Episode 93: The Future of User Research

Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.

In this conversation, I cover:

• The shift towards democratizing tasks like usability testing and surveys, and how AI might take over repetitive research processes

• Moving away from evaluative tasks and stepping into more strategic roles that involve partnering with businesses to shape long-term goals

• Focusing on uncovering unknown unknowns through generative research to find innovative solutions and disrupt existing market spaces

• The importance of not just responding to requests but proactively identifying research opportunities that can drive business growth

• Helping teams, especially in low-maturity environments, understand and incorporate user research into strategic business decisions

• How user researchers can assist companies in anticipating future trends and unmet needs, rather than simply improving existing processes

Some takeaways:

1. With AI and automation, tasks like usability testing will increasingly be democratized within teams or handled by AI, allowing researchers to focus on higher-level strategic work

2. User researchers need to evolve into thought partners, working closely with business teams to guide strategy and innovation

3. Instead of just enhancing existing products, researchers should focus on uncovering unmet needs and unknown unknowns that can lead to disruptive innovations

4. By conducting generative research, researchers can identify new opportunities and adjacent markets that companies haven’t considered yet

5. Researchers should move towards proactive research, driving the exploration of new ideas and strategies rather than waiting for stakeholders to bring them projects

References:

• The User Research Strategist Book Waitlist

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💥 Unlock even more value

We all know that the field of user research is changing. We need to move beyond basic tasks like usability testing and surveys. These tasks will become more democratized or automated through AI. Instead of being scared of this shift (and fighting it), we can use it to our advantage to finally move into a strategic space as user researchers.

We can shift into the business space and lead as dot connectors, thought partners, and innovators within our field. We can demonstrate the exact ROI of our impactful research work and showcase our incredible value. We need to become strategic user researchers. Ready for your shift?

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For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email nikki@userresearchacademy.com