Episode #94: Navigating Challenging Situations in UX Research with Kelly Moran
Jul 1, 2024
auto_awesome
Kelly Moran, VP of Experience Research, discusses the importance of reflexivity in UX research, understanding biases, and using empathy to bridge user perspectives. She emphasizes aligning research goals with company strategies, and suggests diary studies and participatory design. Kelly also shares tips on navigating challenges, developing impactful research, and the balance between speed and in-depth insights.
Emphasizing reflexive, holistic, and EMIC perspectives in UX research to understand user behavior.
Highlighting the importance of empathy and aligning research initiatives with strategic company goals.
Deep dives
Anthropological Perspectives in Research
Carrying over anthropological perspectives into UX research and product development, Kelly emphasizes the reflexive, holistic, and EMIC perspectives. The reflexive perspective involves understanding one's own biases, the holistic view considers the broader context surrounding a group or phenomenon, and the EMIC perspective delves into interpreting things from the group's insider view.
Developing Empathy in Research
Kelly discusses the importance of developing empathy, distinguishing between emotional empathy and cognitive empathy. She stresses the need to intentionally understand users' perspectives and contexts by engaging them in conversation to uncover insights that can inform product development.
Impactful Research and Stakeholder Engagement
Ensuring research initiatives align with strategic goals, Kelly integrates research into projects at Genient across digital and physical spaces. By involving stakeholders, like architects and designers, in research engagements, she fosters cognitive empathy and ensures research findings lead to actionable solutions aligned with broader company objectives.
Kelly Moran, VP of Experience Research and Insights, discusses how her background in anthropology shapes her approach to UX research. She emphasizes the importance of the reflexive, holistic, and emic perspectives in understanding user behavior. Kelly shares a story about lenses to illustrate the need to recognize and understand our own biases. She also discusses the importance of empathy and cognitive empathy in bridging the gap between different user perspectives. Kelly highlights the need for research initiatives to be aligned with the broader strategic goals of the company and emphasizes the value of integrating insights from digital, physical, and organizational contexts. She suggests underutilized research methods such as diary studies and participatory design. Kelly also provides advice on navigating challenging situations, developing impactful research programs, and mentoring junior researchers. She discusses the balance between speed and comprehensive insights in research and the importance of understanding how business works as a researcher. Finally, Kelly shares the importance of remaining open to possibilities and turning vulnerability into a strength.
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode