Market Research Strategies | Observational Research
Some researchers call self-reported research the Achillie’s heal of survey data collection in terms of reliability. The reason? Self-reported research is sometimes inaccurate and thwarted by a consumer’s misguided perception. For example, research states that some polls reported that 40% of Americans attended church every week. However, when Marlar and Hadaway (2005) examined actual church […]
Designing for Everyone: How AI-Powered UX Research Accelerates Accessibility
Accessibility isn’t a checkbox but a commitment. 1 in 4 U.S. adults lives with a disability, yet inclusive design is often treated as an afterthought. To build truly ADA-compliant digital experiences, accessibility testing has to happen early and often. But here’s the challenge: traditional methods are slow, expensive, and disconnected from everyday UX work. That’s […]
Where UX Researchers Fit in the New Product Development Workflow
If it feels like the product development process has changed around you, it’s because it has. Agile workflows. Leaner teams. AI in every tool. Stakeholders asking for feedback now, not next week. As shipping velocity increases, UX researchers can no longer afford to sit outside the sprint cycle. They need to be embedded, accessible, and […]
Rebuilding the UX Research Stack: What the AI-Powered Future Looks Like
Let’s be honest—most UX research stacks weren’t designed for today’s workflows. What started as a thoughtful patchwork of scheduling tools, survey platforms, video analysis software, and spreadsheets has become a burden. Now that product teams are shipping faster, headcount is leaner, and AI is everywhere, research teams are asking: Do we still need all these tools? […]
Controlled Observation Research | Virtual Research Methods
When organizations need accurate consumer data regarding product testing, product placement, or how consumers genuinely interact with the brand, observational research is a reliable go-to over other research methods. As a quick review, observation research is one type of qualitative research where researchers observe participants’ behaviors and interactions instead of asking them to self-report via […]
UX Research in the Age of AI: What Changes, What Doesn’t
In the past two years, UX researchers have faced enormous change: smaller teams, rising expectations, and the pressure to deliver faster. Layer on the flood of AI tools promising “instant insight,” and the research landscape feels simultaneously more powerful—and more confusing—than ever. So what’s real? What’s just noise? And more importantly: what’s our role in […]
The UX Researcher’s Guide to AI-Powered Agile Testing
The New Demands on UX Research Product development has changed. Sprints are shorter. Releases are continuous. The pressure to deliver “right the first time” has never been higher. And yet, research timelines haven’t always kept pace. Traditional tools and workflows often slow teams down—leading to bottlenecks, missed validation windows, and insights that arrive after decisions […]
A Webinar Recap: Lessons Learned from Implementing AI Agents in Market Research
At Informa’s TMRE @ Home event last month, Fuel Cycle’s Chief Strategy Officer, Rick Kelly, delivered a session on “Lessons Learned from Implementing AI Agents in Market Research.” The presentation demystified the buzz around agentic AI, highlighted the strategic necessity of orchestration and human oversight, and introduced a vision for transforming market research from reactive […]
A Webinar Recap: How Insights Teams Are Powering CPG Resilience and Growth
In today’s CPG and retail landscape, uncertainty is the only constant. From fluctuating consumer sentiment to shifting purchase priorities, brands must stay agile — and that requires actionable, real-time insights. In our recent Fuel Cycle webinar, “Beyond the Shelf: Insights Teams Empowering Retail & CPG Excellence,” we gathered expert perspectives from CPG leaders navigating today’s […]
The Consumer Confidence Sprint: Helping Brands Lead, Not React
Inflation. Interest rate shocks. Recession anxiety. A volatile job market. These aren’t just headlines — they’re redefining how consumers think, spend, and stay loyal. As Greg Wight noted in a recent article on evolving consumer patterns, the forces shaping today’s behavior — whether tariffs, pandemics, or financial stress — often trigger conscious-shopping responses: reevaluation of […]