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You’ll walk away from this session with a new approach to teaching non-researchers how to research, sharing insights from customers that get heard, and ideas for selling your organization on policies that enable a more customer-centric culture.

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You’ll walk away from this session with a new approach to teaching non-researchers how to research, sharing insights from customers that get heard, and ideas for selling your organization on policies that enable a more customer-centric culture.

When you’re building, not optimizing, you need everyone to learn from customers. But how do you build a team culture in which everyone, including backend engineers and compliance program managers, feels empowered to do research? I’ll share what I’ve learned so far on creative methods for how to coach, how to share insights, and how to impact company policies. You’ll walk away with a new approach to teaching non-researchers how to research, sharing insights from customers that get heard and impact decisions, and finally, ideas for selling your organization on policies that enable a more customer-centric culture.

What's inside

Syllabus

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Teaches a methodology for improving team culture
Suitable for non-researchers
Taught by instructors who are experienced in the field
Provides practical methods and strategies
Covers the importance of customer-centricity in research
May require participants to have some prior knowledge of research methods

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Reviews summary

Democratizing research for culture change

According to learners, this course is a highly practical guide for embedding customer insights across an organization. Students praise its ability to democratize research skills, empowering non-researchers to gather and apply valuable customer feedback. The course provides actionable strategies for sharing insights effectively and offers concrete ideas for influencing company culture and policies. While some found the content foundational, many appreciated the clear, concise delivery and its immediate applicability to their roles, especially in product development and team collaboration. It's a strong resource for fostering a more customer-centric mindset.
Instructor delivers content clearly and keeps learners engaged.
"The instructor's passion and expertise made the sometimes dry topic of research really engaging."
"Her teaching style was clear and concise, making complex ideas easy to grasp."
"I enjoyed the instructor's personal anecdotes and real-world examples that brought the concepts to life."
Offers effective ways to influence organizational policies.
"The strategies for 'selling' customer-centric policies to leadership were a game-changer for me."
"I now have a clearer roadmap for advocating for customer-focused initiatives within my company."
"This course helped me understand how to shift our company's mindset towards truly listening to customers and acting on their feedback."
Provides practical tools and methods for immediate application.
"The techniques for sharing insights were incredibly practical; I could apply them in my next team meeting."
"I particularly appreciated the real-world examples and templates provided; they helped me implement the learnings quickly."
"This course delivered exactly what I needed: actionable steps to bring customer insights into our product development cycle."
Teaches fundamental research skills to diverse team members.
"I learned how to coach backend engineers and product managers to conduct their own customer interviews, which was incredibly valuable."
"This course gave me the confidence to start incorporating user research into my daily tasks, even though I'm not a dedicated researcher."
"It's impressive how the course breaks down complex research methods into accessible steps for anyone on the team."
May offer less novelty for experienced research professionals.
"As an experienced UX researcher, some parts felt a bit basic, but it's great for those new to the field."
"While the content is solid, I was hoping for more advanced techniques given my background."
"If you're already deeply immersed in customer research, you might find this more of a refresher than new learning."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Building a Customer-centric Culture by Democratizing Research with these activities:
Read “Just Enough Research” by Erika Hall
Review this book to improve your understanding of the key principles of customer-centric research.
Show steps
  • Read the book and take notes.
  • Highlight key passages and concepts.
  • Complete the exercises and activities in the book.
Review Customer Research Skills
Solidifies foundational knowledge and skills essential in course
Browse courses on Customer Research
Show steps
  • Review prior customer research projects or assignments
  • Participate in class discussions and ask clarifying questions
  • Attend workshops on customer research techniques and methodologies
Review the Basics of Research Design
Start by refreshing your skills in research design to help you understand the course content more easily.
Browse courses on Research Design
Show steps
  • Review your notes or textbooks on research design.
  • Take a practice quiz or complete a sample research proposal.
  • Attend a workshop or webinar on research design basics.
Seven other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all ten activities
Interview Customers
Provides hands-on experience applying customer research techniques
Browse courses on Customer Engagement
Show steps
Attend a Workshop on Customer Research Techniques
Participate in a workshop to learn new techniques for conducting customer research.
Show steps
  • Research and find a relevant workshop.
  • Register for the workshop.
  • Attend the workshop and actively participate.
  • Take notes and ask questions.
Conduct Mock Interviews with Customers
Practice conducting mock interviews to improve your ability to gather valuable insights from customers.
Browse courses on Customer Interviews
Show steps
  • Prepare a list of interview questions.
  • Find a willing participant to interview.
  • Conduct the mock interview, taking notes.
  • Analyze your notes and identify key insights.
Develop a Customer Research Plan
Create a customer research plan to outline your approach to gathering and analyzing customer data.
Show steps
  • Define your research objectives.
  • Identify your target audience.
  • Choose your research methods.
  • Develop a data analysis plan.
Volunteer at a Non-Profit Organization
Volunteer at a non-profit to gain real-world experience in customer research and insights.
Show steps
  • Research and find a non-profit organization that aligns with your interests.
  • Contact the organization and inquire about volunteer opportunities.
  • Attend a volunteer orientation.
  • Participate in customer research projects or initiatives.
Create a Customer Research Report
Develops strong analytical and communication skills
Browse courses on Data Analysis
Show steps
  • Gather and analyze customer research data
  • Summarize findings and insights
Mentor a Junior Researcher
Share your knowledge and expertise by mentoring a junior researcher to enhance your own understanding of customer research principles.
Show steps
  • Reach out to your network or professional organizations to find a mentee.
  • Set up regular meetings to provide guidance and support.
  • Share resources and materials to aid their research journey.
  • Provide feedback on their research proposals and presentations.

