The Learners Podcast

Recently named one of the Business Post Top 100 Women in Irish Tech, Karen Church (VP of Research & Data Science at Intercom) joins Alec Levin to talk about blending research with data science, building Intercom’s RAD org, and the story behind Fin — their AI customer-service agent.We cover:- Why Intercom merged Research + Data Science, and how the RAD org is structured- Lessons from scaling research impact across product, growth, pricing, and customer experience- How Fin was built — experiments, features, and metrics that really matter- The new hybrid skills researchers need as AI reshapes roles- Practical ways to speed up your workflow with AI, while keeping human judgment at the center👉 Connect with Karen: linkedin.com/in/karenchurch🎯Follow us on socials!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinlearners/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/learnersX: https://x.com/joinlearners

Kevin Newton leads UX Measurement at LinkedIn. In this preview of his upcoming talk at Research Week, he talks about how AI is changing the researcher’s role, from writing SQL with help from chatbots to experimenting with AI agents that learn your working style.They cover:How Kevin’s team is encouraging open, systematic AI experimentationWhy curiosity, not tooling, matters most in hiringHow personal AI agents could shift how research leaders workThe messy, human stuff that still makes research powerful🎟 Kevin’s talk is part of the AI and UXR program at Research Week, happening June 2–6. Sign up here: https://joinlearners.com/research-week

Gus Griffin (Sr. Strategic Growth Researcher at Figma) joins Alec for a sneak peek of his upcoming Research Week talk. This one’s all about long-term growth—how researchers can step outside their product and help their companies make smarter, more strategic bets.You’ll hear about:What Figma’s research team looks for in emerging marketsWhy asking dumb questions like “what’s going on out there?” can lead to smart decisionsThe difference between chasing features vs. understanding peopleThe evolving role of the researcher as a business partnerGus speaks at the Growth UXR program at Research Week, coming up June 2–6 in SF and online. Join us: https://joinlearners.com/research-week

In this special episode, Alec sits down with Zachary Schendel, Senior Director of Research at DoorDash, for a preview of his upcoming talk for UXRConf. They explore why strong cross-functional relationships are essential for researchers, and how to actually build them.You’ll learn:Why great research often gets ignoredHow to navigate different product manager personalitiesWhat hiring managers really look for todayHow AI is changing research workflows (and what it can’t replace)Real tips on influence, storytelling, and showing up with impact🎟️ Register free for Research Week: joinlearners.com/research-week🔗 Connect with Zach: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachary-schendel-38353157/

Brad Orego, Head of Research at Webflow, joins us to chat about their upcoming talk at UXRConf.In this episode, Brad shares how their team is expanding the scope of research—supporting executive decision-making, exploring multi-year strategy, and operating more like an insights function than a traditional UX team.We get into:🔹 Why fitting research into sprints misses the bigger opportunity🔹 How to work with execs (hint: they won’t read your summary)🔹 Building research roadmaps and identifying long-term questions🔹 Why the most valuable research might not look like "UX research" at all🎟️ Join us at Research Week—online or in San Francisco: joinlearners.com/research-week

Confidence intervals aren’t just a math concept—they’re a key tool for making better decisions in research.In this episode, Alec talks with Carl Pearson, Staff UX Researcher at Reddit, about how quantitative researchers approach surveys, metrics, and decision-making with confidence.They discuss:What confidence intervals really tell you (and what they don’t)How qualitative researchers can borrow quant techniques to strengthen their insightsWhere to start if you want to build your quant research skillsFind Carl on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carljpearson/

What does it really mean to “do the research”? Judd Antin joins The Learners Podcast to talk about the mindset, craft, and approach behind great research.We discuss:Why research isn’t just about gathering data—it’s about asking the right questionsHow to avoid research as a “safety blanket” and focus on real discoveryThe importance of relationships and trust in making research impactfulThe skills that separate great researchers from the restJudd brings years of experience leading research teams at Meta, Airbnb, and beyond. His insights will challenge the way you think about research.Find Judd on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juddantin/

Madeline Smith is a UX Researcher at Cisco. Madeline joins the podcast to talk about her choice to adopt, working through the waiting game, and finding balance between work and being a new parent.Find Madeline on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madsesmith/

Michael Riddering is the founder of Dive, a creator at Figma Academy and has previously held roles as a founding designer, design lead, and design advisor. Michael joins the podcast to talk about the changing nature of skill development, how tools shape our practice and what learning could look like in the future. Find Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelriddering/ Learn more about Dive: https://www.dive.club

Claire Menke is the Director of Research, Generative AI at Meta. Claire joins the podcast to talk about testing out career transitions as a working parent, stepping outside of your comfort zone, and taking on "one big job" at a time. Find Claire on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairemenke/