Researchers talk a lot about impact. We want insights to be actionable and to influence product strategy, shape design direction, and inform engineering priorities. In short, we want our work to matter. But impact doesn’t start with better methods or more rigorous analysis. It starts with relationships.
Researchers who consistently deliver impactful work aren’t just the ones with the strongest technical skills. They’re the ones who build trust with their teams. They understand how their PM thinks about prioritization. They know what keeps their engineers up at night. They’ve learned what motivates their designers and how they prefer to receive insights and recommendations.
Understanding isn’t trivial. It’s the foundation that determines whether your insights get acted on. When you know what matters to people, you can position your research to speak to their values. When you understand how someone processes information, you can package findings in ways that resonate. And when you’ve built trust, your voice carries weight.
The mechanics of building these relationships aren’t complicated, but they do require intentionality. Have coffee chats. Be proactive and ask about what people are working on and what challenges they’re facing. Dig into their work artifacts (planning docs, project management canvases, MBRs and QBRs) and invite yourself to meetings.
Be curious about other people and their work, but also model the type of engagement you’d like to see. Share your own early and often, not just polished decks or final reports.
Too often, researchers treat relationship-building as a nice-to-have soft skill when really it’s a core competency. Your ability to understand what people need, how they work, who they are, and what motivates/incentivizes them is what makes research impactful.
The insights you generate only matter if they land. And they can only land if you’ve built the relationships that create trust, understanding, and influence.
jordan beck, phd 