Carey Petersen

Who doesn’t like saving money? The difference between unsystematic product development and proper, thorough research could be millions of dollars and countless months of wasted time. Proper research foundations = saved time and money. It’s that simple.

I learned through trial and error the importance of creating a stakeholder map and truly understanding not only the hopes and fears of each individual, but also their viewpoint of the company. Stakeholder interviews can be a very important tool when it comes to understanding how research findings will be perceived and ultimately used. As a researcher and writer, it is important that I know my “audience.” This doesn’t change the data, but rather the way I communicate it.

I almost always play the role of “work mom.” I like to get to know my team members and create a safe and open work environment where everyone feels included and valued. Over the past year, I’ve learned how to still maintain that atmosphere remotely with co-worker “remote coffee,” online game nights, virtual lunch hours, or even surveys to learn more about the people I work with. A solid team is a productive team and approachability is key.

I have often noticed that conflict arises due to lack of communication or miscommunication. I like to approach conflict with a calm attitude in order to establish healthy personal boundaries. How can I better manage expectations? How can I better understand this person? A favorite activity that I learned is a one-minute exercise where each person takes turns communicating their feelings before the other tries to repeat back as much as they can verbatim. Knowing that you have to repeat back what you hear adds extra importance to listening.