Awkward Silences User Interviews

Erin and special co-host Ben Wiedmaier are joined by Julian Della Mattia of the180 for a deep dive into being UX team-of-one. Julian has been the first user researcher at a number of companies and shares his top to-dos, milestones, and things to consider before accepting such a role.
The episode digs into the ways a solo UXR can start making an impact, but in a strategic, sustainable way. Julian identifies questions to ask stakeholder teams, processes to consider standing up, and the tools to consider investing in from the start. We also discuss the dual hat-wearing of UXR and Ops on smaller teams/teams-of-one. Julian shares how he balances his time between executing on business-critical work and organizing research workflows so that other teams can start connecting with customers.
Even if you're not a solo UXR or a team-of-one, Julian's experience building bridges between/across departments and his suggestions for aligning user research to core business goals from the start will help you and your team be more impactful.
Episode Highlights
03:49 - Strategies for success as the first researcher in an organization12:52 - Strategies for building bridges as a researcher in a new organization19:16 - Building essential processes for small research teams27:59 - Comparing research repositories and insights hubs30:47 - Triangulating insights from different teams35:11 - Strategies for scaling your research capacityAbout Our GuestJulian is a UX Researcher specialized in Research Operations (ReOps), founder of the180 and based in Barcelona, Spain. Whether in-house or working with clients, he repeatedly found myself building Research teams from scratch as the first Researcher in the team. This experience helped him develop a real knack for infrastructure, so he decided to fully specialize myself in ReOps. He likes to talk about this as his switch "from Finder to Builder".
More Resources for Building UX Research Teams
Use this checklist to organize and build your UX teamThe steps to build and lead an impactful UX teamHow to scale yourself while avoiding burnout

In this episode, Erin chats with Victoria Sakal, Head of Growth at Wonder, all about desk (or secondary) research—think web searches, checking internal resource libraries (like repositories), or interviewing colleagues. Desk research is a critical step when starting a new project.
Victoria shares her framework for thinking about the differences between primary and secondary research, suggesting that instead of distinct categories, they exist on a continuum. She argues that primary research is sharper, more impactful, and has better ROI when it's supported by secondary research.
In addition to sharing best practices for desk research, Victoria walks through research her team conducted on how organizations approach research, offering strategies to maximize your efforts based on specific company growth stages and product demands. The episode closes by exploring how desk research is changing in light of emergent technologies such as large-language models and the benefits of reading widely.
Episode Highlights
06:39 - Integrating desk research into your research strategy12:30 - Desk research techniques and best practices17:41 - Unpacking trends in the kinds of questions asked during desk research23:31 - How desk research is evolving alongside AI technology25:14 - The role of curiosity in desk research and innovation34:20 - How research repositories and agile methods impact desk researchAbout Our GuestWith a passion for turning complex inputs (data, research, behaviors) on customers, market dynamics, and competitors into smart strategies that drive growth, Victoria has spent the last decade helping companies ask better questions to get better data, source more powerful insights, and stay on top of important dynamics that matter. Previously at Morning Consult and Kantar, Victoria now focuses on all things demand gen, product marketing, market research, and growth strategies to deliver more value for Wonder users.
More Resources on Desk Research
How to conduct (and write) a research literature reviewUX research is better with market research collaborationsThis database showcases AI-powered desk research tools

In this episode, Carol and Erin dive into all things research sample sizes with Lauren Stern. No matter your experience with user research, you'll need to recruit folks, making this an evergreen topic. Lauren has coached both new-to-research and junior UXRs on this critical topic and she shares some of her best advice.
Lauren shares importance considerations and nuances around different types of studies and even analysis approaches. She also unpacks her approach for international samples, the impact of drop-off rates, and participant compensation strategies.
Going beyond sample sizes, we conclude with a discussion of how to better engage with stakeholders when advocating sample sizes, making these conversations about "how many to recruit" more informed. She also shares resources to use when making the case to stakeholders.
Episode Highlights
05:41 - Crafting research goals and parameters: a collaborative journey13:48 - Flexible research design: navigating sample sizes and methodologies19:57 - Tailoring sample sizes to research objectives: finding the right fit 26:30 - Qualitative confidence and stakeholder expectations34:11 - Diverse methodologies in quantitative research: beyond surveys43:05 - Departing research wisdom on sample sizes generallyAbout Our GuestLauren Stern is a mixed-methods research leader focused on creating the most human-centered technology possible. Over the last ten years her work has explored how perception and social cognition shape our experiences with automated systems from military zones to living rooms. Whether exploring individual experiences in the field or looking at large-scale data collections, she loves the puzzle of study design and coaching new researchers through the process.
Resources on Sample Sizes
This free calculator gives sample ranges based on your study needs.Need some research-backed sample size help? Bookmark this today.You must pay participants. This calculator helps ensure an fair amount.

