Smarter Week

AI and automation by role

How UX researchers can use AI and automation

Below are 12 common tasks for UX researchers, most common first. For each one you get the best fix (AI, automation, a feature in software you already have, or a simpler process), the steps to set it up and, for AI fixes, a prompt to copy.

Also called: User Researcher, Design Researcher, Research Ops, Customer Insights Researcher

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Task 1 · typically 240 min, once a week

Tag transcripts and synthesise research findings

Software featureBest fix

Synthesise research in a repository with built-in AI (Dovetail, Condens, Marvin)

Research repositories transcribe sessions, suggest tags and highlights, and cluster findings across studies, so synthesis takes hours instead of days and findings stay searchable.

Typically saves about 45% of the time2 h to set up
  1. 1Upload or connect recordings from Zoom, Teams or Meet to Dovetail, Condens, Marvin or your repository.
  2. 2Let the AI transcribe and suggest highlights and tags; correct the tags that matter.
  3. 3Use the AI clustering to draft themes, then check them against the raw clips.
  4. 4Publish insights in the repository so stakeholders can search before asking you.

Tools: Dovetail · Condens · Marvin · Great Question

One more way to fix it
AI

Use AI to make the first pass at synthesis, then verify against the transcripts

An approved AI assistant can pull themes, quotes and contradictions from a set of transcripts. You check the evidence and add the interpretation.

Typically saves about 45% of the time10 min to set up
  1. 1Remove personal data from the transcripts if your policy needs it.
  2. 2Upload them with your research questions using the prompt below.
  3. 3Check each theme against the quotes it cites.
  4. 4Write the "so what" yourself.
Prompt to copy
Here are [NUMBER] interview transcripts for a study on [TOPIC]. Our research questions were: [LIST]. For each research question give: the main findings, how many participants support each one, two verbatim quotes with participant IDs, and any contradicting evidence. Then list surprising findings we did not ask about. Only use what is in the transcripts.

[ATTACH TRANSCRIPTS]

Tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Microsoft Copilot

How to automate this task

Task 2 · typically 60 min, a few times a week

Run user interviews and usability tests

AIBest fix

Let an AI notetaker write the notes and the recap

A notetaker records the meeting, writes the summary and action items, and you send the recap in one click.

Typically saves about 75% of the time15 min to set up
  1. 1Check which notetaker your company allows: Copilot in Teams, Zoom AI Companion, Google Meet "Take notes for me", Otter, Fireflies or Granola.
  2. 2Turn it on for your recurring meetings and tell attendees it is on.
  3. 3After the meeting, review the action items and fix names or owners.
  4. 4Send the recap straight from the tool, or paste it into email or chat.

Tools: Copilot in Microsoft Teams · Zoom AI Companion · Google Meet "Take notes for me" · Otter, Fireflies or Granola

One more way to fix it
Software feature

Run unmoderated tests for simple usability questions

Maze, Lyssna and UserTesting run task-based tests without you on the call and summarize results with AI. Save live interviews for questions that need follow-up.

Typically saves about 40% of the time30 min to set up
  1. 1Pick questions that are about "can people do X" rather than "why".
  2. 2Build the test from your prototype in Maze, Lyssna or UserTesting.
  3. 3Recruit from their panel or your own users.
  4. 4Review the AI summary and watch the clips where people struggled.

Tools: Maze · Lyssna · UserTesting · Useberry

How to automate this task

Task 3 · typically 60 min, once a week

Recruit and schedule research participants

Software featureBest fix

Use a recruiting tool for screening, scheduling and incentives

User Interviews, Respondent, Great Question and Ethnio handle screeners, booking, reminders, consent and incentive payments, which is most of the recruiting admin.

Typically saves about 60% of the time2 h to set up
  1. 1Pick a tool that fits your audience (your own customers versus a panel).
  2. 2Build a reusable screener and consent form.
  3. 3Connect your calendar so participants book themselves.
  4. 4Turn on automatic reminders and incentive payouts.

