A researcher runs some interviews. They produce a report. They tell everyone what they learned.

Then the product team goes back to building.

The researcher Emily Goligoski doesn’t work that way.

This week on Product Fridays, Emily says research is a team sport: “When I think about research design, I think the real cheat code is actually collaboration,” she says.

We couldn’t agree more, and we’re thrilled to have Emily on the show to discuss the art of understanding people.

Ideas we loved:

* How to do research as a team of one

* The N+1 rule for building products

* Why “cheap and cheerful” research is often enough

* Emily’s three research questions that fit on a Post-It note

* How AI is (and isn’t) changing the craft

* Why Emily still carries a notebook everywhere she goes

Mentioned in this episode:

* Rev

* Leuchtturm1917 notebooks

* Rhodia notebooks

* Portage reporter’s notebooks

* Pilot G2 retractable rolling ball gel pens, fine point, 0.7mm

* MUJI gel ink ballpoint pen, 0.5mm (too fine for Phelps’s taste)

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