User Research that Moves the Needle

TL;DR

 

• Boosted ease-of-use by 21% and retention by 8% by centralising research insights and opening access across the organisation.

• Led a cross-functional team of 54: UX, software engineers, learning designers, content developers, graphic designers, media producers, quality assurance

• Outcomes:

  • +21% perceived ease-of-use, +27% brand connection, -45% recurring “disconnected/confusing” complaints, +8% retention.

  • Opened the research process to all functions, sharing insights continuously instead of post-hoc reports.

  • Built a data-driven product roadmap anchored in user feedback.

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Introduction

 

Delivering world-class learning experiences for online master’s degree students requires more than just technical excellence or innovative content design. It calls for a deep empathy with learners, the kind that only comes from understanding their real stories, pain points, and aspirations. Yet, in large, cross-functional teams, research and user insights often become siloed within UX teams, limiting their transformative potential. This case study details how I led the initiative to democratise research and insight-sharing at King’s College London’s online learning programmes, resulting in measurable improvements to student satisfaction, collaboration, and learning outcomes.

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The challenge

 

As Head of Design & Innovation at King’s Online, my remit spanned multiple teams: software developers, user experience researchers & designers, learning designers, media producers, content developers, graphic designers, and quality assurance specialists. Each contributed to the student experience, but few had direct exposure to real student voices. Research was conducted, but its findings rarely permeated beyond UX, and actionable insights were often lost in lengthy reports or isolated presentations.

Our mission was clear: create a sustainable, scalable system that made user research accessible, engaging, and actionable for all teams involved in shaping the online postgraduate journey. This would not only fuel empathy but also inspire practical improvements and a shared sense of purpose.

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Strategic approach

 

Building a research repository

To break down silos, we launched an open-access, digital research repository, a living library where every team member could immerse themselves in student experiences. The repository included links to raw interview recordings, thematic analyses, user story maps, and bite-sized insight cards, all indexed by programme, user type, and key journey moments.

 

Inclusive research participation

Rather than limit research to the UX team, we empowered colleagues from learning design, tech, media, QA, to participate in planning, conducting, and analysing interviews. After targeted training workshops on research best practices, teams co-designed interview protocols and took part in student interviews, each bringing unique perspectives and surfacing unexpected insights.

This hands-on involvement ensured that research was not an abstract exercise but a lived, emotional experience for every team member.

 

Insight sharing in real time

As the research was done, we shared insights on the go instead of waiting for the “big” end - the goal was to make research as approachable and “snackable” as scrolling a feed: short, impactful, and always at your fingertips.

To sustain momentum and weave research into the daily fabric of our teams, we set up channels for continuous insight sharing:

• Slack Announcements: Whenever a research breakthrough or student quote illuminated a new challenge or opportunity, it was shared instantly tagging relevant teams for rapid follow-up.

• Insight Showcases: Monthly all-hands meetings featured “user voice” segments, where team members presented their favourite findings, often playing audio snippets or reading direct quotes to foster empathy and ignite discussion.

• Micro-Workshops: We introduced regular design sprints and ideation sessions anchored in real user stories, moving from insight to action collaboratively.

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The process in action

 

Step 1: Mapping the learning journey

We began by charting the entire online master’s degree experience, from enrolment to graduation, identifying key touchpoints and potential friction areas. This map guided our research priorities and ensured broad representation across diverse student cohorts.

 

Step 2: Deep-dive interviews

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a cross-section of students from every programme. Topics ranged from the sense of connection (or isolation) with peers and instructors, to challenges in navigating platforms, to the effectiveness of multimedia resources. Each interview was recorded, transcribed, thematically coded, and uploaded to the repository.

 

Step 3: Cross-functional synthesis

In collaborative analysis sessions, we encouraged teams to listen together, reflect, and synthesise findings. Developers heard firsthand how a navigation hurdle impacted learning; media teams learned which video content truly resonated. Insights were translated into “How Might We” statements, fuelling problem-solving across disciplines.

 

Step 4: Communicating insights for action

To bridge the gap between empathy and execution, we distilled research down to key recommendations, always linking them to business goals (e.g., boosting engagement, improving retention, enhancing brand reputation). Each recommendation was supported by both data and a compelling student narrative, making the case for change rationally and emotionally.

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Outcomes and impact

 

Student experience:

• Post-initiative surveys showed a 21% increase in perceived ease-of-use and a 27% rise in reported sense of connection to King’s College London.

• Recurring complaints about “disconnected” or “confusing” experiences dropped by 45% within two terms.

• Students frequently described the new platform as “seamless” and “supportive.”

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Organisational culture:

• Teams outside UX reported higher confidence when making user-facing decisions.

• Stakeholders from different functions including academics felt greater agency and satisfaction, with increasing cross-team morale.

• Empathy became a shared language, not just a UX mantra.

 

Business impact:

• Digital course enrolments rose, and retention improved by 8%.

• Incremental improvements, like clearer navigation, richer media, and more personalised communication, translated directly into measurable gains in engagement and outcomes.

 

Key learnings

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• Democratising research unlocks innovation, when more voices hear user pain, more minds contribute to solutions.

• Emotionally resonant stories drive action, especially when paired with clear data.

• Sharing insights in real time keeps teams focused, agile, and user obsessed.

• Continuous feedback loops ensure the experience remains world-class as student needs and technology evolve.

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Conclusion

 

This case study demonstrates that making research accessible, actionable, and emotionally powerful is the catalyst for transformation in online learning. By breaking down silos, involving cross-functional teams, and building a culture of open insight sharing, we delivered a world-class learning experience to thousands of master’s students, setting a new standard for student-centred innovation in higher education.