Tools: User Interviews · Respondent · Great Question · Ethnio

How to automate this task

Task 4 · typically 120 min, once a week

Write research reports and share-outs

AIBest fix

Turn your synthesis into a share-out with AI, in several lengths

AI can turn your findings into a full report, a one-page summary and a Slack post, so the same work reaches executives and teams without three rewrites.

Typically saves about 40% of the time5 min to set up
  1. 1Paste your themes, key quotes and recommendations.
  2. 2Run the prompt below.
  3. 3Check every quote and number.
  4. 4Publish the full report in the repository and share the short versions.
Prompt to copy
Turn the research findings below into: 1) a one-page executive summary (key findings, what it means, recommended actions), 2) a full report outline with each finding, evidence and quotes, 3) a five-line Slack post with a link placeholder. Audience: [AUDIENCE]. Keep quotes verbatim and keep my recommendations; do not add new ones.

[PASTE FINDINGS, QUOTES, RECOMMENDATIONS]

Tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Microsoft Copilot · Copilot in PowerPoint or Gemini in Slides

One more way to fix it
Software feature

Synthesise research in a repository with built-in AI (Dovetail, Condens, Marvin)

Research repositories transcribe sessions, suggest tags and highlights, and cluster findings across studies, so synthesis takes hours instead of days and findings stay searchable.

Typically saves about 45% of the time2 h to set up
  1. 1Upload or connect recordings from Zoom, Teams or Meet to Dovetail, Condens, Marvin or your repository.
  2. 2Let the AI transcribe and suggest highlights and tags; correct the tags that matter.
  3. 3Use the AI clustering to draft themes, then check them against the raw clips.
  4. 4Publish insights in the repository so stakeholders can search before asking you.

Tools: Dovetail · Condens · Marvin · Great Question

How to automate this task

Task 5 · typically 60 min, once a week

Write discussion guides, screeners and surveys

AIBest fix

Draft the discussion guide and screener with AI

AI produces a solid first guide and screener from your research questions, including neutral wording and follow-up probes.

Typically saves about 50% of the time5 min to set up
  1. 1Write your research goals and questions.
  2. 2Run the prompt below.
  3. 3Remove leading questions and adjust the timing.
  4. 4Pilot it with one colleague before the first session.
Prompt to copy
Write a [45]-minute interview discussion guide for research on [TOPIC] with [PARTICIPANT TYPE]. Research questions: [LIST]. Include: intro and consent script, warm-up, main sections mapped to each research question with open, non-leading questions and follow-up probes, and a wrap-up. Add timings. Then write a 6-question screener that selects [CRITERIA] and screens out [EXCLUSIONS].

Tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Microsoft Copilot

How to automate this task

Task 6 · typically 60 min, once a week

Sort through customer feedback and feature requests

Software featureBest fix

Collect feedback in one tool that groups it with AI

Productboard, Enterpret, Dovetail, Unwrap and Canny pull feedback from support tickets, calls and surveys and group it into themes with counts, so you stop reading every ticket.

Typically saves about 50% of the time3 h to set up
  1. 1Pick one feedback tool and connect your sources: support desk, call recordings, CRM notes, surveys and app reviews.
  2. 2Let it auto-tag feedback to themes and link to customers and revenue.
  3. 3Review the theme report weekly instead of raw feedback.
  4. 4Link themes to roadmap items so you can tell customers when something ships.

Tools: Productboard · Enterpret · Dovetail · Unwrap · Canny

One more way to fix it
AI

Paste a batch of feedback into AI and get themes with counts and quotes

Without a dedicated tool, an approved AI assistant can group a few hundred comments into themes in minutes. You check a sample against the source.

Typically saves about 50% of the time5 min to set up
  1. 1Export feedback from support, sales notes, surveys or reviews into a spreadsheet.
  2. 2Upload it to an approved AI assistant with the prompt below.
  3. 3Spot-check a few comments per theme.
  4. 4Save the theme table so you can compare month to month.
Prompt to copy
Below is customer feedback with columns [LIST COLUMNS, e.g. date, customer, plan, comment]. Group it into themes. For each theme give: a short name, a one-line description, how many comments, which customer segments, and two representative quotes. Then list feature requests separately from complaints. Do not merge themes that are only loosely related.

