UX teams are often expected to drive business impact while operating far from the conversations where strategy is defined. The result? Misalignment, duplicated work, operational inefficiencies, and talented researchers who feel disconnected from the decisions they’re meant to inform.

In this fireside chat, longtime UX leaders Adrienne Guillory and Li Wen Huang explore what it takes to bridge the gap between execution and strategy. Together they’ll discuss why organizations struggle to connect research with leadership vision, how researchers can develop strategic thinking without abandoning their craft, and why institutional knowledge may be one of UX’s most underutilized assets.

The conversation will also tackle the realities of AI in research, the challenges of preserving organizational memory, and practical ways UX professionals can evolve from producing insights to shaping decisions.

Whether you’re an individual contributor looking to increase your influence or a leader trying to build a more strategic research organization, this session will offer candid perspectives and actionable ideas for elevating the role of UX.