The Dos and Don’ts of User Research in 2025

Master user research in 2025 with actionable tips to maximize impact and avoid common pitfalls.

5 mins read
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Look around, and it’s clear – user research has been reshaping economies and industries, becoming the bedrock of business success.

A recent study shows that data-driven businesses are 23 times more likely to acquire new customers and 19 times more likely to be profitable than those that do not intensively use customer analytics.

Research drives growth. You can use customer insights for targeted marketing or make confident product decisions with advanced analytics. You can manage resources better, too. When your organization invests in research-driven growth, you can leverage customer insights for targeted marketing strategies, rely on advanced analytics for product decision-making, and optimize resource management.

So, how can you leverage the power of user research at your organization?

Who better to ask than Twilio’s research leader, Kate Pazoles? Kate has 10+ years of experience in managing, executing, and scaling up research for top companies in the world.

She spoke to our co-founder and CEO, Prayag Narula, about all the dos and don’ts of user research in 2025.

Read on for key takeaways from the webinar, or listen to the entire conversation.

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From Market Research to User Research: Bridging the Gap

One of the most interesting parts of the conversation was hearing about Kate’s journey from market research to user research: “You know, when I was first getting started in research, there was no such thing, like you said, as UX research. And for a long time, UX research has been the domain of designers, and it’s been part of that discipline.”

She pointed out that UX research often focuses on how people interact with a specific product. Meanwhile, market research is broader and more about customers’ behaviors, needs, and motivations.

As Kate put it, it’s about understanding “what our users are trying to accomplish and what stands in their way,” regardless of any specific solution. This broader perspective allows for a more holistic view of the customer, from which UX research can learn.

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The Shift to Strategic Research (and Getting Leadership on Board!)

Kate shared how Twilio has been shifting its research focus to be more strategic, moving “up in altitude” to explore those bigger “what’s around the corner” type questions. This wasn’t just a change for the research team — it was about getting the entire organization, especially leadership, to engage with research in a new way.

So, how do you get your leadership to care about research? This is the million-dollar question, right?

Kate had some fantastic advice:

Rebrand, Rebrand, Rebrand

Sometimes, it’s a branding issue. Leaders might think of UX research as just testing button placements, not a strategic tool. Twilio even rebranded from “UX Research” to “User Research” (though they’re still working on getting everyone to remember!). They’re now experimenting with “Product Research” to better align with the product organization.

Speak Their Language

Listen to how your leaders talk and use that language! Is “customer obsession” the buzzword of the moment? Great! Use it in your research reports and presentations.

Find Your Champion

This is key. Find a leader who has a problem you can help solve with research. Show them the value, and they’ll become your advocate.

Send Newsletters

Yes, you heard that right. Keep research top-of-mind by sharing insights and wins through regular newsletters. Marketing works! (And it’s the inspiration for a new feature in Marvin, wink wink!)

As Kate emphasized, “It’s important to really get your brand out there as the sort of strategic thought partner…”

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Democratizing Research: Letting Go and Empowering Others

Democratization of research is about empowering non-researchers like product managers, designers, marketers, and even sales teams to engage directly with customers, gather insights, and contribute to the organization’s understanding of its users.

Kate’s take on democratization? Embrace it, but let go of perfection:

“If the goal of a company is for more people to be talking to more customers more often, you have to let go of the idea that every single customer conversation is going to be rigorous and methodological and fit into a neat little box.”

Here are her tips for democratizing UX research:

  • Keep It Simple: Provide easy-to-access resources, but don’t overwhelm people with too much information.
  • Enable Shadowing: Let people observe experienced researchers in action. (Tools like Marvin’s live stream feature can be super helpful here!)
  • Focus on Incremental Improvement: Don’t expect everyone to become a research pro overnight.
  • Centralized Repository: Using a tool to capture all customer conversations, regardless of who conducted them, will help preserve valuable insights.
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Living Your Best Research Life in 2025

How can researchers thrive in the coming year?

Build relationships, be scrappy, and “celebrate your incremental wins.” Remember, your work is valuable, even if it doesn’t always result in a direct, measurable outcome. And as she so eloquently said: “It’s user research; it’s not open heart surgery.”

So, relax, focus on being a thought partner, and connect the dots between user needs and business strategy.

The future of UX research will see researchers focused on understanding the customer deeply. In 2025, Kate believes the focus will remain on researchers as experts on customer needs, goals, and motivations. The emphasis will be on acting as thought partners, collaborating to solve problems rather than simply gathering information.

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Key Takeaways From FAQs

Here are some of the burning questions that came up during the live session:

Why Democratize Research? Isn’t That Like Asking Everyone to Code?

As Kate put it, “The simple answer is there’s just not enough researchers, right? Like there’s so many more questions that we want to answer.” Plus, people are already talking to customers, so why not bring those insights into your research ecosystem?

The aim is to integrate customer feedback into research for strategic value. If not aligned with the democratization program, the value of research is overlooked.

What Tools Should I Be Using Besides Marvin?

Kate believes in keeping it simple: “Marvin is our main research tool.” Besides Marvin, Twilio mainly uses Zoom. They are also looking into participant management tools, such as User Interviews and Rally.

How Can I Get Leadership to Care About Research If I’m Just Starting Out?

Build relationships! Set up time to chat with stakeholders, understand their goals, and show them how research can help. As Kate mentioned, “People love to talk about themselves and their opinions.” Even if you’re a junior, take advantage of that!

What are the Best Practices for Designing AI Systems?

There’s a misconception that researchers should always be doing primary research, but that’s not always the most valuable use of your time. You can learn a lot from research that others have done.

Did you know that one-fifth of researchers currently utilize AI in their research, while an additional 38% are planning to utilize it in the future?

Kate shared an AI design framework you should consider as you design AI solutions — check it out!

How Can I Branch Into Market Research If My Company Already Has a Research Team?

Start by focusing on the questions you’re asking. What’s the question behind the question? Also, collaborate with your market research team (if you have one) or any vendors you work with. “If you already have a team that’s doing market research or you have vendors that you work with, my suggestion would be to really collaborate with them,” Kate advised.

How Do I Get the Confidence to Position Myself as a Research Resource, Especially If I’m a Junior?

Building relationships is crucial, no matter your level. Start by getting to know your stakeholders and understanding their needs. “I think that’s such an underrated skill set that you can start building the first day you start a job,” Kate shared. Your confidence will grow as you demonstrate your value.

That’s a Wrap!

This conversation was packed with insights, covering everything from market research’s evolution to the democratization of research. We also dove into practical considerations like selecting the best UX research tools and getting leadership buy-in for user research.

And we hope you found it as valuable as we did.

Let’s all take Kate’s advice to heart and make 2025 a year of strategic, impactful, and maybe even a little less stressful research!

Ready to embrace a more strategic approach to research?

Request a free demo to find out how Marvin’s AI can simplify user research for you!

Indhuja Lal is a product marketing manager at HeyMarvin, a UX research repository that simplifies research & makes it easier to build products your customers love. She loves creating content that connects people with products that simplify their lives.

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