[ATTACH OR PASTE FEEDBACK]

Tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Microsoft Copilot

How to automate this task

Task 7 · typically 15 min, every day

Answer the same questions from coworkers again and again

AIBest fix

Write the answers down once and point people (or a bot) at them

Collect the questions you keep answering into one page; a workspace AI or a ChatGPT Project, Claude Project or Gem can answer from it.

Typically saves about 50% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1For one week, paste every repeat question into a doc.
  2. 2Write the answer under each (or have AI draft it from your replies).
  3. 3Share the page, pin it in chat, and add it to a Claude Project, ChatGPT Project, Gemini Gem or Copilot agent.
  4. 4Reply to repeat questions with the link.
Prompt to copy
Below are questions coworkers keep asking me and my past answers. Turn them into a clear FAQ page grouped by topic. Keep each answer under 80 words and keep any links I gave.

[PASTE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS]

Tools: Claude Projects · ChatGPT Projects · Gemini Gems · Copilot agents · Notion or Confluence

One more way to fix it
Software feature

Ask your workspace AI instead of searching folders

Microsoft Copilot (formerly Microsoft Copilot), Gemini in Google Workspace, Glean, Notion AI and Slack AI can answer questions from your company's own files, chats and email.

Typically saves about 50% of the time10 min to set up
  1. 1Check whether your company already pays for Copilot, Gemini in Google Workspace, Glean, Notion AI or Slack AI.
  2. 2Ask it the question in plain words, e.g. "What did we quote Acme for the Q3 renewal?"
  3. 3Open the source it cites to confirm.
  4. 4If you have none of these, ask IT. It is often cheaper than the hours lost.

Tools: Microsoft Copilot · Gemini in Google Workspace · Glean · Notion AI · Slack AI

How to automate this task

Task 8 · typically 60 min, a few times a week

Sit in alignment meetings with sales, support, engineering and leadership

Process fixBest fix

Replace alignment meetings with a short written proposal and comment deadline

Most alignment meetings exist to collect opinions. A one-page proposal with a comment deadline gets the same input, and you only meet on the points people actually disagree about.

Typically saves about 30% of the time20 min to set up
  1. 1Write a one-page proposal: problem, options, recommendation, what you need from each team.
  2. 2Share it with a clear deadline for comments (for example 48 hours).
  3. 3Resolve comments in the doc; list the open disagreements at the top.
  4. 4Hold a short meeting only for the open disagreements, then record the decision in the doc.
  5. 5Keep a decision log so the same debate does not restart next month.

Tools: Google Docs, Notion or Confluence

One more way to fix it
Process fix

Replace the status meeting with a written update

Everyone posts three lines in a shared thread before a set time; you only meet when something is blocked.

Typically saves about 60% of the time15 min to set up
  1. 1Agree a format: done, next, blocked.
  2. 2Create a channel or a thread that repeats every week.
  3. 3Ask everyone to post by a set time; the lead reads them and replies to the blockers.
  4. 4Keep a shorter meeting only for the blockers, or cancel it outright.

Tools: Slack, Teams or email

How to automate this task

Task 9 · typically 10 min, every day

Find times and schedule meetings

Software featureBest fix

Send a booking link instead of trading emails

Outlook Bookings, Google Calendar appointment schedules or Calendly let people pick a time that already works.

Typically saves about 80% of the time15 min to set up
  1. 1Turn on the booking page built into your calendar (Outlook Bookings or Google appointment schedules), or use Calendly.
  2. 2Set your working hours and buffers.
  3. 3Paste the link in your signature and in replies that ask "when works?".

Tools: Microsoft Bookings · Google Calendar appointment schedules · Calendly

How to automate this task

Task 10 · typically 30 min, a few times a week

Research a topic, company or question online

AIBest fix

Use AI research mode and check the sources

Deep Research modes in ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Perplexity read dozens of pages and give you a cited summary.

