The User Research Strategist: UXR | Impact | Career The Theater of Research | Camila Borja
Camila Borja is a User Research expert with almost 15 years of experience, driving insights for companies like Zalando, SumUp, and Itaú. She leads strategic projects, trains teams in research methods, and has worked with global brands such as J&J, Sanofi, and Disney. With a degree in Public Relations and Public Opinion, Camila is a dedicated problem-solver who bridges research and business to deliver impactful results.
In our conversation, we discuss:
* What “research theater” really means and how it undermines the value of user insights across organizations.
* The risks of continuous discovery becoming a buzzword-driven process with little depth or direction.
* The internal conflict researchers face when stakeholders ask to bury insights that don’t fit the roadmap.
* Why junior researchers are especially vulnerable to being pulled into performative work and how to protect against it.
* How senior researchers can shift into a more strategic role by partnering with stakeholders and driving conversations, not just insights.
Some takeaways:
* Research theater can distort data and erode trust. Camila explains that research theatre often arises when teams mimic the motions of good research without actually delivering depth or insight. Whether it’s cherry-picked data, rushed usability tests, or stakeholder-directed outcomes, the result is the same: decisions based on illusion rather than reality. The impact is compounded because it corrupts the foundation, the data. that other decisions rely on.
* Continuous discovery needs rigor, not just speed. While continuous discovery can be powerful, Camila argues that it often turns into a performance, such as 30-minute calls each week with no clear direction, biased questions, and very little impact. Without intention and structure, these rituals drain researcher time and produce low-value outcomes, threatening the credibility of the practice.
* Junior researchers are often set up to perform, not investigate. Early-career researchers can easily be pulled into validation work or asked to execute a process without context. They may lack the confidence or experience to challenge requests. Study the foundational theory, ask why relentlessly, and avoid blindly accepting stakeholder requests that don’t serve users.
* To escape the theatrics, researchers must become business partners. Senior researchers should step beyond insight delivery and into the role of strategic advisors. That means building relationships, staying close to decisions, and understanding stakeholder motivations. Camila urges researchers to ask what’s driving decisions and find the middle ground between user needs and business realities.
* Avoiding theater always starts with asking “why?” Whether it’s a stakeholder request for a marketplace feature or a directive to skip over certain findings, researchers must stay curious. Asking why isn’t just for participants, it’s also for ourselves and our teams. This curiosity is what transforms research from performance into progress.
Where to find Camila:
* Medium
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The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views, positions, or policies of the host, the podcast, or any affiliated organizations or sponsors.
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