#160 - Where Design Thinking Went Wrong with Brett Krajewski of Accelerant Research
Feb 12, 2025
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Brett Krajewski, VP of Research & Growth at Accelerant Research, dives into the evolving landscape of UX research. He discusses how recent challenges present opportunities for researchers to showcase their value. Krajewski emphasizes the need for balancing user needs with business goals, advocating for innovative research methodologies in fast-paced environments. He highlights the importance of storytelling and emotional intelligence in research, along with the significance of collaboration across teams to drive impactful outcomes.
Effective UX research requires a clear focus on key messages to ensure insights are actionable and drive organizational decisions.
Embracing experimentation and fostering collaboration can enhance research effectiveness and inclusivity, ultimately benefiting diverse user needs.
Deep dives
The Importance of Strategic Research
It is emphasized that including excessive data in research can dilute the story and render findings less impactful. Effective research requires a clear focus on the main message or point, akin to having an elevator pitch. This strategic approach ensures that insights are actionable and memorable, avoiding the trap of overwhelming stakeholders with data. The ability to communicate findings succinctly is vital for the research to drive decisions within an organization.
Challenges in Design Thinking Experiences
The transition from agency to in-house work can reveal various challenges in applying design thinking effectively. Different organizational cultures and resources can significantly influence the execution of research and design. For example, at Lowe's, a strong partnership between designers and researchers facilitated translating findings into actionable designs, while at Walmart, they faced limitations that required doing more with less. These experiences shed light on how to navigate differing environments and optimize research processes.
Overcoming Fear of Failure in Research
Researchers often experience fear of failure, especially in designing methodologies and presenting insights. This fear can stem from the pressure to deliver comprehensive reports and the intricacies of maintaining rigorous standards alongside tight deadlines. To counteract this, it is crucial for researchers to embrace a culture of experimentation, iterating on ideas rather than striving for perfection. By fostering an environment that encourages testing and learning from unsuccessful approaches, researchers can drive innovation within their teams.
The Need for Collaborative and Inclusive Research Practices
Collaboration and empathy play significant roles in enhancing research effectiveness and inclusivity. Researchers are encouraged to immerse themselves in the contexts in which their users operate, promoting understanding of diverse needs, including accessibility challenges. By advocating for inclusive research practices, organizations can better serve all users and harness the full potential of their customer base. Initiatives that emphasize community-focused research can elevate the impact of user-centered design within organizations.
In 2022, the UX community experienced a series of convulsions: layoffs, reorgs, and reduced budgets. A common thread throughout was accountability: user researchers faced frequent questions about their direct impact on and importance for the business. "Doing" UX research and "being" a design thinker was no longer enough.
Today's guest believes these questions present opportunities for UX researchers. Brett Krajewski, VP Research and Growth at Accelerant Research, joins Erin and Carol to share strategies for researchers to stay sharp, stay relevant, and stay valuable. These include balancing business goals with user needs, being more experimental with methods, reframing how we use time for research, and more.
Highlights
06:30 Justifying UX ROI Amid Economic Challenges
12:02 Integrating Insights for Improved UX
18:50 Balancing User Needs and Business Goals
21:07 Scalable Research in Fortune 500 Companies
29:47 Innovative Strategies in Research Planning
38:30 Storytelling's Role in Research Impact
About Brett Brett Krajewski is the Vice President of Research & Growth at Accelerant Research, where he leads the research and client solutions teams, delivering innovative insights to empower businesses and many fortune 500 companies. With a career spanning both in-house industry roles and consulting/agency leadership, Brett has built and led high-performing, multi-method research teams for Fortune 50 companies. His past roles include Head of Design Research: Customer at Walmart and Lead of Product Research at Lowe’s, where he drove customer-focused innovation and strategy.