Product Research's Ability: Research Ops

The mechanisms and strategies that set user research in motion. It provides the roles, tools, and processes needed to support researchers in delivering and scaling the impact and craft across an organization.

I have observed this person showing a consistent, comfortable, continuous, and clear positive impact to a squad when wielding this ability, and therefore I would put them in situations where they can employ this ability with only a small amount of guidance

• Can recruit users for user testing.
• Uses research templates for common research practices
• Uses processes that consents users, and protects user data, privacy, and keeps the company in alignment with local and federal laws regarding user research with some assistance

I have observed this person showing a consistent, comfortable, continuous, and clear positive impact to a squad when wielding this ability, and therefore I would put them in situations where they can employ this ability, with no assistance as well as being a trusted active or passive mentor to others

• Can effectively use and distribute incentives for participants
• Creates a reusable template for common research practices
• Can lead recruiting users effectively, maintaining brand integrity and professionalism.
• Uses processes that consents users, and protects user data, privacy, and keeps the company in alignment with local and federal laws regarding user research
• Manages research data effectively, guarding user privacy and optimizing insights for company consumption
• Uses tools and services to increase research effectiveness, quality, or reach

I have observed this person showing a consistent, comfortable, continuous, and clear positive impact to multiple squads when wielding this ability, and therefore I would put them in situations where they can employ this ability as well as being considered an expert within this discipline

• Can manage a user research budget for incentives and recruiting
• Creates processes that consents users, and protect user data, privacy, and keep the company in alignment with local and federal laws regarding user research
• Create and implement a repeatable, predictable pipeline of recruited users for generative and evaluative research.
• Creates good research data practices, guarding user privacy and optimizing insights for company consumption
• Identifies tools and services to increase research effectiveness, quality, or reach

I have observed this person showing a consistent, comfortable, continuous, and clear positive impact to a squad when wielding this ability, and therefore I would put them in situations where they can not only employ this ability but where they set the tone for this at the company level

• Owns a user research budget for incentives and recruiting
• Responsible for the strategy of research operations and roadmap
• Finding gaps in hiring needs and finding the right people for that role.
• Identify research training needs. Work with the team to grow skills.
• Identifies needs to increase research effectiveness, quality, or reach of research

I have observed this person showing a consistent, comfortable, continuous, and clear positive impact to not just internal teams but the community/industry in general when wielding this ability, and they are recognized by the community/industry as an expert

• You're a community/industry leader in defining good and innovative research operations for product design.