In this week’s newsletter, we’re bringing you a curated selection of articles on behavioral design, AI-driven voice interactions, and strategies for effectively communicating research value to leadership. Plus, explore new job opportunities across UX, Data Science, and Behavioral Science within our community. And don’t miss this month’s must-attend event hosted by User Interviews.

We also dive into the career journey of Will Buckley 🇬🇧, a UX Researcher at Hive, who shares his transition from anthropology to leading research on the Net Zero team. 

🌟 People of The Week

At People of Research, we're all about facilitating connection. A big part of our goal is to tell and share the stories of fellow researchers across the tech industry. We believe in the power of stories in bringing people together.

Our “People of the Week” interview series allows our community to hear the career journeys, experiences, and perspectives of fellow community members—giving our members a platform to tell their stories, showcase their work, and connect with our global network of researchers.

This week, we sat down with Will Buckley, a UX Researcher at Hive, to explore his journey from anthropology to consulting at Stripe Partner, his time at Spotify, and now leading research on the Net Zero team in the consumer energy and products space at Hive. Read his career story and discover how you can leverage radical ownership in your own work.

👋 Meet Will 🇬🇧 , UX Researcher @Hive

Past People of the Week Interviews

• Read our last story with 🇮🇩 Eka, Senior Product Researcher at Indonesia’s largest bank.

📰 Article Picks;

Here’s this week’s roundup of articles to spark your curiosity:

🔗 Can We Create a Pattern Language for Behavioral Design? | Is there a blueprint for behavior? Piyush Tantia explores the idea of applying a “pattern language”—a concept popularized in architecture and UX design—to behavioral design. He suggests that by identifying recurring “context patterns” that influence behavior, we could enhance the work of behavioral designers and empower non-experts to design behaviorally informed processes. Just as pattern languages have simplified web design, Tantia argues that a similar approach could revolutionize behavioral design, making it more accessible and effective. A thought-provoking read for those looking to apply behavioral science more broadly.

🔗 To Set Research Priorities with Leadership, Show Your Team’s Value | This insightful article from People Nerds by Dscout - delves into how research teams can establish a fruitful partnership with leadership by clearly demonstrating their value. Featuring expert insights from Greg Marinelli of JPMorgan Chase and Dr. Nikki Smith of Enterprise Mobility, the piece highlights the importance of making research actionable and aligned with business goals. It offers strategies on how research teams can effectively communicate their impact, from integrating business thinking into research processes to quantifying the value of their work in a way that resonates with leadership. A must-read for researchers looking to secure a seat at the decision-making table.

🔗 On Speaking to AI | Voice is changing everything. Ethan Mollick dives into the transformative potential of AI-driven voice interactions by comparing two distinct models: Apple’s Siri as a “Copilot” and ChatGPT’s Voice as an “Agent.” Siri, with its smaller AI model, emphasizes privacy and security but sacrifices power and flexibility. In contrast, ChatGPT’s advanced voice mode embraces the full complexity of GPT-4, enabling more human-like conversations and broader functionalities. Mollick argues that these contrasting approaches highlight the future of AI: a choice between safe, constrained tools and powerful, risky agents. A must-read for researchers interested in the evolving dynamics of AI-human interactions. Consider what this could mean for moderation in qualitative research

🔗 Scaling Analytics at Instagram: The Power of Deterministic Sampling | Managing massive data volumes is a constant challenge for Instagram, especially with over 1.5 billion daily users generating 25 PB of data every day. This article delves into how Instagram uses deterministic sampling to efficiently handle data without sacrificing insight quality. Learn about the benefits of this approach in various analytical use cases, including dashboarding, machine learning, and real-time investigations. Discover the strategies Instagram employs to balance cost, performance, and accuracy, and explore the challenges that come with data sampling. Perfect for data engineers and analysts looking to optimize large-scale data processing.

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💼 Jobs For The Week

We’re excited to share the latest opportunities within our community, spanning 29 countries. Our aim is to offer a diverse range of roles across various regions and seniority levels to meet the needs of our global audience. Here are some of the current openings:

UK & Europe:

• UX Researcher, Red Engine Team (Hybrid)

• Lead Product Analyst - Cleo, (Hybrid)

• Senior UX Researcher, Viator (Remote)

• Lead Operations Research Data Scientist, Chubb (Hybrid)

North America:

• Lead Behavioural Scientist, Common Thread (Remote)

• Behavioural Science Associate, Common Thread (Remote)

• Senior Data Analyst, Getaround (Remote) 

• User Researcher, Modern Health (Remote)

Asia:

• User Experience Researcher, UXArmy (Remote)

• User Operations Manager, CoinMarketCap (Remote)

• Senior Manager UX Research, Verizon (Remote)

Latin America:

• Staff Experience Researcher, LATAM, Airbnb (Remote)

• Staff UX Researcher, Product, Google (On-site)

• UX Researcher for Customer Experience Intelligence, 99 (Onsite)

_{Interested in sharing opportunities in research? ✉️ Email us!}

🔉 Podcast Picks

This week’s podcast recommendation: Brave UX with Brendan Jarvis featuring Dr Ari Zelmanow. Ari, Head of UX Research at Twilio, shares his journey from police detective to UX researcher, offering insights into human behavior and how to apply them in research. He discusses becoming a strategic partner in organizations, the importance of communicating research value, and key focus areas for today’s researchers, all informed by his extensive experience in law enforcement and applied research.

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📚 Book of the Week

Here’s a book for the week that we think will keep you turning pages or make a great addition to your reading list.

In Co-Intelligence, Ethan Mollick, Co-Director of the Generative AI Lab at The Wharton School, urges us to engage with AI as a co-worker, co-teacher, and coach. Through real-time examples, he explores AI’s impact on business and education, challenging us to harness its power without losing our identity. This thought-provoking and optimistic work reveals the promise and potential of collaborating with smart machines in this new era.

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🗓 Event Picks

Finally, here are the events to keep in mind this month.

🎟️ What You Need to Know About the Modern Research Tech Stack | Today's products are built faster than ever, customers expect excellence, and resourcing is tight. How can research teams make more efficient, impactful decisions the first time? In part, by rethinking their tool stack. But what does that look like in practice. Join the senior executives of User Interviews and HeyMarvin as they discuss what they've learned from building UX research tools that connect customer feedback with decisions.

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About us

👋 We’re People of Research - a global community uniting researchers across the tech industry, from UX Research to Behavioral Science. Our mission is to advance the field of research through connection, collaboration, and growth.

If you’re not yet a member, we’re much more than a newsletter. We’re a community and our primary focus is on building a strong, engaged research community in tech.

✏️ Join +500 researchers in tech across 29 countries: Join us! 

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