Episode web page
In this Insights Unlocked episode, UserTesting’s LeTisha Shaw talks with REI’s Monique Lalonde about their continuous interview program with customers to support the product development life cycle.
----
The Human Insight Summit (THiS) PROMO CodeThe Human Insight Summit (THiS) is headed to Austin, Texas, this October 28-30. THiS is our annual, in-person customer conference dedicated to helping organizations understand their customers by showing and sharing, first-hand, the possibilities of using human insight across the business. Get $100 off your registration with the podcast listener code: UNLOCKED. Learn more or register.
----
SHOW NOTES
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that REI, the nation’s largest consumer co-op with some 23 million members, loves to talk with its customers.
“As our product-led practice matured, we saw an opportunity to foster a habit of talking to customers on a regular basis in support of the product development cycle,” said Monique, REI’s Director of Product Design. “Layne Foit (REI’s senior manager of UX research & Content) developed a scalable framework for continuous customer interviewing with a goal to empower teams with just enough research skills so they feel comfortable talking to customers, are able to analyze what they hear, and use those customer insights to drive innovation and customer centricity.”
Once a week, members from REI’s UX research and product teams meet up to talk with a customer about a specific problem they are experiencing. They then evaluate that interview together, listening for all the different things that people observed.
We often talk about shifting left in the product development lifecycle when you’re talking with your customers and prospects. This helps you develop products your audience wants, needs and will pay you money. It also helps avoid or reduce the cost of rework (estimated at more than $1 trillion annually) because you built something no one wanted.
REI is a purpose-driven specialty outdoor retailer dedicated to enabling life outside for all. The co-op was founded in 1938 as some mountaineering friends in the Pacific Northwest sought access to better climbing gear. As a co-op, with about 23 million members, they measure success differently than many companies.
“Our goal is to run a healthy business, which enables us to make a positive impact on our employees, members, and society,” Monique said. “Our product design practice plays a critical role in supporting our goals, measuring their progress and impact in all our experiences.”
So far the program has been successful in conducting continuous research that can be measured and tracked, Monique said.
“This shared experience is helping in cross-functional alignment, promoting a user-centered culture, and understanding a holistic picture of our customer journeys,” she said. “An unexpected benefit has been team building. Our product teams are 100% remote and our pilot teams reported feeling more connected to their co-workers thanks to the program.”
Could empowering design teams be the key to your digital success?
Unlocking collaboration: Kasey Canlas from Genesys on leveraging internal expertise in UX research
Can the Zero Blockers framework overcome the pitfalls of agile?
Holiday retail success: digital tips from Brian Walker
Designing for Impact: Insights from Richard Dalton, Head of Design at Verizon
How to build and manage a high-performing digital team from scratch
Building an AI-powered product development process
How to build trust within cross-functional teams: leadership insights from Shopify’s Mamuna Oladipo
How to build scalable design systems that unite designers and developers
Why your design system needs a business-centric approach
How the ‘pulling the thread’ methodology can help solve your complex problems
Designing for Everyone: Digital Accessibility Insights with Karen Hawkins
How to Design Effective Customer Surveys: Insights from Caroline Jarrett
Embracing change in UX: insights from Jakob Nielsen
The UX Research Reckoning one year later: Insights from Judd Antin
Calculating and communicating the ROI of UX research in your organization
How to leverage customer feedback for improved marketing engagement
How to demystify Information Architecture for improved user experiences
Embracing Humanity-Centered Design with Don Norman
Thrive in UX by adding survey mastery to your skill set
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Insight Story: Tech Trends Unpacked
Zero-Shot
Fast Forward by Tomorrow Unlocked: Tech past, tech future
Lex Fridman Podcast
The Unbelivable Truth - Series 1 - 26 including specials and pilot