AI is changing what it means to be a researcher. But most teams are only using it one way—to go faster. In this episode, Hannah Rosenfeld, Executive Design Researcher at IDEO, shares a framework for using AI intentionally across your research process: not just to move faster, but to see more, ask bigger questions, and do things you couldn't do before.
Hannah teaches these ideas and more in IDEO U's new course, Human-Centered Research with AI. If this conversation resonates, the course is where you can go deeper and apply the framework to your own work. The first cohort starts May 21 at ideou.com.
Related Resources:
Hannah Rosenfeld on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-rosenfeld-86805940/
Human-Centered Research with AI — IDEO U Course: https://www.ideou.com/products/human-centered-research-ai
Read the episode recap on the IDEO U blog: https://www.ideou.com/blog
In This Episode:
(02:16) AI Doesn't Change the Principles of Good Research — It Expands the Definition
(05:04) A Framework for Using AI in Research: The Intersection of Speed and Scale
(09:28) Mode 1: Widen Your Aperture — Use AI to Take In More
(13:01) Mode 2: Notice Nuance — Use AI to See Deeper, Not Just Wider
(19:49) Why Bias Isn't the Problem — Unexamined Bias Is
(21:23) Mode 3: Challenge Your Assumptions — Use AI to Interrogate Your Thinking
(27:50) The Case for Productive Friction — Why Speed Can Work Against You
(29:54) Mode 4: Immerse Yourself in Data — Use AI to Bring Your Thinking to Life
(32:41) Building a Living Research Brain Your Team Can Query for Months
(38:00) How to Sum Up the Framework: Strategic Use Cases, Not Just Efficient Ones
(40:53) The Skills AI Can't Replace: Why Human Judgment Matters More, Not Less
(43:10) Q&A: Moving from AI-Generated Patterns to Human-Centered Decisions
(43:50) Q&A: Can AI Turn a Non-Researcher into a Serious Researcher?
(45:14) Lightning Round: Hannah on Asking Better Questions, Fewer Things, and Perpetual Stew
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