Building an anti-fragile UXR practice

In an era defined by perpetual change, data deluge & AI-proliferation, UX research faces a critical juncture. The traditional practice must evolve to become antifragile—a system that thrives and grows when exposed to volatility and uncertainty. This talk will explore a new role for the modern researcher, moving from a reactive "problem-solver" to a proactive "architect of experience."

Drawing on a decade of work across Google and Uber, and exemplified by case studies from Google Search and Gemini, we will dissect the core pillars of this transformation:

1 ) Embracing Ambiguity as a Feature, not a Flaw: Re-framing the role of the researcher from a "forensic linguist" uncovering singular truths to a "cartographer" mapping the landscape of "known unknowns."

2 ) Harnessing AI: Exploring how AI can augment our craft, not replace it, by handling data synthesis and allowing us to focus on the human-centric questions of ethics, culture, and intent.

3 ) Building for Context & Culture: Demonstrating how to adapt frameworks for localization, linguistic nuance, and cultural metaphors to ensure the experiences we build are globally scalable and locally resonant.