Pioneering AI-Powered Research Operations

Scroll

Overview

Role: UX Researcher & AI Implementation Lead
Company: UnitedHealth Group
Team Size: 4 Researchers
Timeline: Q2 2025
Impact: 40% efficiency gain in research synthesis

The Challenge

As a UX Researcher at UnitedHealth Group, I identified a critical opportunity to enhance our research team's efficiency and output quality. Our team of 4 researchers was handling an increasing volume of user interviews, data synthesis, and stakeholder reporting – often spending 60% of our time on manual documentation and synthesis tasks rather than strategic research activities.

Context:

Key Pain Points

  • Time-intensive synthesis: Researchers spent 15-20 hours weekly on interview transcription and initial analysis

  • Inconsistent documentation: Varying approaches to research documentation across team members

  • Delayed insights delivery: Average 5-7 days from data collection to actionable insights

  • Scalability challenges: Growing research demands without proportional team expansion

Opportunity

Microsoft Copilot's integration across our enterprise Microsoft 365 suite presented an untapped opportunity to revolutionize our research operations through AI-powered assistance.

My Approach

  • Stakeholder Alignment

    • Presented business case to leadership demonstrating potential ROI

    • Secured buy-in from IT security for Copilot usage with research data

    • Established success metrics aligned with department OKRs

    Tool Evaluation

    • Conducted comprehensive audit of Copilot capabilities across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams

    • Mapped Copilot features to specific research workflow pain points

    • Developed use case matrix for different research methodologies

  • The Perfect Prompt Formula

    I created a structured framework for consistent, high-quality AI outputs:

    G.O.A.L Framework:

    • Goal: Define the specific research objective

    • Output: Specify desired format and structure

    • Audience: Identify stakeholder needs and context

    • Length: Set appropriate scope parameters

    Research-Specific Prompt Library

    Developed 25+ tested prompts covering:

    • User interview analysis

    • Persona development

    • Data synthesis reports

    • Stakeholder presentations

    • Survey analysis

  • Curriculum Development

    Created comprehensive training materials including:

    • Interactive workshop presentations

    • Hands-on exercise workbooks

    • Quick reference guides

    • Video tutorials for asynchronous learning

    Workshop Facilitation

    Led three 90-minute training sessions:

    • Session 1: Copilot fundamentals and prompt engineering

    • Session 2: Research-specific applications and best practices

    • Session 3: Advanced techniques and workflow integration

    Ongoing Support Structure

    • Established weekly "Copilot Office Hours" for troubleshooting

    • Created Slack channel for prompt sharing and peer learning

    • Developed a feedback loop for continuous improvement

The Solution

Phase 1:

Foundation (Week 1-2)

  1. Set up Copilot access and permissions for the research team

  2. Conducted baseline efficiency assessment

  3. Introduced basic prompt engineering concepts

Phase 2:

Integration (Week 3-4)

  1. Integrated Copilot into existing research workflows

  2. Customized prompts for team-specific needs

  3. Established quality assurance protocols

Phase 3:

Optimization (Week 5-6)

  1. Refined prompt library based on team feedback

  2. Automated recurring research tasks

  3. Scaled successful practices across broader UX team

Key Innovations

Research Synthesis Accelerator

Developed a standardized Copilot workflow that reduced interview analysis time from 45 to 15 minutes per session:

Input: Raw interview transcripts
Process: Custom Copilot prompts for thematic analysis
Output: Structured insights with quotes and frequency counts

Dynamic Persona Generator

Created prompt templates that transform research data into rich, actionable personas in under 30 minutes:

  • Demographics and psychographics

  • Jobs-to-be-done framework integration

  • Pain points with severity rankings

  • Opportunity mapping

Stakeholder Report Automation

Built a Copilot-powered reporting system that generates executive summaries from research findings:

  • Key insights extraction

  • Data visualization recommendations

  • Actionable next steps

  • Impact prioritization matrix

Results & Impact

  • Quantitative Metrics

    Efficiency Gains

    40% reduction in research documentation time

    60% faster insight delivery (from 5-7 days to 2-3 days)

    3x increase in research output volume

    25 hours/week saved across the team (6+ hours per researcher)

  • Qualitative Outcomes

    Team Empowerment

    Researchers shifted focus from documentation to strategic analysis

    Increased confidence in handling larger research projects

    Enhanced collaboration through standardized processes

  • Success Stories

    Case Example: Navigation Study

    Before Copilot: 2 weeks from interviews to final report

    With Copilot: 4 days end-to-end, with richer insights

    Business Impact: Enabled faster iteration on critical UX improvements

"Camilla's leadership in bringing Copilot to our research practice has been transformative. We're delivering insights faster while actually improving quality – something I didn't think was possible."

~ Stephanie, Senior UX Designer

Conclusion:

This initiative demonstrates my ability to identify strategic opportunities, lead technological transformation, and deliver measurable business value through innovation. By successfully implementing Copilot across our UX research practice, I not only improved team efficiency by 40% but also positioned our department as pioneers in AI-powered research operations.

The framework and training program I developed have become organizational assets, scalable beyond our immediate team and adaptable to evolving AI capabilities. This project showcases my unique blend of research expertise, technical acumen, and leadership skills – positioning me as an ideal candidate for roles requiring innovation, strategic thinking, and the ability to drive meaningful change.

View Presentation Materials

Download Original Training Presentation
Access Prompt Library
Watch Training Videos