Lenny RAG MCP Server

{ "episode": { "guest": "Judd Antin", "expertise_tags": [ "User Research Leadership", "Product Strategy", "Organizational Design", "UX Research", "Research Methodology", "Business Impact" ], "summary": "Judd Antin, former head of user research at Facebook and Airbnb, discusses his controversial thesis that the user research discipline is undergoing a critical reckoning. He argues that companies have hired too many researchers without proper integration, leading to ineffective middle-range research that doesn't drive business impact. The episode covers how to leverage research effectively, the five core skills great researchers need, how to avoid performative user-centeredness, and practical advice for researchers, product managers, and companies to rebuild research functions that actually matter.", "key_frameworks": [ "Three-tier research model: Macro, Middle-Range, and Micro research", "Five research tools: Formative/Generative, Evaluative, Survey Design, Applied Statistics, Technical Skills", "User-Centered Performance concept", "Integration-based research model vs. service-based model", "Wisdom of the crowd decision-making", "System 1 vs System 2 thinking for decision validation" ] }, "topics": [ { "id": "topic_1", "title": "User-Centered Performance: The Problem of Performative Research", "summary": "Judd introduces the concept of user-centered performance, where companies and teams perform user-centeredness symbolically rather than genuinely seeking to learn and change decisions. Examples include validation studies at the end of projects, executive listening sessions, and check-the-box research that doesn't inform actual decisions.", "timestamp_start": "00:00:00", "timestamp_end": "00:02:27", "line_start": 1, "line_end": 9 }, { "id": "topic_2", "title": "The User Research Reckoning and Layoffs in UX Research", "summary": "Discussion of Judd's controversial article declaring the UX research discipline is dying, which sparked significant reaction in the research community. Covers why research has been hit hard by layoffs and what it signals about how research has been integrated into companies.", "timestamp_start": "00:04:24", "timestamp_end": "00:12:05", "line_start": 22, "line_end": 70 }, { "id": "topic_3", "title": "Three Levels of Research: Macro, Middle-Range, and Micro", "summary": "Judd explains his framework for categorizing research by scope and impact. Macro research is strategic and forward-looking; micro research is technical and usability-focused; middle-range research sits in between and is often the least impactful despite being most commonly requested by PMs and designers.", "timestamp_start": "00:08:46", "timestamp_end": "00:14:14", "line_start": 52, "line_end": 82 }, { "id": "topic_4", "title": "Integration vs. Service Model: How to Structure Research for Impact", "summary": "The core problem is that most companies treat research as a service function rather than integrating researchers throughout the product development process. When researchers are included from beginning to end, they can drive massive impact and influence which research questions get asked.", "timestamp_start": "00:14:14", "timestamp_end": "00:17:31", "line_start": 82, "line_end": 101 }, { "id": "topic_5", "title": "Five Essential Skills for Great Researchers", "summary": "Judd outlines the five core competencies that differentiate great researchers: formative/generative research, evaluative research (usability testing), rigorous survey design, applied statistics, and technical skills (SQL, dashboards, or prompt engineering). Multi-method researchers who can apply multiple tools are far more valuable.", "timestamp_start": "00:17:44", "timestamp_end": "00:21:10", "line_start": 101, "line_end": 145 }, { "id": "topic_6", "title": "Researchers Must Be Business-Focused and Understand Profit", "summary": "One of Judd's most controversial takes: researchers need to be explicitly focused on business outcomes, not just user needs. They should understand quarterly reports, shareholder calls, OKRs, conversion funnels, and competitive landscape. The overlap between user and business needs is where real impact happens.", "timestamp_start": "00:21:25", "timestamp_end": "00:23:55", "line_start": 146, "line_end": 160 }, { "id": "topic_7", "title": "Defining User-Centered Performance and How to Avoid It", "summary": "Deep dive into user-centered performance, including explicit examples (validation studies at end of process, executive listening sessions) and implicit