Typically saves about 55% of the time5 min to set up
  1. 1Write the exact question and what you will use the answer for.
  2. 2Run it in a research mode (ChatGPT Deep Research, Claude Research, Gemini Deep Research or Perplexity).
  3. 3Open the two or three key sources it cites and confirm them.
  4. 4Save the summary where your team can find it.
Prompt to copy
Research [QUESTION]. I need this to [DECISION OR USE]. Give me a one-paragraph answer first, then the key facts as bullets with a source link for each, then what is uncertain or disputed.

Tools: ChatGPT Deep Research · Claude Research · Gemini Deep Research · Perplexity

How to automate this task

Task 11 · typically 20 min, a few times a week

Take notes and send recaps after meetings

AIBest fix

Let an AI notetaker write the notes and the recap

A notetaker records the meeting, writes the summary and action items, and you send the recap in one click.

Typically saves about 75% of the time15 min to set up
  1. 1Check which notetaker your company allows: Copilot in Teams, Zoom AI Companion, Google Meet "Take notes for me", Otter, Fireflies or Granola.
  2. 2Turn it on for your recurring meetings and tell attendees it is on.
  3. 3After the meeting, review the action items and fix names or owners.
  4. 4Send the recap straight from the tool, or paste it into email or chat.

Tools: Copilot in Microsoft Teams · Zoom AI Companion · Google Meet "Take notes for me" · Otter, Fireflies or Granola

How to automate this task

Task 12 · typically 20 min, every day

Hunt for files, numbers or answers someone already has

Software featureBest fix

Ask your workspace AI instead of searching folders

Microsoft Copilot (formerly Microsoft Copilot), Gemini in Google Workspace, Glean, Notion AI and Slack AI can answer questions from your company's own files, chats and email.

Typically saves about 50% of the time10 min to set up
  1. 1Check whether your company already pays for Copilot, Gemini in Google Workspace, Glean, Notion AI or Slack AI.
  2. 2Ask it the question in plain words, e.g. "What did we quote Acme for the Q3 renewal?"
  3. 3Open the source it cites to confirm.
  4. 4If you have none of these, ask IT. It is often cheaper than the hours lost.

Tools: Microsoft Copilot · Gemini in Google Workspace · Glean · Notion AI · Slack AI

One more way to fix it
Process fix

Agree one home for each kind of file

Most searching comes from the same thing living in three places. Pick one place per type and link to it.

Typically saves about 35% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1List the five things people search for most.
  2. 2Pick one home for each (one folder, one wiki page, one system).
  3. 3Pin the links in your team channel.
  4. 4Move or delete the copies.

Tools: SharePoint, Google Drive, Notion or Confluence

How to automate this task

Quick wins

Have you tried…

Have you let an AI notetaker write your meeting notes and action items?
Tools like Copilot in Teams, Zoom AI Companion or Otter join the call, write the summary and list who owes what. You just check it and send.
Do you send a booking link instead of emailing back and forth about times?
A booking link shows your free times so the other person picks one. Outlook and Google Calendar both have this built in.
Have you used an AI "deep research" mode that reads dozens of sources for you?
Research modes in ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Perplexity spend a few minutes reading the web and return a summary with links to every source.
Have you asked an AI that can see your company files a question, instead of digging through folders?
Microsoft Copilot (formerly Microsoft Copilot), Gemini in Google Workspace, Glean and similar tools search your email, chats and files and answer with links to the source.
Have you set up a ChatGPT Project, Claude Project or Gem loaded with your team's documents?
You upload your guides and FAQs once, and the assistant answers questions using them, so you stop answering the same thing twice.
Does your customer feedback flow into one tool that groups it into themes automatically?
Tools like Productboard, Enterpret or Dovetail collect feedback from support, sales calls and surveys and use AI to group and count it, so you read themes instead of every ticket.
Have you used a research tool like Dovetail or Condens to auto-tag and cluster interview findings?
These tools transcribe sessions, suggest highlights and tags, and group findings across interviews. You check and interpret instead of tagging every line by hand.
Do you use a tool like User Interviews or Great Question to handle participant scheduling and incentives?
These tools run your screener, let participants book themselves, send reminders and pay incentives, which removes most recruiting admin.

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