In this session, discover how to effectively align UX research with business objectives to create user-friendly and profitable products. Drawing from my experience as the manager in the largest UX research team in Poland at Allegro.pl, I'll share insights on how impactful research can shape product and service strategies and support the achievement of specific business goals. Learn proven techniques for reducing the gap between UX insights and business targets, ultimately driving better financial outcomes.
Join me to explore practical examples of how UX research enhances strategic planning and accelerates business success. By conducting deep, comprehensive research, we've identified user barriers and leveraged various data types to ensure a holistic understanding. I'll also discuss our methods for balancing multiple business objectives without compromising user experience.
Watch this WaysConf session, then continue with related talks or explore the current programme.
In this presentation from WaysConf 2024, Paulina Makuch, UX Research Manager at Allegro.pl, outlines how UX researchers can evolve from merely supporting product development to actively shaping business strategy. Drawing from her experience managing a team in Allegro's complex delivery experience unit, Makuch identifies six critical gaps that often isolate research from business impact: a lack of business orientation, low stakeholder trust in strategic expertise, targeting the wrong audience, shallow findings, poor knowledge assimilation, and bad timing. To bridge these gaps, she advocates for researchers to deeply learn their company's business strategy, balance business KPIs with experience indicators (KEIs), and build direct relationships with senior decision-makers. Through real-world Allegro case studies—such as optimizing checkout delivery recommendations, introducing cash-on-delivery co-funding for Czech exports, and aligning warehouse acquisition with delivery speed priorities—she demonstrates how proactive, mixed-method research can drive high-level strategic decisions. Ultimately, Makuch encourages researchers to transition their focus from tactical product support to strategic business enablement.
Researchers must balance business performance indicators (KPIs) with experience indicators (KEIs) to help businesses achieve goals with minimal user experience damage.
Watch from 7:00Building trust requires researchers to demonstrate analytical and strategic competencies beyond standard usability testing, such as analyzing pricing perceptions or business models.
Watch from 8:45To maximize impact, researchers should present high-level quarterly summaries to senior management and business owners rather than focusing solely on product owners.
Watch from 14:45Combining qualitative insights with quantitative regression analysis allows researchers to address multiple complex business goals simultaneously.
Watch from 16:58Implementing a "strategic day" during quarterly planning helps research teams identify knowledge gaps and execute forward-looking studies before critical decisions are finalized.
Watch from 23:01These concise notes were edited from automatic captions and checked against the talk structure. They are not a verbatim transcript.
Paulina explains that researchers often fail to be business-oriented because they focus solely on usability issues without understanding the broader business strategy. To bridge this gap, researchers must learn the domain knowledge and translate findings into business language. She introduces the concept of balancing KPIs (business performance indicators) with KEIs (experience indicators). Using an AB test on Allegro's checkout as an example, she shows how a researcher worked with an analyst to calculate a threshold where business goals could be met without letting the convenience index drop below an acceptable level.
Watch from 7:11Stakeholders often limit their view of UX researchers to basic usability testing, doubting their ability to handle complex topics like pricing perception, business models, or strategic thinking. Paulina explains that researchers can overcome this trust deficit by demonstrating their expertise daily, staying highly visible in meetings, and building strong relationships. She shares a case study from the launch of Allegro Czech Republic, where research identified that Polish sellers feared cash-on-delivery due to return costs. By leveraging trust, the researcher successfully convinced the business to implement a co-funding return program.
Watch from 8:45UX researchers frequently make the mistake of presenting their findings only to immediate product teams, assuming product managers are the primary decision-makers. In reality, major strategic decisions are often made backstage by directors or executive leadership. To address this, Paulina's team maintains constant contact with senior management, prioritizes activities with them, and provides high-level quarterly summaries of key insights and experience metrics rather than overwhelming them with individual project reports.
Watch from 13:04Hurried timelines often lead to shallow research findings that fail to inspire stakeholders or answer complex questions. Paulina advocates for thorough preparation, desk research, and cross-team collaboration. She highlights a case study involving Allegro's 'One Fulfillment' warehouse service. Instead of just focusing on seller acquisition, the researcher conducted a regression analysis that factored in delivery speeds. This deeper analysis allowed the business to target the most effective seller segment first, successfully addressing two major business goals at once.
Watch from 15:44Conducting research at the wrong time—either too late after decisions are made, or too early before ideas stabilize—is a common industry challenge. Paulina describes how her team uses a quarterly planning process, including a dedicated 'strategic day,' to identify knowledge gaps and plan research in advance. She shares an example from Allegro's 'One Boxes' service, where the researcher avoided redundant feature testing by utilizing existing data and proactively shifting the research focus to Czech market expansion before the expansion was actively discussed.
Watch from 21:53
