In this interactive tutorial you will learn to:

• Facilitate a strategic alignment workshop with stakeholders
• Organize business unknowns and research requests into learning objectives
• Surface assumptions and low confidence knowledge to solve for constraints that could limit research impact
• Craft a research roadmap with stakeholder buy-in
• Establish the credibility and strategic role of the research team and services it can provide

Research impact is typically associated with the important work of communicating and socializing insights. But skillful alignment with stakeholders before research starts is critical to success.

In this interactive, hands-on tutorial, you’ll learn how to run a collaborative alignment workshop that defines clear objectives, engages stakeholders, and guides well-resourced, high-quality research.

Working with a simple visual framework, you will be able to solve for constraints and establish a learning roadmap based on shared commitment to clearly defined objectives and responsibilities. Tutorial participants will explore the framework and specific techniques, gaining both structured methods and nuanced approaches to identifying and communicating unknowns, assumptions, biases, credibility, and business realities. They will also learn from each other and from the experience of more than 500 workshop participants the instructors have worked with in 20 countries.

This collaborative alignment workshop benefits both researchers and non-researchers. Stakeholders optimize their time and resources, gaining the skills to collaborate effectively with research teams and drive their objectives with prioritized, meaningful insights. Researchers, in turn, conduct more impactful studies, enhance their influence, and strengthen the credibility and strategic value of their work.

Who Will Benefit from This Tutorial?

Participants should have experience conducting, managing, or commissioning research, supporting research teams, or bridging research and other functional groups or stakeholders.

Assignments

Participants will complete a 5–10 min exercise prior to the session.

Instructors

A consultant with 35 years of experience, Meena Kothandaraman emphasizes the strategic value of qualitative research across product, space, and service. Meena pays particular attention to the credibility, transparency, and communication around every research study design. Apart from her core consulting practice, Meena has been instrumental in building the Bentley University Human Factors and Information Design (HFID) graduate program – among the top three programs in the world – in her 25-year tenure there. She holds an M.S. in Information Resources Management from Syracuse University and a B.Com. in MIS from the University of Ottawa, Canada. She is a proud Canadian Bostonian, has authored a children’s book, has hosted a vegetarian cooking show, and is an accomplished South Indian classical violinist to keep herself curious.

Zarla Ludin is a research strategist with over 15 years of experience in research and consulting. She has worked as Research Director at Craft, a digital design studio, and at Motivate Design and Essential. Zarla is also an adjunct lecturer at Brandeis University’s Masters of Science in Human-Centered Design program. She weaves together research mechanics, alignment mindsets, and design engagement to help teams in domains including civic services, financial, healthcare, consumer packaged goods, and engineered products. Zarla holds a BA in Anthropology from the University of Colorado (Boulder) and a MS in Human Factors in Information Design from Bentley University. Outside of work, Zarla is a certified yoga instructor, sea glass hunter, and mom to two beautiful girls.