2026 trends in CX and UX research with Lija Hogan and Amrit Bhachu

Episode web page: https://bit.ly/4jpvb55 Episode description: In this episode of Insights Unlocked, I flip the mic on two of the podcast’s regular co-hosts: Lija Hogan and Amrit Bhachu, both Principals of Experience Research Strategy here at UserTesting. Together, they dive into the evolving conversations they’re having with customers as we head into 2026. From the rise of AI to the expanding role of UX researchers, Lija and Amrit unpack what’s keeping experience teams up at night—and what’s inspiring them. They explore how researchers are experimenting with AI to optimize workflows, the importance of validating generative outputs, and the new expectations being placed on teams to demonstrate impact across the business. The episode also explores the shift toward conversational interfaces and the operational challenges of supporting research at scale. Topics covered: How AI is changing research and design workflows The “garbage in, garbage out” risk with AI and how to overcome it Why researchers must become stronger business storytellers Building cross-functional empathy through insights Voice, gesture, and multimodal experiences as the next UX frontier Why research ops is critical to scaling insights across the org Advice for validating AI-driven outputs before they go public Whether you’re a researcher, designer, or product leader, this episode will leave you with practical ways to experiment with AI and bring more human-centered thinking into your work. Resources & links Lija on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lija-hogan-894769/) Amrit on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amritsbhachu/) Nathan Isaacs on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanisaacs/) Learn more about Insights Unlocked: https://www.usertesting.com/podcast