WED 21 MAY 09:00Fri May 23 14:00John Whalen
Partner, Psychological Insights & Innovation at Brilliant ExperienceJohn Whalen, PhD, leads Insights & Innovation at Brilliant Experience, where he has guided global brands and innovative startups to deeply understand their customers, validate business opportunities, and bring successful products to market.
Initially skeptical about AI in research, John has since conducted extensive “AI vs. Humans” studies to identify when AI-enhanced methods outperform traditional approaches and where human judgment remains critical.
He regularly interviews pioneering founders in the AI-for-UX space (available on Brilliant’s YouTube channel) and applies the latest tools to deliver rapid, scaled, international insights for top brands. John’s unique blend of skepticism-turned-pragmatism and hands-on experience equips him to help you confidently navigate—and leverage—the new realities of AI-powered research.
Wed 21 May 09:00 / Auditorium IIIAccelerating Insights with AI
In an era where speed, scale, and global reach are essential, AI-enabled research methods can supercharge how you gather and analyze customer insights. This workshop will show you how to integrate AI into your qualitative research workflow, reducing timelines from weeks to days—all without compromising quality. Whether you’re a researcher, product manager, marketer, or executive, you’ll discover how to confidently leverage AI to inform strategic decisions, guide product innovations, and drive business outcomes.
What You’ll Learn:
- Real-World Results: Understand the conditions under which AI-driven research shines—and when humans remain indispensable—through insights from our “AI vs. Humans” studies.
- Holistic Integration of AI: Learn practical ways to use AI at every research stage: aligning stakeholders on goals, crafting studies, recruiting participants, moderating interviews, analyzing results, and reporting findings.
- Hands-On Experience: Explore and test 4–5 cutting-edge AI tools firsthand. By the end of the session, you’ll have personally:
- Framed a research question with synthetic users.
- Applied GPT prompts to accelerate study design, participant recruitment, and test planning.
- Programmed an AI-driven moderator to conduct a short test interview.
- Experienced AI moderation live to understand what it’s like from both sides.
- Leveraged AI analytics to discover hidden patterns and “interrogate” datasets for fresh insights.
- Adapting Your Approach: Gain a roadmap for evolving your research operations, mitigating potential biases, and addressing quality and ethical considerations in AI-powered research.
Who Should Attend:
- UX Researchers & Designers: Expand your toolkit and streamline synthesis without sacrificing quality.
- Product Managers & Innovators: Reduce lead times, inform product decisions faster, and pivot confidently with rapid insights.
- Marketers & Digital Leaders: Access global, nuanced consumer insights that shape campaigns and messaging.
- Business Owners & Executives: Understand how integrating AI into research can drive strategic decisions, competitive advantage, and cost-effective scaling.
Session Takeaways:
- A curated set of AI tools to accelerate your work beyond the workshop.
- Trial licenses for select platforms, allowing you to continue experimenting.
- A clear, practical framework for evolving your research strategy to match the speed and scale of today’s market demands.
- Insight into ethical considerations, data quality assurance, and the human elements still vital in an AI-enhanced research ecosystem.
Requirements:
- A laptop with basic internet connectivity.
- No prior AI or programming experience needed—just an open mindset and a willingness to learn through guided exercises.
14:00 Auditorium IAI is Transforming UX Research
I used to be skeptical of AI-powered tools and nervous about the sweeping changes they promise for our industry. But after interviewing over 25 AI research tool founders, testing nearly 100 AI-empowered solutions, and publishing our “AI vs Humans” study comparing traditional UX research with a human-plus-AI approach, I now see the transformative potential these tools offer.
In this talk, I reveal how advanced AI will reshape the way UX professionals work. Discover how AI moderation can dramatically accelerate and scale research, how synthetic users provide new avenues for creative experimentation, and how near-limitless insights generate empowers smarter, more informed design decisions.
I’ll provide a snapshot of the emerging roles and new skills that will define what we do. My hope is that you’ll leave not only better prepared, but also optimistic about the possibilities ahead. I look forward to learning from your unique perspectives as we navigate this transformative era together.