Escaping Research Island: How to Build a Continuous Discovery Practice That Actually Works

Stop shipping in the dark. Start building with confidence.

In this video, Dr. Aiden Hornsby walks through how to move your product team from disconnected, ad-hoc user research to a repeatable, scalable discovery practice. You'll learn what "Research Island" looks like (you might already be stuck there), why product teams struggle to get insights when they need them, and how to build the right structures for continuous learning and smarter decision-making.

Whether you’re a capital-R Researcher, a product manager, or a designer doing research as part of your role, this talk will help you level up your approach and maximize the return on your research investments—without burning out or waiting weeks for a deck.

Key Takeaways
We walk through how to build a research practice that’s embedded, scalable, and actually helpful for product teams.
You’ll learn the difference between capital-R Researchers and lowercase-r researchers—and why both are critical.
We dig into the most common research pitfalls: ethical risks, wasted reports, and research-as-validation.
You’ll leave with tangible tactics to go from reactive, last-minute research to proactive, continuous discovery.
Plus, we talk tools, mindsets, and how AI can support—not replace—great research habits.

Watch & Learn: Chapter Breakdown
00:30 – 00:45 | Intro
Meet Dr. Aiden Hornsby and get the setup for our journey from Research Island to Continuous Discovery Continent.

00:45 – 2:45 | Setting the Stage
Why user research is broken in many orgs—and why it matters more than ever.

2:45 – 6:30 | Capital R vs lowercase r: Who’s doing the research?
The difference between research experts and everyone else—and why both matter.

6:30 – 10:20 | The Two (Broken) Models of Research in Organizations
Distributed and non-existent research—why they fail and what they look like in practice.

10:20 – 14:45 | Welcome to Research Island
What happens when no one wants to own the research and how projects suffer for it.

14:45 – 19:10 | Common Pitfalls: Ethics, Reports, and DIY Rafts
Ethical issues, reports that go unread, and shipping without insight.

19:10 – 22:15 | Escaping Research Island
How a product team made a strategic shift and started doing research right.

22:15 – 28:00 | Tactics for Continuous Discovery
Practical tools: kanban boards, pre-kickoff plan reviews, weekly insights meetings, and how to make it your own.

28:00 – 30:00 | Final Thoughts: Everyone’s a Researcher
How to build a culture where everyone contributes to better product decisions—without sacrificing rigor.