Training Product Teams in User Research
The Challenge
In 2023, Zenjob, a leading staffing platform focused on connecting companies with part-time workers, approached us for strategic support in refining their user research practices. As Zenjob’s platform expanded, they needed to deepen their understanding of user needs and the competitive landscape to remain innovative and customer-centric.
Zenjob’s user research and product teams faced challenges recruiting participants from their business audience, uncovering unmet customer needs, and finding efficient ways to validate product features. The team required advanced training to enhance their qualitative research techniques and ensure that new features addressed the real needs of their users.
Our Approach
We implemented a bespoke training programme for Zenjob’s user research and product teams, focusing on three core areas:
We taught effective strategies for sourcing participants from their business audience, allowing Zenjob to gather more relevant insights. We equipped the team with tools and methodologies to uncover hidden pain points and unarticulated customer desires through qualitative research.
We educated the product team on using interactive prototypes to assess how well proposed features aligned with business needs, ensuring features would resonate with their target audience before full-scale development.
Results
The training led to significant improvements in Zenjob’s approach to user research and product development. Zenjob was able to refine their recruitment strategy, allowing them to conduct more targeted and impactful interviews, leading to more nuanced insights into business user needs.
Using prototypes in user testing helped Zenjob accurately gauge whether new features would deliver value, reducing the risk of developing features that didn’t align with user expectations.
Key Outcomes
- Refined recruitment strategy leading to more targeted and impactful interviews
- More nuanced insights into business user needs through improved qualitative research techniques
- Reduced risk of developing features that don’t align with user expectations through prototype testing
- Enhanced competitor analysis capabilities, maintaining competitive edge in the gig economy space
- User research now playing a pivotal role in guiding product decisions at Zenjob
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