If you are an avid consumer of social media, you may have come across the TikTok: ”I’m looking for a man in finance…”. If you now feel the urge to smash your phone against the wall, please read on so that I can make the connection ;).
As UX people “we” understand that user research can be a powerful driver of business decisions. But how do we convince people that investing in user research is worth time and resources?
The Challenge: Trust and Priorities
One concept is using the concept that: user research to reduce risk—avoiding costly mistakes and wasted resources. However, this doesn’t always work very well. Why? Because it requires those we’re trying to convince to trust external knowledge sources over their own. And organisational culture plays a big part here. Kim Goodwin once explained that companies have different cultures. Some embrace external wisdom, making evidence-based research easier to promote. Others prioritise internal wisdom, skeptical of research’s impact on reducing uncertainty. They’re already certain, whether it’s good or bad, and prioritise shipping software over being right.
Beyond Risk Mitigation: Revenue Generation
There’s another perspective. User research isn’t just a safety net; it’s a secret weapon for outperforming competitors. How? Consider these two critical aspects that I have observed:
- Shipping Revenue-Driving Processes: User research informs solutions that directly impact the bottom line. It’s not just about avoiding mistakes; it’s about creating value.
- Enabling Innovation: User insights open doors to unexplored opportunities. What you discover may surprise you—leading to innovative solutions your competitors haven’t considered.
Proving the Impact
But how do we prove this impact? Metrics. At the Mensch und Computer event in 2023, I talked about Jared Spool’s concept of the “Cost of Frustration” as a potential starting point. However, linking research insights directly to increased revenue isn’t straightforward. The Idea: collaboration between research, product managers, and business/financial experts becomes more essential as UX people usually don’t learn (yet) to calculate business numbers at first place. These experts can bridge the gap and ensure accurate calculations.
Building Collaborative Task Forces
Why not forming cross-functional task forces? Why not include experts in analytics, business processes, and finance (here they are ;)? Their collaboration with user researchers can demonstrate the lasting impact of research on the bottom line to business. Plus, it yields valuable case studies showcasing how UX influences business success.
So, research isn’t just about avoiding losses—it’s about gaining revenue and shaping the future.