examples (confirmation bias, ego-driven research). Judd's mantra is 'We don't validate, we falsify' - research should seek to be wrong, not validate existing opinions.", "timestamp_start": "00:24:11", "timestamp_end": "00:29:13", "line_start": 161, "line_end": 200 }, { "id": "topic_8", "title": "Balancing Gut Intuition with Evidence-Based Decision Making", "summary": "How product leaders should check their gut instincts through System 2 thinking (slow, analytical) and wisdom of the crowd (diverse perspectives). Good researchers help expose blind spots and biases in intuition without requiring leaders to abandon gut feel.", "timestamp_start": "00:29:36", "timestamp_end": "00:33:04", "line_start": 200, "line_end": 235 }, { "id": "topic_9", "title": "Five Common Tropes About Research That Are Problematic", "summary": "Judd debunks five false beliefs about research: (1) research is too slow, (2) PMs can do their own research, (3) A/B tests explain everything, (4) the apocryphal Henry Ford quote about users, and (5) post-hoc bias making insights seem obvious. Each trope reveals misunderstandings about research value.", "timestamp_start": "00:33:04", "timestamp_end": "00:45:34", "line_start": 235, "line_end": 336 }, { "id": "topic_10", "title": "The Multimillion Dollar Button Case Study", "summary": "Judd shares the famous Airbnb story where micro research discovered that button copy was creating fear, preventing users from proceeding in the purchase funnel. Changing seven characters in the CTA added 1% conversion and generated millions in value, completed in 48 hours.", "timestamp_start": "00:35:16", "timestamp_end": "00:36:39", "line_start": 242, "line_end": 254 }, { "id": "topic_11", "title": "Research Speed Myth and When to Do Which Type of Research", "summary": "Contrary to the perception that research slows product work, micro research can be done in 48 hours, macro research ties to annual planning cycles, and middle-range research is the culprit for delays. The key is matching research type to the business question and timeline.", "timestamp_start": "00:34:45", "timestamp_end": "00:38:58", "line_start": 242, "line_end": 266 }, { "id": "topic_12", "title": "AB Testing vs. Research: Different Questions, Both Needed", "summary": "A/B tests answer 'what changed' but rarely 'why'. Research answers the why. Together, they create a virtuous cycle where causal claims from experiments are paired with deeper understanding from research, avoiding the endless cycle of testing without learning.", "timestamp_start": "00:41:03", "timestamp_end": "00:42:19", "line_start": 273, "line_end": 281 }, { "id": "topic_13", "title": "Patrick Collison's Mental Model Framework for Research", "summary": "Discussion of Patrick Collison's tweet about research improving mental models rather than telling you what to build. Good research provides the 'what', 'so what', and 'then what', but shouldn't override team decision-making. It informs strategy development rather than dictating solutions.", "timestamp_start": "00:45:34", "timestamp_end": "00:47:14", "line_start": 335, "line_end": 344 }, { "id": "topic_14", "title": "Strategic Advice for Companies to Move Out of the Reckoning", "summary": "Two key company-level changes: (1) integrate insights disciplines rather than silos, creating a unified insights function across UX research, data science, customer feedback, etc., and (2) restructure to embed researchers in cross-functional teams from beginning to end, not as reactive service.", "timestamp_start": "00:47:14", "timestamp_end": "00:51:19", "line_start": 344, "line_end": 373 }, { "id": "topic_15", "title": "How Product Managers Can Partner Better With Researchers", "summary": "PMs should integrate researchers from start to finish, co-prioritize research workload, and invest time going to the field with researchers. Great PMs protect researcher time, create lean processes, and make research participation a privilege others want access to.", "timestamp_start": "00:51:31", "timestamp_end": "00:56:49", "line_start": 374, "line_end": 428 }, { "id": "topic_16", "title": "Behind-the-Mirror Research at Facebook: The Super Hiders Story", "summary": "Judd shares a story from Facebook where engineers, PMs, and leaders watched a user interview through a one-way mirror. A super-hider revealed they hid posts because they were aiming for 'inbox zero' rather than rating post quality. One user's behavior shifted everyone's understanding of the metric.", "timestamp_start": "00:52:41", "timestamp_end": "00:55:47", "line_start": 