The administrative burden of vendor setup has been a quiet fixture in the research industry for some time. For many large organizations, the process of onboarding a new partner is a multi-month marathon of legal reviews and financial hurdles. Historically, this friction acted as a defensive barrier; once an...
By Samir Sharma ~ with research contributions from Pulse Labs A few weeks ago, I was deep in a debugging session with an AI coding tool. Not a quick question. A real session. Iterative, stateful, building on itself. The kind where you are 30 to 45 minutes in, the model has...
Over the last few months, we’ve been speaking with leaders across the research landscape - from boutique strategy firms to internal research teams. While the specific project goals vary, the operational headaches are remarkably consistent. Invisible taxes have emerged, and are quietly stifling the ability of brands and agencies to...
In a fast-moving market, research tools are only one part of the equation. The core differentiator between a transaction and a transformative partnership is the depth of alignment and transparency established right from the start. When a collaboration truly clicks, it usually centers on these four areas: 1. Proficiency...
To turn deep insights into immediate action, organizations will first need to overcome the bottlenecks that can make research slow and rigid. At Pulse Labs, we’ve identified four specific challenges that we see as barriers for research teams.
Our series concludes by examining the “last mile” of research operations: turning aligned workflows and integrated data into real organizational action. Learn how an integration-first approach unlocks faster decisions, stronger governance, and insight at global scale.
Research teams often spend too much time moving data between platforms, risking errors and delays. Automated, two‑way integrations let insights flow securely and quickly. In article 5 of the Connected Research Ecosystem Series, we learn that alignment isn’t enough; integration makes data actionable.
In the fourth article of our Connected Research Ecosystem series, we explore alignment. After defining fragmentation, measuring its impact, and outlining a blueprint, we show how connecting tools, teams, and data points creates a unified picture for reliable research insights.
The third article in our Connected Research Ecosystem series shifts from redefining research ROI to an operational blueprint. We share four key principles teams can use to standardize workflows, cut internal friction, and speed decisions with unified, verifiable data.
The second article in our series on the Connected Research Ecosystem debunks the myths about Research Operations Value. It shifts the conversation from a focus on linear cost savings to the exponential ROI generated by faster project velocity and verifiable data integrity.
This is the first article in our new series on the connected research ecosystem. The future of research is not about adding another tool - it’s about building a better system.
A guide for UX teams and PMs to strategically combine research methods and modes across surfaces to generate actionable insights - without unnecessary overhead or resource overload. As Nielsen Norman Group emphasizes, integrating quantitative and qualitative research allows teams to uncover not only patterns in user behavior but also the motivations...
A practical playbook for UX teams (and PM’s doing it themselves) to run smarter user tests with less overhead. Why Testing Feels Hard in Enterprise (and How to Make it Easier) Small UX teams in enterprise companies often support multiple product managers, competing priorities, and limited bandwidth. The reality:...
The New Imperative-Time-to-Right & Trust UX research has long been centered around selecting the right methods to gather, synthesize, and share user insights. But with the accelerating integration of AI, the core focus has shifted. Success is no longer just about speed to market-it's...
A look at what keeps powerful findings from shaping product decisions There's no shortage of good research. There's just a shortage of good use of research. As a UX researcher, I’ve seen this happen over and over. We spend weeks on a study, pull together...
Travel and trip planning is seen as a natural use case for AI platforms. In the planning stage, consumers are making large considered purchases and need to compare and weigh different options with a number of variables. Consumers see high potential in AI’s ability to alleviate trip planning anxiety...
1 out of 5 (21%) of all self-directed user queries relate to “advice.” The types of advice users seek range from dating tips, managing difficult bosses, health, to outfits for a theme party. At right are a sample of user experiences capturing “advice” prompts with video and audio. 0:...
As the impact of AI and its implications ripple through society, bigger questions are being raised, including in Hollywood, where the entertainment industry relies on human creativity and innovation. The current writer/actor strike has brought this to the forefront: what is the role of AI in creative industries? But...
Open AI has a freemium model whereby GPT-3.5 is free and GPT-4 (“Plus”) is not. Understandably, there are questions about whether GPT-4 is worth the cost. Is it better? How much better? One simple answer is: GPT-4 is 8% better. Why? The perceived quality of...
If you remove the brand, and people didn't know the platform behind the response, would that impact perceived quality and preference ratings? Using the two pronged approach in Pulse IQ™ we examine this and find some differences. * Among GPT-4 “fans” who rate GPT-4 highly in branded...
GPT-4 still ranks highest in overall user preference score, confirmed in the latest testing of over 500 responses during the last two weeks. But Bard is steadily closing that gap and not far behind GPT-4. Overall, GPT-4 responses have the leading preference score among all platforms tested...
