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Scaling UX Research : Democratization 2.0

Jul 5, 2022

Explore the benefits and challenges of scaling user research through democratization with Roberta Dombraski. Learn about empowering research through systems and infrastructure, democratizing UX research, and evolving UX research practices. Discover valuable resources and tools for UX research.

38:06

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Quick takeaways

Democratization of user research involves enabling non-researchers for effective research engagement.

Research enablement initiatives have increased team engagement with customers, leading to improved understanding and strategic decision-making.

Deep dives

Democratization versus Enablement in User Research

Democratization of user research, as discussed in the podcast, entails non-researchers engaging in research activities. This includes product managers, designers, and marketers expanding their involvement in user research beyond traditional researchers. The focus is on enabling individuals to conduct research effectively rather than restricting research to a specific group. The transition from democratization to enablement allows for a broader approach to research, aligning team members on research terms and methodologies, resulting in more informed and strategic decision-making.

Introduction

4min

Exploring User Interviews Company's Offerings and Research Tools

2min

Empowering Research Through Systems and Infrastructure

3min

Democratizing UX Research: Empowering Team Members

18min

Evolving UX Research Practices

9min

Exploring UX Research Resources and Tools

2min

Scaling user research, means doing more, doing more research, and doing more with user research, through democratization, or enablement.

Democratization in UX, is a topic of controversy, yet this episode is a conversation and not My an argument debate. I think partially because the term democratization and the concept of democratization really has some baggage.

Instead of having to spend your time evangelizing the importance of research, which takes up a lot of a lot of time, you are able to spend your time enabling research through systems, infrastructure and tooling. After a long and winding career journey (from eLearning designer, to product manager, to UXer), Roberta now leads the User Research team at User Interviews, where she conducts strategic research projects and creates scalable systems and resources for democratization.

She’s researched and designed experiences for communities of learners, educators, and enterprise clients at companies like Year Up, edX, Pluralsight, The Predictive Index, and more.

At her core, she’s an infectiously curious and adaptive leader who loves bringing teammates closer to customer insights. She values learning and community and derives the most joy from mentoring, coaching, and enabling others.

In her free time, she’s a Career & Wellness Coach at Learn Mindfully and enjoys gardening, storytelling, and cooking. She’s based in Boston, MA with her partner and two cats.

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Article - Scaling Research / Democratization 2.0

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Roberta Dombrowski

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