389, "line_end": 409 }, { "id": "topic_17", "title": "How Many Researchers Does a Company Need?", "summary": "No fixed ratio, but the organizing principle is relationships. You need enough researchers so that all key product partners have a dedicated research partner. Growth happens by demonstrating value with one researcher, creating demand from others. Even startups benefit from early researcher hires.", "timestamp_start": "00:57:15", "timestamp_end": "01:01:05", "line_start": 430, "line_end": 457 }, { "id": "topic_18", "title": "Advice for Researchers to Thrive in the New Era", "summary": "Researchers must develop diverse skills, understand business deeply, learn to say no and focus, build strong relationships, become excellent communicators, and stop complaining about the system. Excellence in research, combined with business acumen and communication, drives influence and impact.", "timestamp_start": "01:01:56", "timestamp_end": "01:03:38", "line_start": 458, "line_end": 465 }, { "id": "topic_19", "title": "Critique of NPS Metric and Alternative to Customer Satisfaction", "summary": "NPS is a poorly designed survey metric with bad data properties from survey science perspective. It uses an 11-point scale, is usually unlabeled, and asks a fundamentally flawed question. Customer satisfaction (CSAT) is a better metric that's more precise and more correlated to business outcomes.", "timestamp_start": "01:03:50", "timestamp_end": "01:06:37", "line_start": 467, "line_end": 484 }, { "id": "topic_20", "title": "The Problem With PM Self-Testing and Product Walkthroughs", "summary": "While PMs should dogfood products, they should not rely solely on their own intuition to prioritize issues. PMs are nothing like the average user and have biases they can't recognize. Identifying potential issues is valuable, but prioritizing by research is critical.", "timestamp_start": "01:06:54", "timestamp_end": "01:08:39", "line_start": 491, "line_end": 500 }, { "id": "topic_21", "title": "Lightning Round: Books, Media, and Personal Philosophy", "summary": "Judd recommends Bad Leadership by Barbara Kellerman for studying failure, fiction including Demon Copperhead and Murderbot Diaries. His favorite interview question asks candidates to explain complex topics simply. He recommends belay glasses as a perfect niche product and follows stoic philosophy of controlling what you can.", "timestamp_start": "01:08:56", "timestamp_end": "01:13:01", "line_start": 507, "line_end": 563 } ], "insights": [ { "id": "insight_1", "text": "User-centered performance is work done to signal how customer-obsessed we are, not because we want to make different decisions. It's checking boxes rather than genuinely learning.", "context": "Judd defines the core problem with how many companies approach research", "topic_id": "topic_1", "line_start": 1, "line_end": 9 }, { "id": "insight_2", "text": "We don't validate, we falsify. Great researchers want to be wrong and discover how their assumptions are off base, not confirm existing beliefs.", "context": "Judd's core mantra for how research should be approached", "topic_id": "topic_7", "line_start": 173, "line_end": 174 }, { "id": "insight_3", "text": "The vicious cycle: companies hire researchers without knowing how to integrate them, researchers do reactive work, executives see low impact, researchers get laid off, the cycle continues.", "context": "Root cause analysis of the research reckoning", "topic_id": "topic_2", "line_start": 52, "line_end": 68 }, { "id": "insight_4", "text": "Middle-range research is interesting but not impactful enough for business. It's the sweet spot for cognitive bias, post-hoc rationalization, and performative user-centeredness.", "context": "Why most research spending is inefficient", "topic_id": "topic_3", "line_start": 59, "line_end": 66 }, { "id": "insight_5", "text": "The best researchers are multi-method, not specialized in one approach. A Swiss army knife that can do formative, evaluative, survey, statistics, and technical work is far more valuable.", "context": "Differentiating great researchers from average ones", "topic_id": "topic_5", "line_start": 103, "line_end": 111 }, { "id": "insight_6", "text": "Researchers need to understand quarterly reports, shareholder calls, OKRs, metrics, and conversion funnels. Business literacy is as important as research skills.", "context": "The evolution researchers must make to stay relevant", "topic_id": "topic_6", "line_start": 148, "line_end": 153 }, { "id": "insight_7", "text": "Every time a PM asks for validation research at the end of a process, it's pure user-centered performance. They don't want to be wrong; they want to check a box.", "context": "Most explicit form of performative research", "topic_id": "topic_7", "line_start": 167, "line_end": 168 }, { "id": "insight_8", "text": "When you have a researcher sitting next to you constantly, they expose your blind spots and biases while helping improve your intuition through evidence, not judgment.", "context": "Why integrated researchers are so valuable", "topic_id": "topic_8", "line_start": 191, "line_end": 198 }, { "id": "insight_9", "text": "A/B tests rarely tell you why something changed. Pairing causal claims from experiments with research that explains the 'how and why' creates a virtuous cycle of learning.", "context": "Why A/B testing alone is insufficient", "topic_id": "topic_12", "line_start": 278, "line_end": 279 }, { "id": "insight_10", "text": "Good research can be delivered in 48 hours for micro-level questions. The speed myth comes from doing too much middle-range research, not from research itself.", "context": "Reframing the research speed problem", "topic_id": "topic_11", "line_start": 245, "line_end": 251 }, { "id": "insight_11", "text": "The best metric for researcher success is when the team can't have key decision-making meetings without them. If they're always included, they have real influence.", "context": "How to measure if research integration is working", "topic_id": "topic_4", "line_start": 217, "line_end": 219 }, { "id": "insight_12", "text": "Post-hoc bias makes us believe we knew something all along because we construct narratives that make past events seem inevitable. This is why hindsight bias is so powerful in product decisions.", "context": "Why the 'we already knew that' response is so common", "topic_id": "topic_9", "line_start": 317, "line_end": 321 }, { "id": "insight_13", "text": "Any researcher can talk to a user, but garbage in garbage out. Research is about turning that conversation into insights by understanding context, avoiding biases, and scaling findings appropriately.", "context": "Why DIY research from PMs isn't a substitute for professional researchers", "topic_id": "topic_9", "line_start": 269, "line_end": 270 }, { "id": "insight_14", "text": "Research isn't about asking users what they want. That's a bad research question. Research is about understanding behavior, context, and constraints in ways users can't articulate.", "context": "Refuting the Henry Ford quote myth", "topic_id": "topic_9", "line_start": 314, "line_end": 315 }, { "id": "insight_15", "text": "Integrating insights disciplines prevents the problem of getting insights 'over the transom' from multiple sources. A unified insights function can coordinate all feedback into one coherent machine.", "context": "How to structure research at scale", "topic_id": "topic_14", "line_start": 362, "line_end": 369 }, { "id": "insight_16", "text": "Researchers should have the same OKRs and metrics as their product partners, not separate research metrics. Shared success metrics align incentives and ensure accountability.", "context": "Structural change needed for integration", "topic_id": "topic_4", "line_start": 217, "line_end": 219 }, { "id": "insight_17", "text": "Creating pain for people who wish they had a researcher is the best way to grow headcount. Demonstrate value with one researcher, and others will ask for access.", "context": "How to expand research teams", "topic_id": "topic_17", "line_start": 431, "line_end": 432 }, { "id": "insight_18", "text": "System 2 thinking (slow, analytical) is the way to check your gut. It's not about being data-driven; it's about engaging the methodical process to validate or challenge intuition.", "context": "Balancing intuition with evidence", "topic_id": "topic_8", "line_start": 203, "line_end": 210 }, { "id": "insight_19", "text": "NPS is one of the best examples of the marketing industry marketing itself. Survey scientists agree NPS makes all the mistakes in design, and CSAT is demonstrably better.", "context": "Why NPS is a flawed metric", "topic_id": "topic_19", "line_start": 469, "line_end": 477 }, { "id": "insight_20", "text": "A PM doing product walkthroughs can identify potential issues, but they should be extremely wary of prioritizing those issues based on their own opinion without research validation.", "context": "The limits of dogfooding without research", "topic_id": "topic_20", "line_start": 