Strategic ResponsibilitiesDemonstrate deep domain knowledge and understanding of key users and the market.Demonstrate fluency in your portfolio's business strategy and the value proposition of the product(s) within your scope.Help align the design work of your team with product strategies and user experience insights/requirements.Influence decisions tied to the business strategy and processes of your products.Establish and own research goals for your Product (aligned with business strategy) and measure progress towards those goals.Participate in portfolio Commitment pitches, MMT, OMT, Lean Governance, etc. meetings.Be an SME that acts as the voice of the customers.Cross-Functional ResponsibilitiesLead research efforts for a product(s) / project(s).Help drive the execution of an experience roadmap based on awareness of user and business needs.Advocate for end user experience, steer design and development in a different direction when needed.Closely partner with Product management and development to cultivate, manage, and administer sponsor user relationships.Work with Agile product team leaders to measure progress and review design outcomes against user insights (via playbacks).Be an active member of Product squad(s) by attending and presenting playbacks, coaching designers, providing input in the prioritization of Product backlog.When applicable, participate in planning and other product delivery processes.Champion research as a driving force for innovation.Participate in cross-disciplinary collaboration to facilitate innovation.Functional ResponsibilitiesAcquire skills in specialized research techniques.Determine types of research needed on individual initiatives and develop research goals and plans.Evaluate early ideas for products, workflows or features to determine viability.Execute product/project research deliverables in alignment with project timeline and roadmap milestones.Develop and engage network of sponsor users.Explore, document and socialize what matters most to customers.Run sponsor user efforts throughout the lifecycle (recruiting, sessions, synthesis playbacks).Build your eminence with our customer base and the external business industry you engage with.Identify cross-disciplinary partners who will champion research.Define user experience goals and design principles.Help align 3-in-a-box teams to research insights, utilize research insights to drive prioritization of product backlog and roadmap.Develop strong storytelling capabilities.Build your eminence in the design world outside of IBM and contribute to IBM and IBM Design to grow your presence internally.Support and guide individual designers through leadership, coaching, and mentoring.Engage with broader IBM Z Research community.Actively lead efforts benefiting the design community (e.g., innovation processes, community building, etc)Share expertise at studio-wide events.