Career center

Learners who complete Building a Customer-centric Culture by Democratizing Research will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Customer Experience Manager
Customer experience managers develop and implement strategies to improve the overall customer experience. This course would be particularly useful for customer experience managers who want to learn how to collect and analyze customer feedback to inform their decision-making. The course would also help customer experience managers build a team culture in which everyone feels empowered to do research and contribute to the customer experience.
Market Research Analyst
Market research analysts collect, analyze, and interpret data to understand customer needs and preferences. This course would be useful for market research analysts who want to learn how to democratize research and make it more accessible to non-researchers. The course would also help market research analysts develop new methods for sharing insights from customers with decision-makers.
Product Manager
Product managers are responsible for developing and managing products that meet customer needs. This course would be useful for product managers who want to learn how to build a customer-centric culture within their organization. The course would also help product managers develop new methods for gathering and incorporating customer feedback into their product development process.
User Experience Researcher
User experience researchers evaluate how users interact with products and services and make recommendations for improvements. This course would be useful for user experience researchers who want to learn how to democratize research and make it more accessible to non-researchers. The course would also help user experience researchers develop new methods for sharing insights from customers with decision-makers.
Customer Success Manager
Customer success managers help customers achieve their goals with a product or service. This course would be useful for customer success managers who want to learn how to build a customer-centric culture within their organization. The course would also help customer success managers develop new methods for gathering and incorporating customer feedback into their customer success strategies.
Business Analyst
Business analysts help organizations improve their performance by analyzing data and making recommendations for improvement. This course would be useful for business analysts who want to learn how to democratize research and make it more accessible to non-researchers. The course would also help business analysts develop new methods for sharing insights from customers with decision-makers.
Marketing Manager
Marketing managers are responsible for developing and implementing marketing campaigns to reach target customers. This course would be useful for marketing managers who want to learn how to build a customer-centric culture within their organization. The course would also help marketing managers develop new methods for gathering and incorporating customer feedback into their marketing campaigns.
Sales Manager
Sales managers are responsible for developing and managing sales teams to achieve sales goals. This course would be useful for sales managers who want to learn how to build a customer-centric culture within their organization. The course would also help sales managers develop new methods for gathering and incorporating customer feedback into their sales strategies.
Project Manager
Project managers are responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects. This course would be useful for project managers who want to learn how to build a customer-centric culture within their organization. The course would also help project managers develop new methods for gathering and incorporating customer feedback into their project plans.
Operations Manager
Operations managers are responsible for planning, executing, and controlling the operations of an organization. This course would be useful for operations managers who want to learn how to build a customer-centric culture within their organization. The course would also help operations managers develop new methods for gathering and incorporating customer feedback into their operations.
Data Analyst
Data analysts collect, analyze, and interpret data to help organizations make better decisions. This course would be useful for data analysts who want to learn how to democratize research and make it more accessible to non-researchers. The course would also help data analysts develop new methods for sharing insights from customers with decision-makers.
Software Engineer
Software engineers design, develop, and maintain software systems. This course may be useful for software engineers who want to learn how to build more user-centric software. The course may also help software engineers develop new methods for gathering and incorporating customer feedback into their software development process.
Web Developer
Web developers design and develop websites. This course may be useful for web developers who want to learn how to build more user-centric websites. The course may also help web developers develop new methods for gathering and incorporating customer feedback into their website design process.
Graphic Designer
Graphic designers create visual concepts, using computer software or by hand, to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, and captivate consumers. This course may be useful for graphic designers who want to learn how to create more user-centric designs. The course may also help graphic designers develop new methods for gathering and incorporating customer feedback into their design process.
Content Writer
Content writers create written content for a variety of purposes, such as websites, blogs, articles, and social media posts. This course may be useful for content writers who want to learn how to create more user-centric content. The course may also help content writers develop new methods for gathering and incorporating customer feedback into their writing process.

Reading list

We've selected 11 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Building a Customer-centric Culture by Democratizing Research.
While this book is more broadly-focused than just on customer research, it's a good resource for understanding how to bring products to market based on research and validation.
Another book, like the Lean Startup, that good resource for understanding how to bring products to market based on research and validation.
A strategic guide to creating products and services that your customers want. Helps readers define the customer need and value proposition that the business will provide to meet it.
This book, more focused on data visualization, can be a good supplemental resource for the course as it will help students understand how to derive insights from the research.
While this book is more focused on understanding how big companies interact with disruptive technologies, it is still helpful background reading to understand some of the organizational and market forces that may interfere with research and a focus on customer needs.
Good resource for additional insight on the value of customer research to business outcomes.
While this book is not specifically about customer research, it good resource for additional insight on the value of innovation to business outcomes and ultimately the outcomes of customer research.
A primer on developing a sound strategy to support customer research and insights.
An overview of design thinking, a common approach to bringing customer understanding into product development.
A classic book on the challenges of market products from early adopters to mainstream consumers. While it doesn't cover customer research or product development specifically, it can be useful for those looking to understand the broader context from which the results of the research course are being used.

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