Tomer Sharon from Google discusses user experience (UX) research and how to gain buy-in from stakeholders. UX research aims to provide insights into product users, their perspectives, and abilities. It can answer what people need, want, and can use. The challenge is that not all stakeholders understand or support UX research. Sharon provides stories of difficult stakeholders and lessons learned, such as developing empathy, knowing when collaboration opportunities exist, and using alternative reporting methods besides written reports.

1. WINNING THAT
ELUSIVE BUY-IN
FORUXRESEARCHTOMER SHARON | GOOGLE | @tsharon

2. HI, I’M TOMER

3. @tsharonwww.itsourresear.ch

4. TAKK!

5. WHAT IS UX
RESEARCH?

6. PROVIDING INSIGHTS INTO
PRODUCT USERS, THEIR
PERSPECTIVES, AND THEIR
ABILITIES TO THE
RIGHT PEOPLE AT THE
RIGHT TIME.

7. 3 QUESTIONS
UX RESEARCH
CAN ANSWER

8. WHAT DO
PEOPLE
NEED?

9. WHAT DO
PEOPLE
WANT?

10. CAN
PEOPLE
USE IT?

11. THE
CHALLENGE

12. 8

13. THE PERSON WHO
ALWAYS POKED
HOLES
1

15. DEVELOP EMPATHY
TOWARD
STAKEHOLDERS

16. THE HOSTILE
STAKEHOLDER
2

17. ?

18. CHANGES HAPPEN

19. THE DIRECTOR
THAT KICKED ME
OUT
3

21. FIGHT OR FLEE
BASED ON MATURITY
LEVELS

22. THE BEST TIME TO
COLLABORATE
4

24. IT’S ALWAYS A GOOD
TIME TO
COLLABORATE

25. THE ONLY
PERSON WHO
CARED, LEFT THE
COMPANY 5

27. LISTEN & PLANT
SEEEDS

28. COLORING THE
EXPERIENCE
6

30. INVITE THE
SKEPTICAL TO WATCH

31. BUT I DON’T
WANNA WRITE A
REPORT
7

33. USE ALTERNATIVE
WAYS TO REPORT

34. PIVOT TO
END-OF-LIFE
8

36. USE THE LEAN
STARTUP
TERMINOLOGY

37. STORIES LESSONS
LEARNED
8 8

38. STORY
The person who always poked holes in
UX research
The hostile stakeholder that wouldn’t
cooperate
The director that kept kicking me out
The best time to collaborate with
stakeholders
The only person who cared left
Coloring the experience for stakeholders
But I don’t wanna write a report
Pivot to EOL
LESSON LEARNED
Develop empathy toward
stakeholders
Some people don’t get it but changes
happen
Fight or flee based on maturity levels
It’s always a good time to collaborate
with stakeholders
Listen and plant seeds
Invite the skeptical to watch
Use alternative ways to report results
Learn the Lean Startup terminology

39. TAKK!@tsharon

40. GOOGLE
IS HIRING

41. Q&A

42. “Researchers are toxic, research is essential”
-Steve Blank
“If you want a seat at the table, you need to
know when dinner is served”
- Klaus Kaasgaard
“UX people need to research the UX of people
who need UX”
- Seth Godin
www.itsourresear.ch

43. ONE FINAL THOUGHT

44. “DON’T BELIEVE
EVERYTHING YOU SEE
ON A POWERPOINT
SLIDE JUST BECAUSE
THERE’S A PICTURE
WITH A QUOTE NEXT
TO IT.”
- ROALD AMUNDSEN