How to build a scalable self-serve research programs

As companies strive to scale research, the ability to empower product managers, designers, and marketers to conduct their own studies is becoming more essential than ever. But how do you implement a program that ensures high-quality insights without overburdening research teams?

Catch the recap of our "Building and scaling self-serve research programs" virtual event here:

Why self-serve research matters

Lauren Law, Research Operations Manager at Contentful, shared her experience:

‍“At Contentful, we have a really great group of researchers, but sometimes they hit capacity. Self-serve research allows people in roles like design and product management to gather the insights they need without overburdening the research team. With the right tools and guidelines, teams can move faster and make more informed decisions.”

Oren Friedman, CEO of Rally, reinforced this by highlighting the growing demand for research:

‍“The reality is, there’s always a supply-demand mismatch between the number of researchers and the volume of research an organization wants to do. Once people see the value of research, they want it for their own projects. That’s when companies start investing in self-serve programs.”

Signs that your team needs a self-serve program

If you’re wondering whether your company is ready to implement self-serve research, here are a few clear indicators shared during the event:

• High demand for research: Your researchers can’t keep up with the number of research requests.
• Ad hoc, unstructured research: Non-researchers are already conducting research, but without best practices or centralized oversight.
• Duplicated efforts: Teams are running similar studies without knowledge of existing insights.
• Slow decision-making: Product and design teams are waiting in long queues for research support.

Lauren described the challenge at Contentful:

‍“We saw that research was happening all over the place, but without a self-service structure. We needed templates, tools, and training to centralize efforts and ensure better-quality insights.”

How to build and scale a self-serve research program

Murat Mutlu, CEO of Ballpark, emphasized the importance of starting small:

‍“The hardest part is just getting started. We always encourage teams to launch a small study — even a two-question survey — just to see how it fits into their workflow.”

Here are actionable steps to build and scale your self-serve research program:

1. Create a centralized user research CRM

• Set up a shared space (Notion, Confluence, Rally) where all research projects and templates are stored.
• Ensure visibility so teams don’t duplicate efforts.

2. Provide pre-built templates and guidelines

• Develop standardized templates for common study types (usability tests, surveys, interviews).
• Offer clear guidelines on participant recruitment, research ethics, and best practices.

3. Define guardrails and governance

• Establish role-based permissions so non-researchers can access research tools safely.
• Implement approval workflows for studies that require oversight.

4. Train and support non-researchers

• Offer live training sessions and recorded walkthroughs.
• Set up sandbox environments where new users can practice before running live studies.

“We have a decision tree that anyone in our company can use. They answer a few questions — what they’re looking to research, what stage they’re at, how much impact it will have — and it gives an output: self-serve with our research resources, or connect with a researcher for bigger projects.” - Lauren Law, ReOps Manager at Contentful

5. Measure adoption and success

• Track usage metrics (e.g., number of self-serve studies completed each month).
• Collect feedback from users and iterate on the program.

Scaling self-serve research the right way

Self-serve research isn’t just about tools — it’s about culture. As Oren pointed out:

‍“For a self-serve research program to succeed, it needs to be ingrained in how the team operates. It’s not a one-off thing; it’s about changing the way your organization makes decisions.”

By starting small, putting the right structures in place, and continuously iterating, teams can build a scalable, high-quality self-serve research program that empowers everyone to make data-driven decisions.

Check out the Research Ops Maturity Model to see where your organization stands and how you can take your program to the next level!