Editor’s note: Jeffrey Wu and Emily Simmers are senior scientists at Wrigley, Sensory Design, Chicago. 

Fresh perspectives bring in new ways of thinking about old problems. This is why successful companies hire people with diverse backgrounds for research roles. Every company is looking to stay relevant in today’s ever-evolving world. And at the end of the day, researchers from all backgrounds share the similar goal of discovering what the human experience will/can be.

But how do individuals from a variety of disciplines really enter such research fields? What does this look like and what tools do professionals need?

We are both senior scientists at Wrigley who came to the marketing research function from non-traditional backgrounds and we recently sat down together over coffee to discuss our personal experiences of beginning a career in the user experience research field, sharing our transitions as well as what we believe the industry needs that hires outside of the typical MR fields (like us) can provide.

Jeff Wu: What drew you into the industry?

Emily Simmers: My formal training was in the area of sensory science as both an undergraduate and graduate student at two land-grant universities. Once I began my consumer products goods career I was introduced into the area of market research.

Wu: You know, although my formal training was in food science and biochemical engineering, I have always been intrigued by how the human brain works and how culture/environment shapes us and ultimately our decision making, either consciously, subconsciously or unconsciously. Consumer research was the perfect venue to pursue my interests. Sensory, more specifically, even allows one to dig deeper into how our senses are elevated – or sometimes confused – by the external stimuli. I like to ask why some products can give a person such an awesome experience while others do not. What makes a person tick? What makes sense to someone? And of course, also the why.

Wu: How has your career and role evolved? 

Simmers: At first our team stuck to more of the traditional quantitative product testing that was standard practice in the world of sensory. However, our roles have slowly evolved over the past few years to incorporate more experimental research to truly understand the consumer experience beyond just product tasting. This has especially been true most recently where the approach is to involve the entire cross-functional project team into the consumer research.

Wu: So true! Nowadays, fundamentally, we are looking at problem-solving more holistically. Not only are we continuing on the path of scientific rigidity in designing research but we are also approaching things more comprehensively than just an isolated test. In our everyday projects, we embrace the principle of design thinking and cultivate consumer/customer empathy throughout the process. In addition to resourcing from the classic sensory toolbox, we have to reinvent many different approaches from design, market research, sociology, psychology, anthropology, etc., into user experience research. Sometimes we also start to take advantage of modern technology, such as mobile, online platforms, neuro-technology, etc., in order to be a fly on the wall and get up close and personal with consumers.

Simmers: What are the industry needs?

Wu: The field of user experience/consumer research is continuously evolving. Our world is becoming more portable, digitized and instantaneous. Commercialization of technology is happening at a much faster pace. Thus, our profession needs to keep an eye on the technology front end and its potential application value. On the other hand, data is becoming more and more ubiquitous. It is asking us to do a better job of sorting out content and insights that are relevant to the problem to solve. In the back end, it also asks us to think about how to best organize our storytelling and engage audiences along the way.

Simmers: Yes, exactly. Having technology that allows us to easily interact and engage with consumers in real time while they’re in the moment without spoiling that moment is so critical. We know that our consumers make a lot of their purchase decisions based on System 1 thinking – subconscious, quick, reactive, spontaneous, emotional decisions – but the majority of our tools are based on System 2 thinking – conscious, rational, over-analyzed decisions. A way to tap into the real reasons they’re buying products would be awesome.

Only technology is not enough. We also need curious and open-minded team members. We’ve found that it’s so impactful for everyone to have the voice of the consumers in their heads when they’re making business decisions. That way my role isn’t just to tell my cross-functional partners why the product needs to have a particular flavor or texture – which may or may not add increased complexity – they know because they heard the consumer say it firsthand.

Wu: What tools/knowledge helps professionals break into a market research-focused role?

Simmers: Besides basic understanding of qualitative methods, it is also about knowing how to talk with consumers without biasing their answers.

Wu: Being a specialist is not enough. Today, there is an increasing need for professionals to have wide breadth of knowledge and experience across different fields and industries. It is about having the intellectual capability to adapt, apply and repurpose other areas of expertise into our work, the ability to expand the knowledge of technology frontline, as well as keeping the pulse with the cultural progression.