Research That Scales–a Limited-Edition Podcast Series

Research That Scales is a nine-part podcast series inspired by my book, Research That Scales: A Research Operations Handbook (Rosenfeld, 2024). In each thirty-minute episode, I speak with a brilliant research mind, weaving in voice notes and sound design to bring their stories to life. Together, we explore what scaling research means, beyond the platitudes and jargon, and what it takes to turn the vision of scalable, impactful research into a robust reality.“We need to reconfigure what we thought of as a researcher, and what is really valuable. Because we have been gifted with the fluidity of skills to understand human behaviour and deliver it across many mediums.”—Nishita GillIn this episode, I speak with Nishita Gill, founder of the strategic design agency Treemouse, and now a behavioural strategist for the Clinton Health Access Initiative. Nishita offers a refreshing and inspiring perspective on scaling research, arguing that real scalability requires rethinking how research is valued, structured, and operationalised within organisations.We explore how scaling research is not about bigger studies or larger headcounts, but about building systems that are predictable, proportional, and measurable. Nishita and I discuss the parallels between research systems and orchestral compositions, the need for leaders to write the 'sheet music' before operations can orchestrate it, and how behavioural science models can support nimble but lasting research infrastructures. Expect musical analogies throughout!This conversation is a reminder that scaling research isn’t just a technical or operational challenge—it’s a cultural one. We talk about the shifts needed for researchers to embrace broader, more fluid roles and the importance of building calm, trust-based environments to enable learning and insight.Things Mentioned* Research That Scales: A Research Operations Handbook (Rosenfeld, 2024)* Treemouse, the Delhi-based strategic design agency founded by Nishita* Clinton Health Access Initiative* Irrational Labs, a behavioural science consultancy* Busara, a behavioural science consultancy based in Nairobi, Kenya* Richard Thaler, a Nobel Prize-winning behavioural economistScaling & Systematising Research–a One-Day MasterclassThis year, I'm running in-person masterclasses for research, product, design, operations, and marketing leaders in Europe, the UK, and Australia. If you want to transform research into a scalable insights-generating engine, this masterclass is for you. ThanksThanks, Glenn Familton, for being a reviewer and co-producer, and Avec Audio Visual for audio engineering. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit katetowsey.substack.com

Research That Scales is a nine-part podcast series inspired by my book, Research That Scales: A Research Operations Handbook (Rosenfeld, 2024). In each thirty-minute episode, I speak with a brilliant research mind, weaving in voice notes and sound design to bring their stories to life. Together, we explore what scaling research means, beyond the platitudes and jargon, and what it takes to turn the vision of scalable, impactful research into a robust reality.“Scaling research is the work of building and supporting whatever it takes to gather and synthesise more evidence to make better decisions in service of our customers.”—Behzod SirjaniIn this episode, I speak with Behzod Sirjani, consultant, advisor, and founder of Yet Another Studio. Since recording, Behzod has taken up the role of Chief of Staff for Product and Engineering at Vercel.We explore how scaling research isn't just about volume; it’s about creating thoughtful systems that enable better decision-making across an organisation. We talk about research operations as flowing water: flexible, human-centred, and shaped through collaboration rather than control. Our conversation is zen! We discuss why organisational anthropology—understanding the fabric of teams and culture—is vital to thoughtfully scaling research. Researchers must harness their skills to understand internal audiences. From partnerships with customer success teams to reflections on service design, the conversation offers a wide-ranging, practical, and inspiring perspective on how research and operations can drive lasting impact.Things Mentioned* Research That Scales: A Research Operations Handbook (Rosenfeld, 2024)* Yet Another Studio: Behzod's consultancy* Rosenfeld Media's Advancing Research Conference, 2025* Good Strategy/Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters by Richard Rumelt* Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will GuidaraScaling & Systematising Research–a One-Day MasterclassThis year, I'm running in-person masterclasses for research, product, design, operations, and marketing leaders in Europe, the UK, and Australia. If you want to transform research into a scalable insights-generating engine, this masterclass is for you.ThanksThanks, Glenn Familton, for being a reviewer and co-producer, and Avec Audio Visual for audio engineering. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit katetowsey.substack.com

Research That Scales is a nine-part podcast series inspired by my book, Research That Scales: A Research Operations Handbook (Rosenfeld, 2024). In each thirty-minute episode, I speak with a brilliant research mind, weaving in voice notes and sound design to bring their stories to life. Together, we explore what scaling research means, beyond the platitudes and jargon, and what it takes to turn the vision of scalable, impactful research into a robust reality.“Scaling research isn’t just about hiring more researchers—it’s about empowering the entire organisation to make informed, customer-centric decisions.”—Ned DwyerIn this episode, I speak with Ned Dwyer, co-founder and CEO of Great Question. We dive deep into the topic of democratizing research, discussing how companies can empower teams to make truly customer-centric decisions without losing control or creating unnecessary bottlenecks.Ned shares real-world examples of successful, scaled-up research democratisation practices and highlights key learnings from less successful scenarios. Drawing on analogies from stadium and traffic design, we explore the importance of thoughtful system design to efficiently manage research demand, even at very large scales.Whether you’re scaling insights, building infrastructure, or shifting company culture, this episode offers invaluable insights on operationalising research for maximum impact.Things Mentioned* My book, Research That Scales: A Research Operations Handbook (Rosenfeld, 2024)* Great Question: Ned Dwyer’s company* Brex: a financial technology company, and a democratisation case study mentioned by Ned* Strategic Services Simple Sabotage Field Manual: an infamous CIA guide discussed by NedScaling & Systematising Research–a One-Day MasterclassThis year, I'm running in-person masterclasses for research, product, design, operations, and marketing leaders in Europe, the UK, and Australia. If you want to transform research into a scalable insights-generating engine, this masterclass is for you.Find out more: katetowsey.com/masterclassesThanksThanks, Glenn Familton, for being a reviewer and co-producer, and Avec Audio Visual for audio engineering. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit katetowsey.substack.com

“Instead of thinking in terms of just bespoke discrete research studies that kind of litter the space, it’s how do these things click together.”—Jen CardelloIn this episode of Research That Scales, I speak with Jen Cardello, MVP of Design Research and Operations at Capital One. We discuss why scaling research is not about growing headcount, but about building systems that scale value across the organisation. Jen shares how a systems mindset, rather than a service mindset, is essential for scaling research. We explore why getting the fundamentals right—asking the right research questions, establishing sound operational frameworks, and focusing on business value—is critical before scaling.We cover the importance of research leaders evolving into business leaders to drive real impact, and strategies for creating research systems that support cumulative insights, foster stronger cross-disciplinary collaboration, and encourage organisations to think beyond individual research studies towards broader, lasting knowledge.Whether you're leading a research team, building research infrastructure, or scaling research practices, this episode is packed with practical wisdom and strategic insight.Things Mentioned* Research That Scales: A Research Operations Handbook (Rosenfeld, 2024)* Capital One Careers* Inspired, Empowered, and Transformed: Marty Cagan's books about product management* Just Enough Research: A Seminal Book by Erika Hall* Eight Pillars of User Research by Emma BoultonScaling & Systematising Research–a One-Day MasterclassThis year, I’m running in-person masterclasses for research, product, design, operations, and marketing leaders in Europe, the UK, and Australia. If you want to transform research into a scalable insights-generating engine, this masterclass is for you.AcknowlegementsThanks, Glenn Familton, for being a reviewer and co-producer, and Avec Audio Visual for audio engineering. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit katetowsey.substack.com