Unlocking Research Impact using RAS

Triangle UXPA welcomes Brian Utesch and Tammi Fitzwater of Cisco as they discuss ways to improve and measure the adoption of UX research and recommendations on January 20th, 2026 - 6:30pm - 8:00pm. Doors open at 5:30pm for refreshments and networking. 

This is a free, in-person event hosted by TEKsystems in Raleigh. Registration begins on December 17 for members and students, January 1, 2026 for non-members. 

Location: TEKsystems in Raleigh. (map)

Parking: The parking deck is directly behind the building. If turning off of Edwards Mill Rd onto Parklake Ave, it's an immediate right to the parking deck. Address: 4300 Edwards Mill Rd, Raleigh, NC 27612.

Talk: Unlocking Research Impact with the Recommendation Adoption Score

Imagine a company that builds amazing products and strives to have those products be truly user-friendly. They hire researchers to investigate and understand what users want. While the researchers are doing their part by providing data-inspired suggestions to improve the user experience, many of their recommendations go unnoticed by product teams and aren’t being acted on. If only there was a solution to this very frustrating, and often real, problem! Enter the Recommendations Adoption Score (RAS)— a metric that measures success by quantifying how many research suggestions are implemented.

The RAS tracks the lifecycle of all research-derived recommendations from communicated, to committed, to adopted, while also accounting for the impact a recommendation would have on users if it was fixed. In this talk, the RAS will be explained, including how to calculate the score. Attendees will be shown how they can use the RAS to track progress of their teams’ effectiveness at using research to make decisions. Additionally, we will demonstrate the power of assessing the RAS in combination with the velocity of research recommendations to make strategic decisions regarding research staffing and allocation of resources.  

This presentation will reveal that the RAS isn't just a score. It's a way to level up how we measure the impact of research recommendations. By monitoring RAS, both researchers and product teams can pinpoint what they need to do for better integration of research insights. The RAS will encourage research and product teams to work hand in hand to make products that people really need and love, while guiding organizations to truly value research that will enhance their products and achieve outstanding outcomes. 

Brian Utesch, Director of UX Research, Cisco IT

Brian is a UX research leader with over 20 years of experience spanning individual contributor, team lead, and management roles. He holds a Ph.D. in Human Factors Psychology and is a Certified UX Professional, bringing expertise in both qualitative and quantitative research methods. As the head of UX research at Cisco IT, Brian focuses on ensuring research drives measurable impact on product and business strategy. 

Tammi Fitzwater, UX Researcher, Cisco

Tammi has been focusing on data analytics and user experience research for nearly 3 years. Her passion is using data to uncover valuable insights and driving impact through effective communication. Her academic background includes a PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience and a master's degree in Psychology. With over 20 years of experience as a researcher, professor, and scientist, Tammi has developed a deep expertise in data analysis, statistics, and communication.

Waitlist

If the event fills up, you can join the waitlist. Two days before the event if there are spots available, we'll notify those on the waitlist. Any available spots will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.

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