The User Research Strategist Podcast
đ§ Nikki Anderson (host) with Javier Bargas (UX Research Director, Google)
đ 17 April 2025 | âąď¸ 29 min listen
Strategic impact influences what gets built; tactical impact influences how it gets built.
Insights, not methods, define impact.
Any research method can yield strategic or tactical insights depending on the questions you ask and the problems you solve.
âVersusâ is misleading.
Strategic and tactical insights are sibling outcomes; senior researchers shouldnât abandon tactical work, nor should juniors ignore strategy.
Hybrid insights exist.
Some findings shape both direction (strategy) and execution (tactics)âand these are pure gold.
Mindset shiftâproblems first.
Start by understanding the teamâs core problems, then choose methods that surface the right insights, whether strategic or tactical.
Earning your seat.
Deliver clear valueâtactical quick wins and strategic primersâto get invited into highâlevel planning conversations.
Concept | What It Does |
---|---|
Strategic vs Tactical Insights | Classifies findings by whether they inform direction (what) or execution (how) |
Insight Primers | Short, distilled research briefs delivered ahead of planning cycles to guide strategy |
MethodâAgnostic Mindset | Chooses research methods based on the problem, not on titles like âfield studyâ or âusability testâ |
Hybrid Insight Approach | Embeds strategic questions into tactical sessions (e.g. warmâup interviews) and vice versa |
Seat at the Table | Builds trust by solving key problems; secures ongoing involvement in roadmap and strategy meetings |
This episode flipped the script: Maybe a lot of us tend to pigeonhole methods as âtacticalâ or âstrategic,â rather than seeing insights as the true currency of impact. As you would expect, the webinar proposes that you kick off every research plan by asking, âWhat problem am I solving?â and only then picking a method.
Theres also a nice idea of Insight Primersâconcise, timely briefs that inject research directly into strategy talks. Itâs the best way to ensure qualitative findings actually make it onto the roadmap.