Melanie Buset

Research your research: best practices for an optimal experience

The importance of a product’s user experience is pretty well understood, but what about the experience of actually conducting the research that influences these product decisions? An optimal participant experience reaches beyond just a generous incentive. This talk will walk through best practices and ethical considerations to help evaluate any new or existing research practice, showing practical examples of how they’ve been applied at Spotify.

Driven by truth, critical thinking, and mindfulness, Melanie has spent over a decade conducting research across academia and industry. Her journey has taken her from university labs to leading research teams at companies like Shopify and Spotify, and eventually to her passion for entrepreneurship and yoga—culminating in the opening of her own studio in 2023. Recently, she transitioned out of big tech into freelance work to further pursue entrepreneurial opportunities. Melanie thrives on tackling complex, messy problems, seeing them as opportunities to uncover clarity and craft narratives that strategically guide product direction. She is deeply committed to upholding ethical research standards and finds energy in mentoring and leading research teams. Outside of work, you’ll likely find her exploring with her dog, Frankie, never far from her side.