#109 - The Challenges of Hybrid Work with Eduardo Gomez Ruiz of Miro

As teams look for effective ways to collaborate between in-person and remote work, hybrid meetings are a flexible solution to meet both needs. But how can teams strike a balance of both in-person and remote meetings in a hybrid setting? How can facilitators reimagine collaboration to make meetings more effective and productive?

In this episode of Awkward Silences, Lead UX Research Manager at Miro, Eduardo Gomez Ruiz, is back to share his team’s insight from Miro’s latest research study on the advantages and challenges of hybrid meetings. He shares exactly how he secured stakeholder buy-ins, UX research methods, and surprising signals. As hybrid working models take hold, this study serves as a great starting point for understanding new paradigms, trends, and attitudes as we continue to navigate new ways of working.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How UX is affected by the evolving hybrid work environment
• Effective ways to gather collaborators and stakeholders
• The various UX research methods Eduardo and his team used for the study, and some surprising results
• The role of inclusion in facilitating hybrid work environments
• Best tips and practices from successful hybrid meeting facilitators

Highlights:

• [00:05:17] The project's hypothesis was to uncover the dynamics of the overlap between devices, environment, and culture
• [00:09:12] How Eduardo gained support from the CEO and the Chief Product Officer
• [00:13:50] The four-phase plan; observation, interviews, surveys, and a co-creation session
• [00:18:57] Revealing surprising insights about IRL vs. remote user research and inclusivity
• [00:21:27] Attending in-office meetings as if they were remote
• [00:25:29] The biggest challenge: maximizing hybrid meetings for both remote and in-person contributors
• [00:35:01] J.H. touches on emerging approaches to asynchronous communication in meetings
• [00:37:33] Helpful tips on inclusion and initiating collaboration during hybrid meetings

Sources mentioned in the episode:

• userinterviews.com/awkward
• https://miro.com/

About our guest

Eduardo Gomez Ruiz is the Senior UX Research Manager at Miro, which develops cutting-edge collaboration software trusted by over forty million users. He has also served as a Design Thinking Associate Professor at IE Business School for nearly eight years. Since Eduardo joined Miro in 2020, he has been instrumental in the growth and development of the company’s UX research department. Prior to joining Miro, he held positions at Uber and several consulting agencies as a Global UX Researcher and UX Consultant