Awkward Silences #24 - What's in a Name? Building Custom Research Programs that Stick with Vicki Tollemache
Sep 23, 2019
Vicki Tollemache, Director of User Experience Research at Grubhub who created the Parts Unknown program to explore new markets. She talks about branding research to make it sticky. She shares how travel-based field work educates product teams. She outlines logistics, scaling visits, and a practical standing research day cadence.
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Branded Research Makes Projects Sticky
- Branded research programs make research feel like a recurring, recognizable initiative instead of one-off requests.
- Vicki created Parts Unknown (inspired by Anthony Bourdain) to spotlight generative work exploring unfamiliar markets and experiences.
Executive Sponsors Turn Brand Into Influence
- Executive sponsorship amplifies internal engagement: Vicki’s CPO backs every Parts Unknown and expects action from findings.
- That alignment signals follow-through and increases visibility and perceived impact of the program.
New Orleans Trip Proved The Concept
- Vicki used New Orleans as the first Parts Unknown trip to attract participants because it’s a rich food market and easy to sell internally.
- Early trips combined diner interviews, driver shadowing, and restaurant visits to show market differences from NYC/Chicago.