#129 - How to Upskill Product Teams in UX Research with Helen Devine, UX Research Manager at The Economist

<p>How can UX researchers enable other teams to do research? Show, don’t tell.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-devine-49727a9/">Helen Devine</a>, UX Research Manager at The Economist, upskilling product people to do research means letting them observe, sit in, and be present during each stage of a research project—not just being told what to do.</p> <p>Helen went from doing scrappy research with 0 researchers to supporting 50 product people at The Economist to conduct great research with the help of 2 other UX researchers.</p> <p>Tune into this episode to learn how she established UX research as a valued discipline at The Economist, plus how to balance developing research as a craft while supporting non-researchers at the same time. </p> <p>👇</p> <p><strong>Highlights: </strong></p> <p>[00:04:11] From 0 researchers to 3 UXRs and 50 product people </p> <p>[00:13:30] The art of observation and note-taking during moderated interviews </p> <p>[00:18:59] Generative research? Bring in a pro researcher</p> <p>[00:24:34] Helen’s biggest wins in instructing others on how to do research better</p> <p>[0:31:07] Researchers develop the craft, but they don’t own it. </p> <p>[00:33:54] Actionable tips on setting guardrails for non-researchers’ research</p> <p><br></p> <p><strong>Sources mentioned in the episode:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong></strong><a href="http://userinterviews.com/awkward">userinterviews.com/awkward</a></li> <li><a href="http://userinterviews.com/awkwardsurvey" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer ">userinterviews.com/awkwardsurvey</a> </li> </ul> <p><strong>About Our Guest</strong></p> <p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-devine-49727a9/">Helen Devine</a>, UX Research Manager at The Economist, is a user-focused research expert with experience in insight, ethnography, design, and user research across commercial, government, and non-profit sectors. Her current role involves telling user stories that uncover opportunities and inspire action across the organizati