In this episode of the Happy Market Research Podcast, host Dan Fleetwood speaks with Jan Dawson, former Senior Director of Research and Insights at Vivint. Jan breaks down how he leveraged AI for iterative, "bite-sized" discovery research, why treating AI like a junior intern prevents overgeneralization, and how human empathy remains the ultimate differentiator in insights. He also offers tactical frameworks for prioritizing urgent vs. important stakeholder requests and explains why researchers should act like 4-year-olds.
As AI speeds up data analysis and survey generation, what remains uniquely human in the research process? In this episode, Dan Fleetwood sits down with Jan Dawson, former Senior Director of Research and Insights at Vivint, to explore the intersection of AI capabilities, stakeholder management, and human-centered discovery.
Jan shares how he transformed months-long qualitative discovery projects into agile, 6-week "bite-sized" discovery sprints using online video platforms and Claude. He also candidly addresses the limits of AI, the risks of non-researchers generating "false insights," and why mastering stakeholder relationships is an essential human skill.
Guest:
Jan Dawson – Senior Research & Insights leader with over 25 years of experience translating consumer research into business strategy. Most recently serving as Senior Director of Research & Insights at Vivint Smart Home, Jan has led multidisciplinary research teams since 2001 across both in-house corporate environments and external analyst/consulting firms. Hands-on across qualitative and quantitative methodologies, Jan specializes in advising executive leadership on product, marketing, and corporate strategy.
Useful links:
Jan Dawson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jandawson/
Jan Dawson's website: https://jndwsn.com/
Dan Fleetwood on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danfleetwood
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