The mindset shift that turns UX research into a strategic business advantage

Episode web page: https://bit.ly/4fsY5jb

Episode summary

What does it really mean for UX research to have "a seat at the table"? According to Paul Humphrey, head of UX Research Practice at Next, it has less to do with presenting to executives and more to do with helping the people making product decisions achieve measurable business outcomes.

In this episode of Insights Unlocked, host Amrit Bhachu sits down with Paul to discuss how he transformed UX research at Next from a reactive support function into a strategic driver of product and e-commerce decisions. Paul shares how empowering designers to conduct their own research, aligning studies with business metrics, and building relationships with stakeholders helped the team dramatically increase research adoption while demonstrating clear business impact.

The conversation explores what it takes to prove the value of UX research, including a case study that contributed to reducing call center training and handling times, resulting in an estimated £2.75 million in savings. Paul also explains why researchers need to speak the language of the business—not just the language of usability—and why understanding stakeholder goals is often more important than delivering another research report.

Finally, Paul and Amrit discuss the growing role of AI in UX research. Paul shares how Next is using AI to accelerate workflows while maintaining rigorous validation and quality standards, why researchers should embrace experimentation, and how curiosity remains the most valuable skill in an AI-powered future.

You'll learn:

What "having a seat at the table" actually means for UX researchers

How to align UX research with business goals and stakeholder metrics

Ways to demonstrate the business impact and ROI of UX research

Why empowering designers to conduct research helps research scale

How to build stronger partnerships with product and business leaders

Lessons from Next's transformation from reactive to strategic research

Practical approaches to measuring research success with business outcomes

How AI is accelerating UX research while preserving quality and trust

Why curiosity and adaptability are essential skills for the future of UX research

Resources & links

Paul Humphrey on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-humphrey-7865a570/)

Next (https://www.next.co.uk/)

Amrit Bhachu on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amritsbhachu/)

Nathan Isaacs on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/)

Learn more about Insights Unlocked (https://www.usertesting.com/podcast)