Carol and Erin welcome George Whitfield, an expert in applying AI to the analysis of qualitative data. George discusses the intricate challenges of leveraging language models to interpret expansive open-ended data (like interview transcripts), emphasizing the importance of context and not just keyword or topic identification.
They'll dig into the crucial role of human oversight in AI, what preliminary analysis might look like using AI, how to check and refine the work of an AI assistant without derailing your project delivery date, and recommendations for etiquette regarding the reporting of AI-informed results.
The episode closes with an exploration of the limits of AI and where user experience researchers can play a larger role in its development. George believes AI can (and should) inspire new directions of research, but not dictate them.
Episode Highlights
03:48 - Innovating consumer insights using AI12:21 - Importance of human involvement in AI tools20:04 - Enhance discussion sections with  AI tools26:50 - AI-inspired insights provide inspiration, not guidance34:12 - Interpretation beyond analyzing transcripts36:46 - Applying engineering rigor to the process of building a businessAbout Our GuestGeorge Whitfield is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship, Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management, and CEO at FindOurView. As CEO of his most recent company FindOurView, he launched a Gen AI product to help user researchers synthesize insights faster from high volumes of customer interviews. George holds 4 patents and has 3 degrees from MIT including a Bachelors in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and a Masters and Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering.
Resources on Qual Data and AI
Our AI in UX Report shares findings from a survey of over 1,000 researchersWhat does it mean to "code" qualitative data? This breakdown explains it all.Interested in trying an AI tool for your analysis? Here are 20 worth considering.

In this episode Carol and Erin are joined by Ruby Pryor, founder of Rex, a consulting firm specializing in UX research and strategic design.
They explore the world of measuring the impact of UX research. with Pryor introducing a four-level impact assessment framework. Ruby shares a four-level assessment framework and the conversation moves to prioritization, making "strategic" decisions, and increasing your research influence.
This episode also gets into what it means to demonstrate the "business value" of one's work, specifically how researchers can and should quantify their impact in terms that are tangible to the company. Ruby will share ways to score early wins, build momentum, and overcome communication frictions to find shared value.
Episode Highlights
03:14 - UX researcher impact: insights, optimization, prioritization, strategy09:14 - Understanding organizational structures and strategy development collaboration20:22 - Challenge of quantifying impact and strategic level21:33 - Measuring strategy impact: challenges and indicators30:04 - Prioritizing investments based on strong market indicators38:51 - Stakeholders prioritize growth, revenue, and cost reductionAbout Our GuestRuby Pryor is the founder of Rex, a service design and UX research consulting firm. Her previous roles include UX research at Grab, strategic design at Boston Consulting Group and management consulting at Nous Group. She has taught courses on increasing the impact of UX to learners from 5 continents and has spoken about design and UX at conferences in Asia and Europe.
Resources on UX Research Impact
How to Track the Impact of Your UX ResearchLeading an Impactful User Research TeamUse Stakeholder Interviews to Drive Impact

In this episode of Awkward Silences, Carol and Erin dive into the world of conference networking and planning with Bryan Dosono, a staff UX research lead at eBay known for his extensive experience curating and organizing conference programs.
Bryan share insights on how to prepare for conferences such as using apps to schedule meetings and emphasizing networking over solely focusing on content. He also discusses strategic scheduling to align conference participation with career goals and offers advice on making spontaneous, serendipitous connections.
The conversation also covers practical tips for adding value during small talk, how to approach and connect with other researchers, and the importance of being open, vulnerable, and willing to face rejection in the pursuit of meaningful interactions. Bryan provides guidance for both newcomers to the UXR field and seasoned professionals: overcoming imposter syndrome and leveraging transferable skills from related fields.
Episode Highlights
03:58 - Navigating the Unpredictable: Strategies for Introverts at Networking Events.08:24 - Strategic Networking: Maximizing Opportunities Before and During Conferences.12:33 - Networking strategies for academic and professional growth.22:36 - Balancing Attendance: Prioritizing Conferences with Active Roles.28:03 - Maximizing Remote Networking: Strategies for Engagement in Virtual Conferences.33:07 - Conference Insights: Making the Most of Your Experience through Pre-Planning.About Our GuestBryan Dosono, PhD, is a user experience research leader in the consumer technology space. He applies human-computer interaction research methods with visual storytelling to modernize the design of global marketplaces and online communities. He currently volunteers as a Conference Chair at UXPA International and serves on the User Interviews Research Council.
Looking for a UX community? Here are 16 to join for networking and development.