494, "line_end": 498 }, { "id": "insight_21", "text": "The narrative fallacy means we twist evidence to fit simple stories we want to be true. Understanding this bias is critical for leaders making decisions based on 'what happened.'", "context": "How our brains construct misleading narratives", "topic_id": "topic_9", "line_start": 320, "line_end": 321 }, { "id": "insight_22", "text": "Even startup founders need researchers. A good researcher doesn't leave you guessing during pivots; they provide evidence that informs tough decisions without removing founder agency.", "context": "Why research is valuable even at early stages", "topic_id": "topic_17", "line_start": 451, "line_end": 456 }, { "id": "insight_23", "text": "Researchers who can communicate effectively are exponentially more valuable. Explaining complex findings simply, tailored to the audience, is what separates good from great researchers.", "context": "The importance of communication skills for researchers", "topic_id": "topic_18", "line_start": 462, "line_end": 465 }, { "id": "insight_24", "text": "The future of research is bright, but it requires researchers to stop complaining about the broken system and own their role in evolving the discipline through new skills and mindsets.", "context": "Empowerment message for researchers", "topic_id": "topic_18", "line_start": 461, "line_end": 465 }, { "id": "insight_25", "text": "You can't compare NPS scores meaningfully between companies because the metric is idiosyncratic and asked inconsistently. The benchmark value of NPS is largely illusory.", "context": "Why NPS benchmarking is meaningless", "topic_id": "topic_19", "line_start": 482, "line_end": 483 }, { "id": "insight_26", "text": "Wisdom of the crowd only works when people bring diverse sources of information and judgment. If everyone has the same information, it doesn't matter how many people vote.", "context": "How to use collective intelligence effectively", "topic_id": "topic_8", "line_start": 211, "line_end": 213 }, { "id": "insight_27", "text": "Research tells you the problem and path to a solution, but shouldn't dictate exactly what to build. It informs strategy; the team decides execution.", "context": "Proper role of research in product decisions", "topic_id": "topic_13", "line_start": 338, "line_end": 342 }, { "id": "insight_28", "text": "Usability research and micro-level work aren't scut work for junior researchers. These studies drive real business metrics and should be core work for all researchers.", "context": "Elevating the status of micro research", "topic_id": "topic_11", "line_start": 260, "line_end": 261 }, { "id": "insight_29", "text": "Focus on what you can control and ignore the rest. This stoic principle cuts through the noise of worrying about external factors outside your influence.", "context": "Judd's personal operating philosophy", "topic_id": "topic_21", "line_start": 554, "line_end": 555 } ], "examples": [ { "id": "example_1", "explicit_text": "At Airbnb, we did research which revealed that people weren't going down the purchase funnel because they were afraid. The calls to actions on the button was making them afraid that it would initiate a purchase when really it was just taking the next step. We changed the text on the button...We basically changed seven characters and made Airbnb millions of dollars.", "inferred_identity": "Judd Antin at Airbnb", "confidence": "high", "tags": [ "Airbnb", "conversion optimization", "button copy", "UX writing", "purchase funnel", "micro research", "48-hour research", "1% conversion lift", "multimillion dollar impact" ], "lesson": "Micro-level research into user fears can drive massive business value. Small changes in copy addressing emotional barriers can dramatically improve conversion metrics.", "topic_id": "topic_10", "line_start": 248, "line_end": 252 }, { "id": "example_2", "explicit_text": "At my previous company at Facebook, there was the high times there, it was like 2012, '13, and newsfeed is really taking off, ads are going into newsfeed. I was a leader of a team that was working among other things on how to address post quality...there was a team of engineers that thought, 'One thing that you can do on Facebook is hide a post.' And they were like, 'This is easy. Let's look at the posts that are hidden the most and use that as the signal of what's a good post on Facebook.'", "inferred_identity": "Judd Antin at Facebook", "confidence": "high", "tags": [ "Facebook", "newsfeed", "post quality", "signal design", "power law