Rapid research program
Challenge: To scale UXR impact across four high-stakes Google specialist pillars: Legal, Risk & Compliance, Marketing, and Procurement. The goal was to eliminate research bottlenecks and provide agile, data-driven insights for complex internal workstreams.
Impact: I spearheaded a Rapid Research Program that effectively doubled research capacity across four core product areas. By architecting scalable frameworks and streamlined workflows, I empowered a team of 14 researchers to deliver quality insights at the speed of the product cycle.
Role: UX Research Program Manager
Process
Establish program
Strategic Forecasting: I identified the need for an agile research model to support 14 researchers across specialist verticals.
Program Governance: I defined the mission, success metrics, and R&R (Roles and Responsibilities) to ensure organizational alignment.
Operational Infrastructure: I built the end-to-end logistics and intake processes necessary to launch the program at scale.
Beta test
I launched a pilot program by onboarding a dedicated researcher to navigate the complexities of Legal, Risk, Marketing, and Procurement. This "beta" period allowed for rapid iteration on program logistics. For example, I implemented a more stringent project definition framework to prevent scope creep and to ensure expedited delivery.
Operationalize
With a validated foundation, I codified a high-velocity operational model characterized by 3-week end-to-end cycles—transitioning from kickoff through execution to stakeholder delivery. By standardizing these work streams, I established a consistent throughput of 6 high-impact projects per quarter, ensuring that research kept pace with the rapid decision-making needs of Google’s specialist pillars.
Scaling & Expansion
Following the proven success and high demand of the initial pilot, I scaled the program by 100%, expanding the team to two dedicated rapid researchers. By doubling our headcount, we successfully increased our operational throughput to 12 high-impact projects per quarter. This expansion has solidified the program as a cornerstone of the specialist’s research strategy, providing a constant stream of insights across all four enterprise pillars.
Breadth of program research:
Generative: Market opportunity scans and foundational interviews.
Evaluative: Rapid usability benchmarking and concept testing.
Strategic: AI/Emerging tech trust studies and XAI alignment.
Final Impact
The Rapid Research Program I established became a foundational component of quarterly strategic planning. By delivering a diverse range of insights—including usability benchmarks, market research, AI concept testing, and deep-dive user interviews—the program has earned unanimous stakeholder buy-in. Cross-functional leads now rely on this predictable research cadence to de-risk their roadmaps and ensure that every product milestone is informed by rigorous, multi-methodology user data.