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Antin: Grow research headcount by making partner teams advocate for it

Judd Antin · The UX Research reckoning is here | Judd Antin (Airbnb, Meta) · Jan 4, 2024 · at 58:09

Judd Antin, former research and design leader at Meta and Airbnb, explains his strategy for justifying research headcount to Lenny Rachitsky.

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“That's how I always approached getting more headcount was not arguing abstractly for why research is important, but by asking partners who wish they had it to do the arguing for me.”

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