distribution", "user research", "behind-the-mirror", "super hiders", "think aloud protocol" ], "lesson": "One user's behavior observed in research can overturn engineering assumptions. Watching someone use a feature reveals mental models that metrics alone cannot expose.", "topic_id": "topic_16", "line_start": 395, "line_end": 408 }, { "id": "example_3", "explicit_text": "We found that she was like, 'Well, I hid that story because I'd seen it already.' The model she was going for was inbox zero, which was sad, because it was infinitely scrolling. She would never get there.", "inferred_identity": "Facebook user research participant", "confidence": "high", "tags": [ "user mental model", "inbox zero", "infinite scroll", "hiding behavior", "newsfeed", "qualitative research", "user motivation" ], "lesson": "Users have mental models that differ from product designers' assumptions. Understanding why users take actions reveals their true goals, not what metrics suggest.", "topic_id": "topic_16", "line_start": 404, "line_end": 408 }, { "id": "example_4", "explicit_text": "At Airbnb, we did a whole tour to Paris, our whole team, or the leads of our team went to Paris to do a bunch of focus groups and a bunch of user research behind actual mirrors. We learned a ton...we were trying to convince hosts how to feel more comfortable accepting guests who are booking instantly. And one of our theories was if they were connected on Facebook, they would be more comfortable letting someone book instantly.", "inferred_identity": "Lenny (then PM at Airbnb) with Louise (researcher)", "confidence": "high", "tags": [ "Airbnb", "international research", "France", "host trust", "instant booking", "Facebook integration", "qualitative research", "international differences", "data privacy" ], "lesson": "Geographic and cultural differences can completely change user willingness to adopt features. International research reveals insights that don't generalize from domestic markets.", "topic_id": "topic_15", "line_start": 380, "line_end": 387 }, { "id": "example_5", "explicit_text": "We were just like, 'Hey, what if you were to connect Facebook and see if they're friends?' And everybody in Paris was very afraid of connecting and giving Facebook any data, way ahead of what the US hosts were feeling.", "inferred_identity": "Paris hosts in Airbnb research", "confidence": "high", "tags": [ "Airbnb", "France", "data privacy", "Facebook", "host behavior", "international differences", "regulatory environment", "user concerns", "instant booking" ], "lesson": "Privacy concerns vary dramatically by geography. European hosts were ahead of their time in being skeptical of social network data sharing.", "topic_id": "topic_15", "line_start": 416, "line_end": 422 }, { "id": "example_6", "explicit_text": "Every time a PM comes to a researcher at the end of a product process and says, 'Can you just run a quick user study just to validate our assumptions?' That's user-centered performance. It's too late to matter. We got to ship it. What they want is to check the box.", "inferred_identity": "Generic PM behavior", "confidence": "high", "tags": [ "user research", "validation research", "end-of-process research", "check-the-box mentality", "performative user-centeredness", "PM behavior", "research timing" ], "lesson": "Research requested at the end of development is performative, not genuine. True research integration happens from the beginning when findings can actually change decisions.", "topic_id": "topic_7", "line_start": 166, "line_end": 168 }, { "id": "example_7", "explicit_text": "I would argue every researcher has probably had to do executive listening sessions because a lot of PMs, founders, product people, but designers, too, they want to get close to the customer. And so, like, 'Can I do some focus groups? I want to be there. I want to ask them questions.' This is 97% performance.", "inferred_identity": "Generic company behavior", "confidence": "high", "tags": [ "executive listening", "focus groups", "performative research", "executive engagement", "user research", "check-the-box" ], "lesson": "Executives wanting to 'get close to customers' through listening sessions is mostly about feeling customer-obsessed, not about learning something actionable.", "topic_id": "topic_7", "line_start": 169, "line_end": 171 }, { "id": "example_8", "explicit_text": "At Airbnb, when I was head of research or head of design, or in my last job where I was head of the design studio, UX research, UX design, writing, localization, they