marc and Ben sat down with Alex Hanthorn (Drift, TripleByte, Nielsen) to explore the evolving world of user research. From scrappy research methods in early-stage startups to the more formalized processes at large tech companies, we delve into the challenges and opportunities of understanding user motivations. Alex shares insights from his experiences, including his time working with companies from Taco Bell, and discusses the art of balancing intuition with data.

This episode is packed with actionable advice for founders, product managers, and anyone looking to improve their approach to user research.

All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube (video).

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In this episode, we covered the following topics:

* Alex’s journey from user research into product management

* How startups can quickly validate ideas with scrappy research methods

* The importance of uncovering user motivations beyond surface-level feedback

* Examples of research techniques used at companies like Taco Bell and Canvas

* Balancing speed, precision, and risk in product decisions

* The role of AI in accelerating user research and potential pitfalls

* Best practices for involving product designers, engineers, and stakeholders in research

* Using AI tools and call transcription to streamline the process

* And more!

If you’d like to watch the video of our conversation, you can catch that on YouTube:

Links:

* Alex Hanthorn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-hanthorn/

* Alex’s website: https://www.alexhanthorn.com/

* Continuous Discovery Habits by Teresa Torres: https://www.amazon.com/Continuous-Discovery-Habits-Discover-Products/dp/1736633309

* Outset: https://www.outset.ai/

* Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/

* Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/

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