Jason Garrison on Anthro to UX with Matt Artz

In this Anthro to UX podcast episode, Jason Garrison speaks with Matt Artz about his UX journey. The conversation covers Jason's journey from being an educator to becoming a cultural anthropologist and eventually transitioning to UX research. Throughout the episode, Jason emphasizes the importance of empathy, networking, and relationship-building in UX research. Additionally, he provides guidance on pursuing a PhD in anthropology and delves into the role of research operations in UX, discussing strategic thinking and emotional intelligence. Jason also highlights the benefits of embedded ethnography for understanding research team function and growth and offers advice for breaking into research operations. About Jason Garrison Jason Garrison is a seasoned UX Researcher, currently leading projects at AnswerLab, where he utilizes his mastery in mixed-methods to deliver valuable ethnographies and help clients understand their target audiences better. With over five years in the field, his journey has encompassed roles at UX Cabin, Comcast, Rock Central, and Google, each contributing to his unique skill set. His tenure has been marked by significant achievements such as initiating the first user research program for the Rocket Mortgage Mobile app at Rock Central and enhancing internal developer tools at Google. Jason's ability to empathize with users and translate insights into actionable results, combined with his dedication to inclusivity, makes him a valuable asset in the UX industry. Key Moments 00:00:00 Introduction to the Anthro to UX podcast 00:00:38 Introduction to Jason Garrison 00:01:28 Jason's early interest in anthropology 00:02:25 Jason's practicum in Malaysia and exposure to applied anthropology 00:04:10 Jason's interest in the practical application of anthropology 00:05:57 Jason's discovery of UX during the pandemic 00:07:08 Jason's transition to UX research 00:09:30 The importance of storytelling in UX research 00:11:20 The role of empathy in UX research 00:06:28 Jason's decision not to pursue a PhD in anthropology 00:08:14 Discussion on the value of a PhD for UX research 00:10:00 Jason's view on the practical application of anthropology in UX 00:11:37 Addressing the criticism of anthropology being watered down in UX 00:12:47 Importance of anthropology in understanding business and value proposition 00:13:51 Research operations contributes to good anthropology 00:15:38 Research operations enables researchers to be great storytellers 00:16:58 Research operations facilitates great tools for ongoing research 00:18:28 Importance of intake process and repository in research 00:18:56 Research operations socializes what the UX research team does and inspires towards what could be done in the future 00:19:17 Additional skills for research operations: learning how to speak the language of business, understanding KPIs, and being able to anticipate and intuit what's valuable for a product team 00:23:13 Embedded ethnography is a great way to provide outside feedback on how a research team can grow and where it needs more resources 00:24:33 Encouragement for those interested in research operations to talk to people in strategy and product partners to understand the relationship between research and design 00:26:15 Jason Garrison's contact information Recommended Links Jason Garrison's Personal Website

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