all reported up to me. And I've seen this from many disciplinary angles in the UX field.", "inferred_identity": "Judd Antin at Airbnb", "confidence": "high", "tags": [ "Airbnb", "organizational structure", "research leadership", "design leadership", "design studio", "cross-functional integration", "team structure" ], "lesson": "Integrating research, design, writing, and localization under one leader enables better cross-functional collaboration and shared accountability.", "topic_id": "topic_6", "line_start": 193, "line_end": 195 }, { "id": "example_9", "explicit_text": "When I joined Airbnb, I did a quick listening tour where I talked to a bunch of product people. And they all said the same thing. They were like, 'Listen, we have all these different people throwing insights over the transom. And it's great. We want to hear from the data scientists, from the product specialists, from the customer service people, and the voice of the customer, whatever, all that stuff. But they're all coming over the side and we don't know what to make of it. It's too much.'", "inferred_identity": "Airbnb PMs", "confidence": "high", "tags": [ "Airbnb", "insights integration", "siloed research", "organizational dysfunction", "information overload", "cross-functional insights" ], "lesson": "When insights come from siloed functions without coordination, the result is overwhelming noise rather than actionable clarity. Integration is essential.", "topic_id": "topic_14", "line_start": 365, "line_end": 368 }, { "id": "example_10", "explicit_text": "When I joined Airbnb, I set out to create an integrated insights function where it's like, 'Let's do UX research, let's talk about the market and competitors when we have to. Let's integrate smartly with data science functions. Let's integrate all the stuff we're getting from customer service feedback.' We brought over what was then the NPS program and said, 'Hey, if we're getting customer feedback there, let's all just use it all to fuel this one insights machine.'", "inferred_identity": "Judd Antin at Airbnb", "confidence": "high", "tags": [ "Airbnb", "integrated insights", "organizational design", "cross-functional collaboration", "insights consolidation", "research structure", "customer feedback" ], "lesson": "Consolidating insights from all sources into one integrated function prevents duplication, creates clarity, and enables better decision-making.", "topic_id": "topic_14", "line_start": 368, "line_end": 369 }, { "id": "example_11", "explicit_text": "At Meta and Airbnb, when I built a team, that was my goal, is individually as researchers build up those tools and then as a team build deep expertise that would fill all the gaps.", "inferred_identity": "Judd Antin", "confidence": "high", "tags": [ "Meta/Facebook", "Airbnb", "team building", "researcher skills", "multi-method", "team structure", "expertise gaps" ], "lesson": "Research teams should be composed of individually skilled multi-method researchers and collectively deep expertise across all five research tools.", "topic_id": "topic_5", "line_start": 143, "line_end": 144 }, { "id": "example_12", "explicit_text": "The alumni community from Judd's research team at Airbnb went on to lead research at Slack, Notion, Robinhood, Fair, Duolingo, Figma, and Wealthfront.", "inferred_identity": "Judd Antin's direct reports at Airbnb", "confidence": "high", "tags": [ "Airbnb", "research leadership", "talent diaspora", "team mentorship", "Slack", "Notion", "Robinhood", "Fair", "Duolingo", "Figma", "Wealthfront", "research career paths" ], "lesson": "Hiring and developing great researchers creates a ripple effect across the industry as they take those skills and leadership experience to new companies.", "topic_id": "topic_5", "line_start": 23, "line_end": 26 }, { "id": "example_13", "explicit_text": "I read a business book by Barbara Kellerman called Bad Leadership. What I love about it is that we spend a lot of time talking about good leaders, and she really dives into the worst leaders and what makes them bad leaders.", "inferred_identity": "Judd Antin's recommendation", "confidence": "high", "tags": [ "book recommendation", "leadership", "failure analysis", "learning from mistakes", "professional development" ], "lesson": "Understanding bad leadership teaches more nuanced lessons than studying good leaders alone.", "topic_id": "topic_21", "line_start": 515, "line_end": 516 }, { "id": "example_14", "explicit_text": "A recent Pulitzer Prize winner, Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. It's