15 Apr • 6 pm • Free
Online
15 Apr 2026 • 18:00 BST
Online
Research strategies for small teams
In this session, Alison will break down how to run effective research and testing as a product designer even if you don’t have a dedicated research team.
This is a practical session for senior product designers who want to move beyond assumptions and build products grounded in real user insight.
🧪 Choose the right research method for the problem
Learn how to decide between qualitative interviews, prototype testing, A/B testing, surveys, and service design research based on your product stage, business goals, and validation needs.
🎯 Define your core customer
Understand how to clearly define inclusionary and exclusionary criteria, identify target user characteristics, and avoid running research with the wrong audience.
🔄 Match research to product stage
Structure research differently for discovery vs optimisation. Learn what to run when validating new product ideas versus improving an existing feature or enterprise product.
📝 Write solid research scripts
Create simple, structured interview and testing scripts that produce consistent, usable qualitative data — so you can compare responses and extract patterns confidently.
🛠 What research tools to use
Explore practical tools like Dovetail and lightweight analysis methods to organise research data, identify themes, and turn insights into actionable product decisions.
📊 Present Research to Influence Stakeholders
Learn how to communicate findings clearly, tie insights to business impact, and present research in a way that builds credibility and drives decision-making inside startups and product teams.
About Alison
Alison Howard is a Principal Product and Service Designer with over 13 years’ experience delivering research-led digital products across finance, travel, energy and SaaS. She has worked with organisations including HSBC, BP Pulse and Trainline, helping teams turn complex problems into measurable outcomes. Alison specialises in pragmatic, real-world research approaches that empower designers to lead discovery confidently and translate insight into commercially meaningful product decisions.
Events' Reviews
Event sponsor
Q&A
Why attend PixelPerfect events?
PixelPerfect hosts practical, senior-level product design workshops focused on real-world challenges — from AI-driven products to UX strategy, accessibility, and design leadership. Sessions are led by experienced practitioners working at top tech companies.
Who are PixelPerfect events for?
PixelPerfect is for experienced product designers, UX designers, UI designers, and design leaders who want to deepen their skills, stay relevant, and design better digital products not beginners or theory-only learners.
How much does it cost?
This online event is completely free to attend! Please register to receive the link.
Is PixelPerfect a good place to learn product design?
Yes. PixelPerfect is a trusted learning platform for product and UX designers looking to grow their careers through expert-led workshops, real case studies, and actionable design guidance used in industry today.
Who is the speaker?
Alison Howard is a UK-based Senior Product and Service Designer with extensive experience in UX research, user testing, and evidence-led product development. She has worked across startups and consultancy environments, leading qualitative interviews, prototype testing, A/B testing, surveys, and service design research — often without a dedicated research team.
Alison specialises in helping product designers run structured research processes, define core customer segments, validate product assumptions, and present insights in a way that influences stakeholders and leadership teams.
She regularly contributes to the UK product design community and brings a practical, implementation-focused approach tailored to senior product designers working in real-world business environments.
Build Connections. Keep the Insights.
We offer a rare opportunity to connect with industry leaders, ask questions, and network with senior designers and professionals. Don’t miss out on this chance to elevate your expertise and expand your professional network.