010 - Maturing a Research Ops Practice w/ Kate Towsey

For more UXR & ReOps interviews and resources, subscribe to the Scaling Research newsletter at ⁠⁠scalingresearch.com⁠⁠ 📫 -- Summary In this episode, Stig Parfrey discusses his career journey and why he chose to work in Research Ops. He shares the enjoyable aspects of ReOps and the challenges he faces in the nonprofit and government space. Stig also talks about how he collaborates with government agencies and the importance of educating stakeholders about the value of user research. Stig then explores the unique elements of participant recruitment in government, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity and representation. The conversation then shifts to the role of AI in research, with Stig expressing optimism about its potential to enhance qualitative research and bring back the focus on building empathy. Stig and Roy conclude by encouraging Research Ops professionals to embrace change and continuously explore new approaches and tools. Takeaways Research Ops offers the opportunity to work on different challenges and learn about various areas of research. Working in the nonprofit space allows for a direct impact and the opportunity to do good. Lack of resources and limited budgets are common challenges in the nonprofit and government space. Collaborating with government agencies requires educating stakeholders about the value of user research and sharing case studies. There is significant overlap between ReOps in government and other sectors, allowing for a smooth transition and transfer of skills. Participant recruitment in government requires a strong emphasis on inclusivity and representation, as the decisions made can have a significant impact on people's lives. AI has the potential to enhance qualitative research by providing quick and accurate feedback, allowing researchers to focus on more complex and generative aspects of their work. Research Ops folks should embrace change and continuously explore new approaches and tools to stay ahead in the evolving landscape of user research. -- Connect with Stig: ⁠⁠Stig's LinkedIn⁠⁠

In this conversation, Roy Opata Olende and Brad Orego discuss the role of research within companies and the need to stretch outside of traditional UX/Design domains. They highlight the importance of research in making better decisions and saving time, and the need for research leaders to communicate the value of research and educate others about its capabilities. Brad also addresses the challenges of leadership in the research field and the need for better training and preparation. Lastly, Brad shares the experience of forming a cross-functional insights group and the benefits of working with different teams and disciplines. The key takeaway is that research leaders should start small and take incremental steps to build relationships, demonstrate value, and drive change within their organizations. -- Connect with Brad: Brad's LinkedIn Brad's website For more UXR & ReOps leadership resources, subscribe to the Scaling Research newsletter at ⁠scalingresearch.com⁠ 📫

In this conversation, Josh Williams and Roy Opata Olende discuss the dangers of a monolithic approach to research. They explore the idea of good enough research versus rigorous research, the attachment that UX researchers have to projects, and the importance of understanding the risk associated with different research methods. They also discuss the need for researchers to make a business case for their approach. Lastly, Josh envisions a future where insights organizations and teams come together to provide a holistic view of the business. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Quick Fire Q&A 05:44 Josh's Journey into UXR 12:13 The Current State of UXR 16:18 The Pull Towards a Monolithic Approach 20:26 The Value of Research Studies 24:19 Good Enough vs Rigorous Research 27:30 Risk and Methodology in Research 31:20 Advocating for Contextual Approach to Research 39:08 The Future of Research -- Connect with Josh via LinkedIn Subscribe to the newsletter at scalingresearch.com 📫

For more information and resources, check out scalingresearch.com. -- “How did you get a job in Research Ops?” After I started my past role running Research Ops at Zapier, I got this question in my LinkedIn DM nearly every week. Folks from UX research, Design, People Ops, and many other practices would reach out to learn about my path into this field with an eye to making a switch themselves. Today, you get to hear this transition story from someone I greatly admire in the Research Ops community: Kasey Canlas. Kasey has taken a winding career path having worked in news and project management before making the shift into ReOps. In my chat with Kasey we cover: How volunteering time in UX research paved the way for her move into Research Ops. The power of getting a key leader bought into the ReOps practice. Solving low-hanging fruit to deliver value early on. Why you need to build relationships with the legal and data privacy teams at your company. Advice for a UXR leader who wants to launch ReOps.

In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Stephanie Marsh. Stephanie has a wealth of experience and most recently led user research at the UK’s Government Digital Service before hopping over to lead Research Ops at Springer Nature Group. Our conversation covers the gnarly and much-discussed topic of knowledge management. In this chat with Stephanie we discuss: How frustration with 3D pie charts kick-started their career in research. Why knowledge management is a more gnarly problem in UX research than in other functions. The allure of research repos as a knowledge management solution. The value using research skills to determine knowledge management needs. Repositories vs libraries. Practical steps to get started with improved knowledge management. -- You can connect with Stephanie using the links below. LinkedIn: Stephanie Marsh Twitter: @Steph_Marsh81 Medium: Stephanie Marsh Book: User Research

Find more posts and resources at www.scalingresearch.com. In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Craig Perlmutter. Craig is a Design and Research Ops lead with a wealth of experience, particularly with research labs. Our conversation explores the uniqueness of in-person research within a lab, and it’s value in our remote-leaning world. We cover: Craig’s path from working on call centre software to running his first research lab. Using a lab to highlight the value of research to senior leadership. In-person vs remote research: when and why each is valuable. Setting up a research lab, including how to create a proof of concept. -- How to get in touch with Craig: LinkedIn: Craig Perlmutter Radio Station: skylinegold.co.uk (Saturdays at 8:00 am)

Find more posts and resources at www.scalingresearch.com. In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Dave Hora. Dave runs a research consultancy appropriately named Dave’s Research Company. He's done research in-house and as a consultant for over a decade; Dave is a deep thinker with a wealth of experience. In this episode we talk about: His path to independent research after working for five startups in nine years The role of research and how that definition impacts democratization UXR today vs a decade ago and what it means about research value Research vs learning Who owns rigour -- How to get in touch with Dave: Twitter: @davesresearch LinkedIn: Dave Hora Website: davesresearch.com

For more info, head to www.scalingresearch.com. In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Tim Toy. Tim runs Research Ops at Airbnb. He's been in the ReOps field for over a decade and has a wealth of experience. In our chat, Tim talks about: Moving from HR recruiting into UX and Research Ops Defining the roadmap for Research Ops at Airbnb Establishing the importance of career growth paths for ReOps The ubiquity of problems in Research Ops across different companies ReOps as a proactive partner for the UX research function

For more info, head to www.scalingresearch.com. In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Cory Weissenborn. Cory runs Research Ops at Credit Karma. She has a wealth of experience having worked in Ops for companies of different sizes in a range of industries. In our chat, Cory talks about: The value of Research Ops vs the research coordinator role What projects she tackled when starting her current Ops role The importance of building relationships with cross-functional partners

For more info, head to www.scalingresearch.com. In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Kate Towsey. Kate is the Research Ops Manager at Atlassian and the catalyst behind the Research Ops community. If you've Googled Research Ops, she's probably one of the first names that comes up. Kate's wide-ranging path into Ops gives her a unique lens on this work. In our chat, Kate shares about: Research Ops vs research admin The importance of learning how to manage a team Creating research systems vs individual research resources...and much more