an outstanding read that also is really sad, and moving, and illustrative, especially if you want to understand rural poverty.", "inferred_identity": "Judd Antin's recommendation", "confidence": "high", "tags": [ "book recommendation", "fiction", "Pulitzer Prize", "empathy building", "social understanding", "character study" ], "lesson": "Fiction can develop empathy and understanding of different life contexts better than non-fiction sometimes.", "topic_id": "topic_21", "line_start": 517, "line_end": 519 }, { "id": "example_15", "explicit_text": "If you're interested in science fiction, read the Murderbot Diaries, it's about a sarcastic killer robot. And who doesn't love them?", "inferred_identity": "Judd Antin's recommendation", "confidence": "high", "tags": [ "book recommendation", "science fiction", "entertainment", "character-driven narrative", "humor" ], "lesson": "Science fiction can be entertaining while also exploring complex themes through speculative scenarios.", "topic_id": "topic_21", "line_start": 518, "line_end": 519 }, { "id": "example_16", "explicit_text": "We recently watched The Last of Us and it blew our mind. I watched it after I played the video game after long last, if you are a person who plays video games and you haven't played The Last of Us, play it.", "inferred_identity": "Judd Antin", "confidence": "high", "tags": [ "TV show recommendation", "video game", "The Last of Us", "adaptation", "entertainment", "storytelling" ], "lesson": "Games and their TV adaptations can both be exceptional storytelling mediums that complement each other.", "topic_id": "topic_21", "line_start": 529, "line_end": 531 }, { "id": "example_17", "explicit_text": "Think of a topic that you had to explain lately that was the most complex, and then explain it to me like I'm five. I want to see if somebody can break a complex problem down in a really simple way, and give me an intuition for it in a short amount of time.", "inferred_identity": "Judd Antin's interview question", "confidence": "high", "tags": [ "interview technique", "communication skills", "simplification", "clarity", "ability to explain", "leadership quality", "research skill" ], "lesson": "The ability to explain complex topics simply is a key differentiator between good and great employees across all levels.", "topic_id": "topic_21", "line_start": 535, "line_end": 537 }, { "id": "example_18", "explicit_text": "My whole family started indoor rock climbing recently, and there's a challenge you have when you top rope, which is that you're looking up all the time. So they make these glasses, which are called belay glasses, and they have an angled mirror embedded in the lens, so that you can look straight ahead, and the view you see is up towards the person who you're belaying.", "inferred_identity": "Judd Antin", "confidence": "high", "tags": [ "product recommendation", "belay glasses", "rock climbing", "niche product", "problem-solution fit", "user experience design" ], "lesson": "Perfect product design doesn't require mass market appeal; solving niche problems elegantly is high-quality product work.", "topic_id": "topic_21", "line_start": 541, "line_end": 543 }, { "id": "example_19", "explicit_text": "One thing I could ask your listeners to do is to get next to your researcher. I just think if you build those relationships and involve a researcher and insights person early and often, beautiful things will happen for you and for the business.", "inferred_identity": "Judd Antin's call to action", "confidence": "high", "tags": [ "research integration", "partnership", "relationship building", "early involvement", "business impact", "advice for PMs" ], "lesson": "The single most important action any PM or leader can take is to build a strong, ongoing relationship with a researcher and involve them from the start.", "topic_id": "topic_15", "line_start": 566, "line_end": 567 }, { "id": "example_20", "explicit_text": "People can find me at juddantin.com. These days, I'm a consultant. I help people with UX strategy, org design, and crisis management. Somehow I love dealing with other people's dumpster fires, and I've found that I'm constitutionally good at it.", "inferred_identity": "Judd Antin", "confidence": "high", "tags": [ "consultant", "UX strategy", "organizational design", "crisis management", "advisory", "Judd Antin" ], "lesson": "Great leaders enjoy helping others navigate difficult organizational challenges.", "topic_id": "topic_21", "line_start": 566, "line_end": 567 } ] }