This week’s newsletter highlights: Dive into Brian Utesch’s take on The Power of Extreme User Feedback to learn how candid, shocking user quotes can drive meaningful product changes. Deniz Can Demir explores how Decentralizing UX with ML & GenAI leads to endless personalization possibilities.

Plus, discover Rahel Kiss’s innovative approach to Behavioral Segmentation and Tim Wilson’s deep dive into why Analytics is Painful. Don’t forget to catch our Podcast Pick on collecting “Just Enough Data”.

Finally, meet 🇧🇷 Jade Goes, a UX researcher blending storytelling with behavioral insights. Exciting updates on our member channel rollout and upcoming events await!

📢 Announcements

Yesterday, we began rolling out our member channel to the first cohort of members. All members can join via this invite link be sure to introduce yourself!

Those who missed last week’s People of Research community talk on Behavioral Science for Researchers and Designers can catch the recording in our video pick section below.

Last week, we also introduced a new community event called Lightning Talks. In this series, we’ll feature 4-5 speakers, each with 7.5 minutes to present followed by 5 minutes of Q&A. The talks will focus on research topics within the context of tech and related fields. We’ve got some exciting talks lined up—if you’re interested in speaking, submit your talk here, and we’ll be in touch!

Finally, we’d love to know what you’re most excited about from the People of Research community!

🔬 People of Research Interviews

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Past Interviews

• 🇸🇬 Kanika

• 🇩🇪 Franziska 

• 🇺🇸 Amanda

• 🇬🇧 Will 

• 🇮🇩 Eka 

📰 Article Picks

🔗 The Power of Extreme User Feedback: In this thought-provoking article, Brian Utesch explores how raw, unfiltered user feedback can be a powerful tool for product improvement. Utesch argues that while extreme user quotes can be shocking or humorous, they offer a candid look into deep-seated issues that polite feedback might miss. He cites examples like a user comparing a frustrating experience to “giving birth to a cactus” to demonstrate how such feedback grabs attention, clarifies pain points, and humanizes data for stakeholders. Utesch advises UX researchers to embrace these quotes as valuable insights and to use humor and empathy when presenting them to drive meaningful product changes.

🔗 Decentralizing UX with ML & GenAI: Deniz Can Demir outlines a transformative approach to UX workflows using machine learning and generative AI to create personalized user experiences. The article explores how decentralizing UX allows for endless iterations and personalized designs that continuously adjust based on real-time data. Demir emphasizes that by integrating ML and GenAI, UX teams can enhance personalization, streamline workflows, and optimize for KPIs in ways that traditional frameworks cannot. Case studies from Netflix and Spotify highlight how personalization algorithms lead to higher user satisfaction and increased business success.

🔗 Behavioral Segmentation: Targeting Individuals Based on Their Margin for Change: In this insightful article by Rahel Kiss, The Behaviouralist team introduces the concept of behavioral segmentation as a strategy to better target individuals based on their potential for change, rather than traditional demographics. Drawing on models like the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change, Kiss illustrates how organizations can segment their audiences to encourage early adoption of innovative products. For instance, their case study on a UK local authority’s “Mobility-as-a-Service” platform highlights how understanding each segment’s readiness to change can help set realistic behavioral targets. The article emphasizes that the key to successful targeting is understanding not just who the users are, but how they behave.

🔗 Analytics is Painful (So They Say): In this article, Tim Wilson shares key insights on the common frustrations experienced by analytics teams. Wilson discusses challenges such as unclear KPIs, messy data, and the disconnect between self-service analytics tools and their adoption. By referencing pain points from both analytics professionals and business users, Wilson emphasizes the need for better alignment and understanding between teams to improve data-driven decision-making processes. Wilson’s analysis provides actionable takeaways, including prioritizing business goals and ensuring data quality for more effective insights.

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💼 Jobs Picks

Explore the latest roles in our community, as our community spans 53 countries and various seniority levels. Whether you’re advancing your career or seeking new challenges, there’s always something here for everyone.

UK & Europe

• Behavioural Scientist, DG Cities (London, Hybrid)

• Senior Engagement & Insights Manager, Virgin Money (London, Hybrid)

• Customer & User Researcher, DeepL (London, Hybrid) 

• Lead Service Designer, Vanquis Banking Group (London, Hybrid)

• User Experience Researcher, Wiley (London, Remote)

North America

• UX Researcher, SmartBear (Somerville, MA, On-site)

• UX Researcher - USDS, TikTok (Los Angeles, CA, Hybrid)

• Associate, UX Research, Material (US, Remote)

• Head of Design and Research, Upside (Washington, DC, Hybrid)

  Director, Head of Research and Insights, Justworks (New York, NY, Hybrid)

Oceania

• Senior Manager, UX Research, GitLab, (Australia, Remote)

• CX Researcher, Trimble Inc. (Christchurch, On-site)

Asia

• Remote Strategic Research Analyst, Turing (Bengaluru, Remote)

• Data Insights Analyst, Trust and Safety Compute, Google (Bengaluru, On-site)

Latin America

• Insights & Analytics Coordinator, Kellanova (São Paulo, Hybrid)

• UX Researcher, Môre (São Paulo, Hybrid)

• UX Researcher, Prex (Argentina, Remote)

• EY - Senior UX Researcher, EY (Buenos Aires, On-site)

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

🎙 Podcasts Pick

This week’s Podcast Pick: Just Enough Data, Just in Time: In episode #253 of The Analytics Power Hour, Matt Gershoff from Conductrics discusses the pitfalls of collecting too much data. He advocates for gathering only what’s necessary to drive insights, avoiding data overload.

^{Want to feature your podcast?} 🔗 ^{Submit Your Podcast} 

📹 Video Pick

Our first video pick: Last week’s People of Research community talk on Behavioral Science for Researchers and Designers!

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About us

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

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