Episode 6: Behzod Sirjani

Research That Scales is a nine-part podcast series inspired by my book, Research That Scales: A Research Operations Handbook (Rosenfeld, 2024). In each thirty-minute episode, I speak with a brilliant research mind, weaving in voice notes and sound design to bring their stories to life. Together, we explore what scaling research means, beyond the platitudes and jargon, and what it takes to turn the vision of scalable, impactful research into a robust reality.“Scaling research is the work of building and supporting whatever it takes to gather and synthesise more evidence to make better decisions in service of our customers.”—Behzod SirjaniIn this episode, I speak with Behzod Sirjani, consultant, advisor, and founder of Yet Another Studio. Since recording, Behzod has taken up the role of Chief of Staff for Product and Engineering at Vercel.We explore how scaling research isn't just about volume; it’s about creating thoughtful systems that enable better decision-making across an organisation. We talk about research operations as flowing water: flexible, human-centred, and shaped through collaboration rather than control. Our conversation is zen! We discuss why organisational anthropology—understanding the fabric of teams and culture—is vital to thoughtfully scaling research. Researchers must harness their skills to understand internal audiences. From partnerships with customer success teams to reflections on service design, the conversation offers a wide-ranging, practical, and inspiring perspective on how research and operations can drive lasting impact.Things Mentioned* Research That Scales: A Research Operations Handbook (Rosenfeld, 2024)* Yet Another Studio: Behzod's consultancy* Rosenfeld Media's Advancing Research Conference, 2025* Good Strategy/Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters by Richard Rumelt* Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will GuidaraScaling & Systematising Research–a One-Day MasterclassThis year, I'm running in-person masterclasses for research, product, design, operations, and marketing leaders in Europe, the UK, and Australia. If you want to transform research into a scalable insights-generating engine, this masterclass is for you.ThanksThanks, Glenn Familton, for being a reviewer and co-producer, and Avec Audio Visual for audio engineering. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit katetowsey.substack.com