Beyond Tools: The Messy Business of Implementing Research Repositories
Summary
In this talk, Sofia Quintero - founder at EnjoyHQ [recently acquired by UserZoom] - shares her experience helping teams implement effective research repositories across companies of all sizes. You will learn a variety of change management protocols and best practices in knowledge management to make sure you build a strong foundation regardless of the tool you end up buying.
Key Insights
-
•
Successful implementation depends on managing emotional and cultural change, not just selecting the right tool.
-
•
Ignoring change management and the emotional responses to new processes causes most implementation failures.
-
•
Teams often fail to engage stakeholders outside their immediate group, leading to rejection or silos.
-
•
Data and information represent power; changing data flows impacts organizational power dynamics.
-
•
Starting small with 2–5 people in a pilot is crucial to building momentum before scaling.
-
•
A clear understanding of who stakeholders are, including decision-makers, is often missing.
-
•
Momentum Glue—ongoing deep conversations about fears, anxiety, and resistance—is essential for progress.
-
•
Having organizational support and dedicated time is critical; passion alone isn't enough.
-
•
Training and establishing protocols post-implementation are vital and often overlooked.
-
•
Even UX professionals frequently fail to apply research principles when implementing tools internally due to organizational focus and priorities.
Notable Quotes
"Forget about the tools 100% at the beginning of the conversation and perhaps all the way to the end."
"The biggest mistake in any implementation is ignoring the emotional side of change management."
"When you change people’s workflows, you are literally changing power dynamics."
"There are almost two languages in organizations: what we say and what we really mean."
"Introducing change is introducing stress and fear and feelings of rejection."
"Most teams want to build for 50, 100 people and migrate years of data instead of starting small."
"You cannot brute force your way into engagement; it just doesn’t happen."
"If you don’t have the time and organizational support, don’t do it because you only set a precedent of failure."
"You’re constantly training people and optimizing protocols even after successful implementation."
"It’s about helping your colleagues be more productive and make better decisions to help customers."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"We have got you covered with sketch notes, resource lists, session notes, videos, and decks all shared ASAP after presentations."
Louis Rosenfeld Bria AlexanderDay 1 Welcome
September 23, 2024
"I made a disco ball glow using a banana holder because I couldn’t hang it — creative solutions under constraints."
Lisa GirondaOpener: Chief of Staff–An unexpected journey
January 8, 2024
"The climate doesn’t need everyone to go work in climate NGOs; we need everyone to find a climate angle from wherever they sit."
Jamie Beck Alexander Nina Gregg Shawn Petersen Bill DeRoucheyHow can you find your role in climate?
January 17, 2024
"CEOs and boards have shifted focus from short-term gains to long-term transformation driven by customer experience."
Iram ShahClosing Keynote: The View from the Top
June 4, 2019
"You hire a consultant for partnership, not just to execute — you want someone thinking in terms of business results, not just projects."
Melinda BelcherInsider preview of Enterprise Experience 2020
May 28, 2020
"The system had catastrophically failed to live up to expert expectations and was underprepared for future challenges."
Natalia RadywylCo-Designing New Power in Australia's Public Sector
November 16, 2022
"Enterprises are places where one hand doesn’t know what the other hand is doing and sometimes despises it."
Uday GajendarThe Rise of Meta-Design: A Starter Playbook
May 19, 2022
"Doing research is not always the most natural transition for people who don't really care about research."
Jesse ZolnaInviting the Whole Org to Come See For Yourself
March 30, 2020
"Minimum viable product has become the minimal thing you can do to get out in the world, but doesn’t necessarily satisfy the needs of people you’re serving."
Steve Baty Richard Dalton Maria Giudice Harry MaxDiscussion
June 9, 2016
