Introduction & Context
0:00 - 0:39
Shiftkey was transitioning from a startup to an SMB with growing UX maturity but lacked a structured research operations practice.
Establishing UX Research & the Need for a Repository
0:40 - 1:24
UX research was not yet a core function, so setting up a research repository became essential to centralize findings and inform decision-making.
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Developing Research Rigor & Literacy
1:25 - 2:05
To successfully implement a repository, the team first established internal practices around research rigor, integrity, and literacy. As an organization, we recently evaluated our move to a Level 3, on the NN/g Stages of UX Maturity. Our goal is always a 6.
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Aligning with Continuous Discovery Habits
2:06 - 2:42
Shiftkey adopted the Continuous Discovery Habits playbook to integrate research directly into product and engineering processes, training over 100 employees (and over 100 more the following year).
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Initial Challenges with Static Documentation
2:43 - 4:11
Early research findings were stored in static Google Slides, which led to accessibility and engagement issues as insights became difficult to retrieve.
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Interim Solution: Notion-based Repository
4:12 - 5:00
The team experimented with a Notion-based repository, creating templates to enforce best practices while awaiting a more scalable solution.
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Scaling Participant Recruitment with Marketing & Data Teams
5:01 - 6:20
Collaboration with marketing and data teams enabled automated participant recruitment, shifting from ad hoc outreach to a consistent stream of user interaction.
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Introducing Condens as the Centralized UXR Repository
7:51 - 8:08
Shiftkey adopted Condens as its research repository to make insights more dynamic, accessible, and action-driven across the organization.
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Introducing Condens as the Centralized UXR Repository
7:51 - 8:08
Shiftkey adopted Condens as its research repository to make insights more dynamic, accessible, and action-driven across the organization.
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Persuasive Insights: Meet & Greet Sessions
8:09 - 9:20
Biweekly "Meet & Greet" sessions were established to socialize research findings, ensuring insights were shared broadly without premature solutioning.
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Pervasive: Creating a Culture of Research Accessibility
9:21 - 10:16
Research insights were made accessible to all employees, fostering a culture where evidence-driven discussions became the norm.
Selecting Condens Over Other Tools
10:17 - 11:08
The team chose Condens for its magazine-style view, making insights easier to consume while still supporting detailed research synthesis.
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Tactical Example: Direct Connect Usability Study
11:09 - 12:32
A research study on a Direct Connect feature led to a road map pivot, showing how real-time insight sharing in Condens informed product decisions.
Strategic Example: C-Suite Research & Business Impact
12:33 - 14:40
A large-scale generative research initiative with C-suite stakeholders helped shift business strategy by validating key market assumptions.
Condens’ Role in UXR Maturity & Decision-Making
14:41 - 16:31
The repository enabled ongoing synthesis, allowing teams to reference past research and build meta-insights without starting from scratch.
Impact on Leadership & Organizational Culture
16:32 - 17:59
The adoption of research-driven discussions at the leadership level marked a cultural shift, reinforcing the strategic value of UX research.
Conclusion: Shiftkey's UXR Growth & Future Goals
18:00 - 20:00
With structured research practices in place, Shiftkey aims to continue maturing its UX function, moving toward fully user-driven decision-making.
